As world leaders in the field of hydrogen embrittlement, TWI has conducted a range of experiments over the years to better understand the impact of hydrogen on the properties of different materials as well as developing techniques to avoid hydrogen embrittlement.
TWI’s solutions can be tailored to meet the specific requirements of our Members, from modelling hydrogen permeation through different materials and component geometries, selecting materials or coatings to minimise hydrogen ingress, to offering specialised hydrogen testing services to evaluate component integrity.
We have over 60 years of experience in helping industry cope with the effects of hydrogen, including techniques to mitigate fabrication hydrogen embrittlement during manufacture, such as might occur during coating or welding processes. We also have experts that are able to assess the resistance of materials to hydrogen environment embrittlement, such as when a part is exposed to a hydrogen-charging environment in service. This includes evaluation of material performance in high pressure gaseous hydrogen or in electrolytic hydrogen charging environments, such as seawater with cathodic protection.
TWI has conducted a range of projects related to hydrogen testing over the years, some of which are detailed below.
Core Research Programme (CRP)
The core research programme (CRP) involves the creation of projects to address challenges faced by our Industrial Members, advancing technologies and processes and finding new solutions for industry problems. These projects are jointly funded by our Industrial Members, with the outcomes made available to all of our Members.
- The Hydrogen Economy: Materials and Joining Technology Needs
This 2007 CRP report investigates the drivers and barriers to moving away from carbon-based fuels towards the use of hydrogen as a primary energy carrier for solar, wind, wave and tidal energy sources. This work considered general, materials and joining technology gaps that need addressing before a hydrogen economy is viable.
- Real-time Hydrogen Monitoring during Welding
By the time of this 2010 project, it was understood that it would be beneficial to know if there had been a problem with hydrogen control during the welding of thick section steel. Being able to detect and take action against the introduction of hydrogen into the weld could prevent hydrogen cracking and the related cost and time taken for later repair. TWI had already proven the concept of using a hydrogen effusion rate monitoring probe to measure the hydrogen effusion at various stages of welding of procedure qualification pieces to establish baseline levels of hydrogen effusion rate. An understanding of the hydrogen effusion rate via procedure qualification allows remedial action to be taken. This project extended this understanding via additional work carried out to demonstrate the effects of hydrogen effusion on the remaining hydrogen content in the weld and the prevention of cracking in a weld that has experienced a deviation to the intended welding procedure.
- Effect of Hydrogen Gas on Fatigue Performance of Steels
As hydrogen and hydrogen-based fuels attracted increased interest as part of the drive towards a low carbon economy, TWI delivered research to help understand the effects of hydrogen on mechanical properties in all applications, from production, transportation, storage and fuel cells. Building upon past research into hydrogen related embrittlement, this work aimed to investigate the effect of a gaseous hydrogen environment on fatigue properties of steels. This allowed us to identify the major factors promoting hydrogen effects and provide industry with recommendations for mitigation, testing and design in hydrogen environments.
- Mechanical Behaviour of Steels in High Pressure Hydrogen
By 2018, interest in the hydrogen economy had uncovered a need to understand how to safely produce, store and transport hydrogen. Austenitic stainless steels had already shown a lower susceptibility to hydrogen embrittlement than ferritic steels, so TWI undertook a series of mechanical property tests using our unique capabilities for tensile, fracture, crack propagation and fatigue tests in hydrogen at high pressure and high temperature. This allowed us to assess the performance of AISI grades 304, 304L, 321, 347 and 316L in hydrogen gas, producing findings for parameters such as tensile stress, ductility, proof strength, and more (Figure 1).
Joint Industry Projects
Our joint industry projects (JIPs) allow interested parties to come together as project sponsors, pooling resources for greater research outcomes, while also being given exclusive access to the results and the opportunity to guide the direction of the projects themselves.
These projects typically focus on challenges faced by specific industry sectors, providing industry-relevant information, guidance and solutions.
- Testing in High Pressure, High Temperature Hydrogen - Feasibility of Test Rig
This JIP assessed the feasibility of creating a bespoke facility for mechanical testing in high pressure, high temperature (HPHT) hydrogen. The feasibility study focused on identifying the relevant components of the HPHT hydrogen testing system as well as proposing conceptual designs for the general vessel layout and its supporting experimental apparatus
- Material Assessment in Methane-Hydrogen Combinations
Announced in 2023, this JIP addressed the challenge of repurposing existing composite and multi-material pipe infrastructure for use with hydrogen gas, avoiding the need for investment and disruption through new installation. In order to support the continued use of pipelines that had carried natural gas, it is important to understand how the materials may have altered over time. This project summarised the potential chemical and physical alteration in a range of materials when exposed to hydrogen, as well as tracking critical material properties. We also compared selected permeation rates of methane and methane-hydrogen blends with inter-dispersed rapid gas decompression events.