Open Access

Green hydrogen has become an essential energy carrier to achieve a climate-neutral economy. The production, storage, transport and usage of green hydrogen require safe and sustainable facilities and systems. The present contribution provides a procedure guideline to investigate the compatibility of steel welds for pressurised gaseous hydrogen applications under quasi-static mechanical loads, utilising the slow strain rate test and hollow specimen technique. Exemplarily, a weld of the low-alloyed steel P355NL1 was investigated and compared to an X65 weld. The results indicate that the base metal exhibits a higher ductility than the weld metal for both steels. Generally, hydrogen-exposed specimens exhibited a reduced strain, as compared to reference specimens. The hydrogen degradation, evaluated by the hydrogen embrittlement index, was more pronounced in the weld metal compared to the base P355NL1 material, whereas the X65 exhibited a larger hydrogen degradation of the base material than in the weld metal. Fractographic analysis of the test specimens revealed that hydrogen causes a transition from ductile to brittle features. Generally, the results of this study indicate a mild but significant degradation of the mechanical properties in terms of the ductility of the welds in the respective pressurised hydrogen atmosphere.

Green hydrogen has become an essential energy carrier to achieve a climate-neutral economy. The production, storage, transport and usage of green hydrogen (GH2) requires facilities and systems that are safe and sustainable. Systems for GH2 facilities, especially for storage and transport are mainly assembled of welded steel components. These components are exposed to the gaseous hydrogen environment throughout their service life. In contrast to hydrogen absorption from electrochemical environments entailing hydrogen-assisted corrosion cracking, the absorption and material degradation in gaseous environments have less been investigated. Nevertheless, the degradation of mechanical properties in materials and their welds due to absorbed hydrogen poses significant risks, including cracking and leakages. To ensure the safety and reliability of GH2 facilities throughout their service life, it is crucial to investigate and prevent such hydrogen-induced degradation, thereby avoiding potential incidental and accidental scenarios. Due to the worldwide technology push for new energy carriers like GH2 and its derivates, extensive research and testing of welded components is not an option to avoid delays in the GH2-readiness of respective facilities. The present contribution shows how to investigate the compatibility of low alloyed steels and their welds for GH2 storage and transport subjected to quasi-static mechanical loads in principle by utilizing the Slow Strain Rate Test (SSRT) with the Hollow Specimen Technique (HST). Exemplarily, low-alloyed steel welds of the P355NL1 type currently used for hydrogen storage tanks at intermediate pressures have been investigated and compared to welds of type X65, as a very common pipeline material. Test results show a higher value of the Hydrogen Embrittlement Index (HEI) in weld specimens than the base specimens in both investigated materials. HEI of 8.3% was recorded in base specimens and 15% in weld specimens of P355NL1, while X65 EI gives 30.2% in BM and 27.7 in WM. The fractography analysis reveals that hydrogen promotes the transition from tensile fracture to brittle fracture. Hydrogen did not show any effect on the yield strength and tensile strength of all tested specimens. However, it affects the plastic elongation of the tested materials. In conclusion, the obtained HEI values indicate a mild but significant degradation in the materials. The results confirm that hydrogen absorption from gaseous environments leads to a reduction in the mechanical properties of steels and their welds, with a more pronounced impact on ductility than on strength.