Abstract
With the growing place taken by hydrogen, a question still remains about its delivery and transport from the production site to the end user by employing the existing extensive natural gas pipelines. Indeed, the key challenge is the significant H 2 permeation through polymer infrastructures (PolyEthylene (PE) pipes, components such as connecting parts). This high flow rate of H 2 through PE has to be taken into account for safety and economic requirements. A 3-year project was launched, the aim of which was to develop and assess material solutions to cope with present problems for hydrogen gas distribution and to sustain higher pressure compared to classical high density polyethylene pipe. This project investigated pure hydrogen gas and mixtures with natural gas (20% of CH 4 and 80% of H 2) in pipelines with the aim to select engineering polymers which are more innovative than polyethylene and show outstanding properties, in terms of perme-ation, basic mechanical tests but also more specific characterizations such as long term ageing and behaviour. The adequate benches, equipments and scientific approach for materials testing had been developed and validated. In this context, the paper will focus on the evaluation of the barrier properties of 3 polymers (PE, PA11 and PAHM). Experiments were performed for pure H 2 and CH 4 and also in the presence of mixtures of hydrogen and natural gas in order to study the possible mixing effects of gases. It will report some round-robin tests that have been carried out. Secondly, by comparing data obtained on film, polymer membrane and on pipe section, the influence of the polymer processing will be studied. Innovative multilayers systems will be proposed and compared on the basis of the results obtained on monolayer systems. Finally, the evolution of the transport properties of the studied polymers with an ageing under representative service conditions will be discussed.
Highlights
With the development of hydrogen as an energy vector, its delivery and transport from the production site to the end user remains an issue
The key challenge is the high hydrogen permeation rate through existing polymer infrastructures used for natural gas distribution (PolyEthylene (PE) pipes, components as connecting parts) due to its small size in comparison with methane [1]
It has involved several industrial and academic partners. This 3-year project has investigated pure hydrogen and gas mixtures (20% CH4 - 80% H2) in pipelines made of engineering polymers to develop and assess material solutions to cope with current problems for H2 distribution and to sustain higher pressure compared to classical high density polyethylene pipe
Summary
With the development of hydrogen as an energy vector, its delivery and transport from the production site to the end user remains an issue. The project called PolHYtube was relative to the development and study of innovating materials for hydrogen distribution networks and has benefited from a grant by the French National Research Agency (ANR, Agence Nationale de la Recherche). It has involved several industrial and academic partners. This 3-year project has investigated pure hydrogen and gas mixtures (20% CH4 - 80% H2) in pipelines made of engineering polymers to develop and assess material solutions to cope with current problems for H2 distribution and to sustain higher pressure compared to classical high density polyethylene pipe
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