Layout issues for steam pipelines and hydrogen pipelines
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The company currently has a DN200 hydrogen pipeline supported by concrete pipe pedestals, with a spacing of 9 meters between them. Now, a DN80 steam pipeline needs to be added. Since there are not enough pedestal locations, is it possible to place this new pipeline directly above the hydrogen pipeline? Supports can be installed on the pedestals where they exist, while for the sections between the pedestals, clamping supports can be used on the hydrogen pipeline itself. I’m not sure whether this approach complies with relevant standards; are there any guidelines that can be referred to? Are there any requirements regarding the distance between the hydrogen pipeline and the steam pipeline?
This post was last edited by waaabc on 2017-12-12 at 14:59. The table below is taken from GB50177-2005: I recommend not doing that. Firstly, hydrogen pipelines are very sensitive to heat, and there’s no way to ensure what would happen if steam pipes leak and spill onto the hydrogen pipelines Secondly, what margin was originally left in the wall thickness of the hydrogen pipeline? What if not much margin was left, and other external loads cause the pipeline to be crushed? Again, steam pipes experience thermal expansion; if they are installed directly above hydrogen pipes, how is thermal compensation handled? According to the standards, hydrogen pipelines should be placed as high up as possible on the pipe rack (GB50177 12.0.7: When hydrogen pipelines are laid together with other pipelines on the same rack or in separate layers, they should be located on the outside and at the upper level). ), this prevents the accumulation of hydrogen in case of a leak, so just this aspect alone means you don’t meet the requirements.
The experts have thought very carefully about this; I admire them