Discover How Dillinger is Revolutionizing the Fight Against Hydrogen Harm in Pipelines

In a collaborative effort, Dillinger, a reputable steel manufacturer, and Saarland University's scientists are collectively striving to pioneer a more dependable and universal method for assessing materials' resilience against hydrogen, as reported by Kallanish.

The crux of the issue is hydrogen embrittlement, a phenomenon predominantly affecting robust materials such as pipeline steel or steel wires employed in prestressed concrete bridges. This issue arises when hydrogen amasses within these materials, gradually reducing their strength and potentially causing tiny damages and cracks. Such impairments pose a significant risk to the safety and integrity of pipelines and bridges.

Typically, hydrogen is found in minor quantities at weld seams or develops as a result of corrosion. Such accumulation is usually slow-paced, causing the problem to be somewhat overlooked in the past. However, the imminent surge of "green" hydrogen as a key player in future industrial processes necessitates addressing this issue. The expected growth in hydrogen volume, particularly within pipelines, underlines this concern.

As Florian Schäfer from Saarland University elaborates, "Test standards for evaluating the compressive and tensile strength of steels, which new pipeline construction steel must undergo, are already in place. However, a comprehensive, standardised approach to assess how steel interacts with hydrogen is lacking."

In the wake of the anticipated transition to a "hydrogen economy," Dillinger is optimistic about introducing steel variants that are less prone to hydrogen sensitivity. These future steels promise to be better equipped to navigate the changes than their current counterparts.

Source : eurometal.net (Reporting by Christian Koehl Germany)