High Temperature Hydrogen Attack in Alloys, and their Weldments, Used for Hydrogen Production and Utilization

This FWP is part of a joint R&D project with the National Energy Technology Laboratory (NETL) to assess the propensity of structural steels, alloys, and their weldments, to undergo high-temperature hydrogen attack (HTHA) when used for high-temperature hydrogen production and utilization with hydrocarbon feedstocks. The proposed work at ORNL has been structured in two phases. During phase 1, the propensity of structural steels and alloys, provided by industry partners for use in hydrogen production and utilization, to undergo HTHA will be determined. If the mechanical properties of these materials and their weldments are degraded as a result of HTHA, then during phase 2, ORNL will focus on (1) developing a fundamental understanding of HTHA in these materials, (2) extending ORNL's integrated computational welding engineering (ICWE) modeling and testing framework for more reliable assessment of HTHA that is critically needed by the industry, and (3) supporting the development of next-generation HTHA-resistant alloys, led by NETL. All of these activities will be carried out in close collaboration with industrial stakeholders by (i) investigating relevant field serviced materials, (ii) corroborating laboratory-scale testing results in this work with industry's component-level testing, and (iii) technology dissemination for regulatory body approval and industry acceptance of the developed HTHA evaluation methodology and of alloys with enhanced HTHA resistance. The ultimate goal of this joint NETL/ORNL project is to improve the structural integrity and efficiency of structural components for the hydrogen economy, including high-temperature hydrogen production and utilization.