Project description
Testing materials of the natural gas grid for safe and effective hydrogen distribution
The EU-funded CANDHy project aims to boost the use of green hydrogen across Europe by addressing challenges related to its delivery through existing gas distribution grids. With the goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050, CANDHy will test non-steel metallic materials under real operating conditions to assess their compatibility with hydrogen. The project will provide reliable data on the hydrogen tolerance of materials such as cast iron, copper, brass, lead, aluminium, etc., still essential parts of many low-pressure gas grids. Project results will be documented and made publicly available in a continuously updated database. The proposed research will help ensure the safe and effective distribution of hydrogen, a versatile energy source with applications in numerous fields.
Objective
Green hydrogen is gaining moment across Europe as feedstock, fuel or energy carrier and storage, as solid actions are needed to reach carbon neutrality by 2050. Hydrogen has many possible applications across industry, transport, energy and building sectors and, therefore, local gas grids across Europe are working hard to get ready for its transport. The realization of the prospects of delivering H2/NG admixtures or even 100 % H2 by existing gas distribution grids exacerbates the problem of pipe integrity due to the well-known negative impact of hydrogen on the mechanical properties of metals.
Most projects assessing safe hydrogen compatibility with natural gas distribution grids (i.e. H21, HydePloy,etc.) have performed experiments to study the leakage ratio, emission potential and explosion severity of vintage components. However, long-term material integrity assessment replicating distribution grid operating conditions in testing platforms is still necessary. CANDHy will allow the possibility of testing relevant metallic materials, different from the well-studied steels, with a methodology involving simultaneous test in independent R&D platforms with a common methodology. This will allow to obtain trustful and reproducible results about hydrogen tolerance of materials that have not been considered in previous research but that are an essential part in in low-pressure gas grids.
CANDHy project will enable hydrogen distribution in low pressure gas grids by consolidated and exhaustive scientific data, coupled with harmonized guidelines for non-steel metallic grid materials. At least five material grades of different families (such as cast iron, copper, brass, lead, aluminium), both new and vintage, will be fully documented, and the results will be publicly available for all stakeholders in a continuously updated database. Mechanical tests will base on static and dynamic conditions to assess hydrogen sensitivity following the most relevant current and updated standards
Fields of science
Keywords
Programme(s)
- HORIZON.2.5 - Climate, Energy and Mobility Main Programme
Funding Scheme
HORIZON-JU-RIA - HORIZON JU Research and Innovation ActionsCoordinator
22197 Huesca
Spain