The DVGW

Your network of excellence in the gas and water industry

The DVGW supports the gas and water industry in all technical and scientific areas. The main focus of the Association’s work is on safety and hygiene as well as environmental and consumer protection. The DVGW elaborates technical rules designed to promote the technical self-management of the German gas and water industry, thus ensuring the safe and secure supply of gas and water according to the highest international standards. The Association, which was founded in 1859, currently has approximately 14,000 members. The DVGW is free from economic and political influences.

www.dvgw.de/english-pages

DVGW Research Center at Engler-Bunte-Institut of Karlsruhe Institute of Technology (KIT)
DVGW Research Center at Engler-Bunte-Institut of KIT
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Three-point bend test
Testing fittings and components for gas infrastructure
Tensile testing machine
Tensile testing machine for testing the longitudinal force tightness of material transition joints up to DN 200 © Matthias Bitsch

Fittings and components for gas installation, gas distribution and gas transport up to a size of DN 500 can be tested in the laboratories at the Test Laboratory Gas. The focus here is on the national and European standards as well as the Pressure Equipment Directive (2014/68/EU). Approval tests for 100% hydrogen up to 50 bar partial pressure have already been carried out within the scope of the Pressure Equipment Directive.

Scale bending test
Bending test with up to 70 kN © Matthias Bitsch
  • Regulator test bench: Determination of the closing pressure, characteristic curves and control groups, inlet pressure up to 40 bar, flow rate up to 400 m³/h (test medium: air)
  • 3 creep test water baths: fill levels 1000 l, 3000 l, 5000 l, max. water temperature 95 °C, test pressure up to 100 bar (test medium: water)
  • Bending test bench: three-point bending, force up to 70 kN, max. deflection 800 mm
  • Continuous switching setup for shut-off valves: max. torque 300 Nm
  • Test furnace for higher thermal load capacity: temperature up to 1250 °C
  • Test equipment for melt mass flow rate (MFR): process A in line with DIN EN ISO 1133-1
  • 2 temperature chambers: temperature range from –30 °C to 70 °C
  • Tensile testing machine up to 200 kN
Leak test of a tapping valve
Leak test of a tapping valve at -20 °C © Matthias Bitsch
  • Gas shut-off valves for gas installation, gas distribution, gas transport
  • PolyEthylene shut-off valves for gas
  • Metal transition joints for PE pipes
  • Gas tapping valves
  • Gas pressure regulators
  • Safety shut-off valves / pressure relief valves
  • Mechanical joining elements (separable unthreaded pipe connections for metal gas pipes)
  • House entries
  • Insulating joints
  • Gas hose assemblies and pliable corrugated tubing kits
  • Gas meters
  • Mechanical strength of valve bodies
  • a ZP regarding the (100%) H2 readiness of gas fittings (ZP 4110) is in progress

Find out about the organisations with which the research centre is accredited here

Contacts
General questions about fittings
Michael Kunert
Gasanwendung ∙ Prüflaboratorium Gas ∙ Gruppenleiter Armaturen Prüfung

Phone+49 721 608-41252
Gas pressure regulators, safety shut-off valves and gas meters:
Klaus Huber
Gasanwendung ∙ Prüflaboratorium Gas ∙ Armaturen ∙ Prüfingenieur

Phone+49 721 608-41244