【Ten Years of Rapid Development in Chemical Engineering Equipment】2440–2025: New breakthroughs achieved in EDF’s large-diameter, high-pressure non-metallic flexible hydrogen transport pipelines

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Let’s give praise and encouragement to the achievements made in China’s chemical engineering technology and equipment; your participation in discussions is the greatest encouragement. **********************【Ten Years of Progress in Chemical Engineering Equipment】Continuous updates and summaries are available; feel free to join the discussions: https://bbs.hcbbs.com/thread-3576046-1-1.html ***************** Recently, the large-diameter (DN150), high-pressure (10MPa) non-metallic flexible hydrogen transport pipes developed by the Hydrogen Storage and Transportation Team at the Advanced Low-Carbon Research Institute of **Power Investment Group have successfully operated safely and stably for 30 days on a comprehensively designed testing platform. This development has created a new paradigm for the engineering application of non-metallic pipes in hydrogen transportation across various scenarios. The implementation of this project marks a technological breakthrough achieved by our institute in the field of hydrogen transportation using non-metallic pipelines, as well as in their safe operation and maintenance. By independently overcoming technical challenges, the team has achieved performance metrics that are among the best in China. The hydrogen storage and transportation project team at the Institute of Advanced Low-Carbon Technologies of the Academia Sinica took proactive steps, conducted in-depth research, and went through multiple rounds of experimental testing and scheme iterations. The non-metallic hydrogen transport pipes developed in this project feature a composite structural design that combines an enhanced weaving layer with a functional barrier layer; by optimizing the weaving angle and tension distribution, it is possible to enhance the structural stability of these pipes under high-pressure hydrogen conditions as well as their ability to prevent hydrogen leakage. The team overcame 8 key technical barriers, including those related to suppressing hydrogen permeation in non-metallic materials and optimizing the computational modeling of pressure-bearing structures, and has filed 8 invention patents. The inner diameter of this pipeline is 150 mm, and the hydrogen transmission pressure is 10 MPa; its performance parameters are currently the highest in China. Compared to traditional metal pipes, this product features low weight, easy installation, and strong corrosion resistance, offering significant advantages in complex environments such as saline-alkali soils, areas with high humidity and temperature, and marine settings. The first testing platform has been put into operation, establishing a safety benchmark for the industry. This project has resulted in the creation of China’s first comprehensive testing platform for non-metallic hydrogen transport pipelines that can operate in an environment of 10 MPa pure hydrogen. It possesses the capability to conduct tests under all operating conditions (including start-up/shutdown, pressure changes, and cyclic loading), thereby enabling the pressure rating of such pipelines to exceed the traditional limit of 6.3 MPa. This testing platform is equipped with a pressurization and compression system for simulating various operating conditions, hydrogen permeation and in-situ leakage monitoring systems, as well as hydrogen explosion testing equipment. Since its operation began, the project team has carried out 18 testing tasks across 6 categories, including high-pressure hydrogen pressure resistance tests, hydrogen permeability tests of pipe bodies, hydrogen leakage monitoring at key connection points, tests on the impact of high-pressure hydrogen flow, and verification of overhead and underground installation methods. These tests have enabled in-depth investigation into how parameters such as the hydrogen permeability coefficient, leakage rates at connection points, and long-term mechanical properties of pipeline transportation systems change under the combined effects of pressure fluctuations, temperature variations, and stress alternations. They have also provided a comprehensive assessment of the feasibility and differences between burying and installing hydrogen pipelines overhead. The platform not only enables the verification of the safety and feasibility of non-metallic hydrogen transport pipelines under actual high-pressure hydrogen operating conditions, but also provides core data support for the formulation of a range of standards, including design specifications and safety operation assessments for such pipelines. This enhances significantly our institute’s core competitiveness and influence in this field, thereby contributing to the development of the group’s green hydrogen-based energy industry. It is reported that several industry entities have already expressed a desire for technical cooperation in order to jointly promote the high-quality development of the hydrogen storage and transportation sector.