Greene Tweed adds supercritical CO₂ testing capability

A Greene Tweed technician operates the company’s new supercritical CO₂ rapid gas decompression (RGD) testing system, which evaluates sealing materials under conditions up to 5,000 psi and 350°C for applications including compressors, valves, pipelines and other CCUS infrastructure. (Photo: Greene Tweed)

Greene Tweed has expanded its in-house testing capabilities to evaluate sealing materials under supercritical CO₂ conditions, targeting applications including compressors, valves, pipelines and storage equipment used in carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) projects.

The company’s new rapid gas decompression (RGD) testing capability can evaluate materials and sealing solutions under supercritical CO₂ conditions at temperatures up to 350°C and pressures up to 5,000 psi.

Testing can be performed in accordance with industry standards including ISO 23936-2 or under conditions tailored to specific applications.

Greene Tweed said bringing the capability in-house will allow it to more quickly generate performance data for existing and next-generation sealing materials and accelerate qualification for CCUS applications.

“The next generation of semiconductor, aerospace, hydrogen, and CCUS technologies are pushing the boundaries of material science,” said Cory Massey, senior manager of product engineering and simulation at Greene Tweed.

Rapid gas decompression can present a challenge for sealing materials exposed to high-pressure gases, making material selection and qualification an important consideration for CO₂ compression and transportation equipment.

Greene Tweed has also added cryogenic leak-testing equipment capable of evaluating seal performance at temperatures as low as 4 Kelvin (-269°C). The system uses a high-vacuum chamber, thermal shielding and helium leak detection and is intended to support applications including liquid hydrogen.

“Expanding our in-house testing and validation capabilities marks a significant milestone in growing Greene Tweed’s technical leadership, and reflects where our customers and markets are heading,” President and CEO Magen Buterbaugh said.