TPT July 2024

Editorial

INDUSTRY

ADVERTORIAL on behalf of SeAH Steel

SeAH Steel’s hydrogen transport pipes satisfy ASME B31.12 K1H standards

It is estimated that the length of hydrogen transport pipelines currently used worldwide exceeds 4,500 km. As the importance of hydrogen grows under carbon neutrality policies, the construction of related infrastructure is expected to continue. Various hydrogen projects have also been carried out in South Korea. SeAH Steel has supplied 7 km of steel pipes for the Ansan Hydrogen City Project and 4.5 km for the POSCO PLANTEC Hydrogen Project, totalling 11.5 km of hydrogen transport pipelines. High-pressure hydrogen can cause hydrogen embrittlement in steel, so hydrogen transport pipelines require high resistance to hydrogen embrittlement. K 1H is a representative indicator for assessing hydrogen embrittlement resistance. SeAH Steel conducted the K 1H hydrogen embrittlement evaluation of its pipes through RINA Consulting – Centro Sviluppo Materiali SpA (CSM) in Italy, a specialised institution in hydrogen embrittlement evaluation. This test aimed to determine whether the steel pipes produced by SeAH Steel meet the necessary hydrogen embrittlement resistance for hydrogen transport pipes by assessing the crack resistance. The test was conducted based on ASME B31.12, Section PL-3.7.1 Steel Piping Systems Design, Option B (Performance Based Design Method), ASME BPVC Article KD-10, and ASTM E1681, applying 80 bar, 100 per cent H2 gas for 1,000 hours. The test results showed that the weld had a resistance of >74.1 MPa•√m, the HAZ had a resistance of >79.6 MPa•√m, and the base metal had a resistance of >74.7 MPa•√m. All these values exceed the minimum requirement of 55 MPa•√m set by ASME B31.12. This confirms that SeAH Steel’s steel pipes possess hydrogen embrittlement resistance required for hydrogen pipelines.

Figure 1: RINA attestation letter

SeAH Steel has conducted a reliable evaluation of the quality level of hydrogen transport pipes and will continue to develop high-quality hydrogen transport pipes. They plan to support the establishment of hydrogen pipelines for urban development projects and pave the way for entry into the global hydrogen pipeline market, including Europe and America.

SeAH Steel www.seahsteel.co.kr

Table 1. Results of K1H Test

Figure 2: Visual and SEM examination

16 1

www.read-tpt.com

JULY 2024

JULY 2024