Papers
Plastic Pipes Conference Association # 2018 Las-Vegas
R.J.M. Hermkens, H. Colmer, H.A. Ophoff
To investigate the suitability of PE pipes for the transport of hydrogen on a specific industrial site, three topics were investigated. These topics are: the chemical resistance of PE to hydrogen, the permeation rate of hydrogen through PE and the electrofusion of PE pipes exposed to hydrogen. It can be concluded that the tested PE100-RC pipes on the premises of Groningen Seaport are suitable for the transport of hydrogen at pressures of up to 2 bar. However, during design and maintenance, the specific characteristics of hydrogen that distinguish it from methane need to be taken into account.
At Groningen Seaports, hydrogen gas is produced as a by-product on a local chemical site. To encourage reuse of this kind of energy-rich waste, the hydrogen is used as a fuel for scheduled buses in the northern part of the Netherlands (Groningen).
A special pipeline is installed to transport the hydrogen from the production facility to the filling station where the buses are fueled with the hydrogen. It is important that the long-term safety and security of this pipeline can be guaranteed. Moreover, the construction and maintenance process must be carried out cost-effectively. Polyethylene with raised crack resistance (PE100-RC) was selected as a potential piping material. As there is little experience with the combination of this PE piping material and hydrogen gas, a study was carried out before construction work started. This study considered safety and material aspects, as well as maintenance issues for this particular pipeline at this specific location. Factors such as installation modes of the pipe and various possible maintenance activities during the operational phase were considered. A number of important material parameters, such as the permeation rate and the fusibility after prolonged exposure to hydrogen gas, were investigated for the selected PE100-RC material. The results of the study and additional insights into the construction of this pipeline are presented.
In the near future, the available volume of hydrogen gas is set to increase. This is especially so if the surplus renewable energy generated by photovoltaic cells or wind turbines is used to produce hydrogen gas. This could result in additional opportunities beyond the new applications mentioned above. The existing natural gas network offers new and economically interesting opportunities to store and transport this excess renewable energy in the form of hydrogen gas. However, a possible drawback is the volume of hydrogen gas emitted from the oldest natural gas networks as a result of permeation, since this may prove to be higher than for modern PE materials. As such, permeation tests on these old (first-generation) PE pipes will also be investigated in the near future.
Related papers
Author(s) : Ajay Taraiya, Peter Degenhart, Mark Boerakker
In PPXX, a technology was presented for the first time that could bi-axially orient polyolefin pipes. With this technology, it is possible to prepare pipes that have a performance far beyond the standard ones. One approach to achieving this performance is via a continuous in-line process. To optimize the in-line...
Author(s) : Joe Babcanec, P.E., Issam Khoury, Ph.D, P.E., Shad Sargand,
The use of corrugated HDPE and PP pipe for gravity flow storm sewers is a growing trend throughout the United States. Many of these drainage pipes are buried in shallow cover conditions under roads with heavy traffic. It is well established that thermoplastic pipe installations under shallow cover respond differently...
Author(s) : Dr. Michael Pluimer, Sara Stone
The Notched Constant Ligament Stress test (NCLS test, ASTM F2136)[1] is a test method that measures the slow crack growth in High Density Polyethylene. The NCLS test requires a notch on all test specimens to act as a stress concentration at that point so crack propagation can be easily predicted and studied. In...
Author(s) : Sunwoong Choi, Robert Stakenborghs , Pyeongan Lee, Byoungho Choi
This work developed a hydro-axial tension (HAT) test as a whole pipe axial tensile test and applied to evaluate the polyethylene (PE) pipe and fusion joints containing various flaws. HAT test was designed to utilize hydrostatic pressure to cause axial tension in pipes. The experimental and numerical analysis was...
Author(s) : Norbert Jansen
A practical requirement of temperature resistance of minimum 50 years at 70°C was established for the extra high voltage (EHV) corridor projects in Germany. Experts have debated what tests are best suited to prove the suitability of a pipe resin for cable protection pipes which may be installed hastily and under...
Author(s) : Jiyong Park, JaeHyuck Han, YoungGu Kim, Eunjin Park
This study investigates the influence of various parameters on polymer design to determine the slow crack growth. HDPE(High Density Polyethylene) materials with different molecular weight distribution and comonomer content for PE100-RC pipe were investigated with cracked round bar test. The cracked round bar test...
Author(s) : Jie Wu, Yushan Hu, Todd Hogan
Recycling of plastic materials is key to demonstrating that these high value materials are much more than a waste stream and a key component of a sustainable future. The plastic pipe market effectively utilizes in-plant recycle systems where standards and codes allow processors to recapture the value of these...
Author(s) : Kevin White, Shad Sargand
The current standard of practice for the installation of agricultural mains is in accordance with ASTM F449, Standard Practice for Subsurface Installation of Corrugated Polyethylene Pipe for Agricultural Drainage or Water Table Control. ASTM F449 has several limitations. Currently, the allowable maximum height of...
Author(s) : Rafael A. García-Muñoz, Rafael Juan, Mónica de la Cruz, Beatriz Paredes, Carlos Domínguez
Plastics are widely used in various industries, resulting in the generation of significant amounts of plastic waste, which causes environmental and economic problems. Although mechanical recycling is the most commonly employed technology, the resulting recyclates often suffer from degradation and contamination. This...
Author(s) : Carine Lacroix, Philippe Louvel, Danielle Mark, Dominique Gueugnaut
A test program was carried out on two Polyamide resins, Polyamide 11 (PA11) and Polyamide 12 (PA12), both certified for gas networks. Polyamide’s advantage lies in its implementation, similar to that of polyethylene, and its properties allowing it to operate at up to 18 bar for gas, all other conditions being equal....
Author(s) : Yanlei Hu, Jin Sun
Slow crack growth is the main reason for brittle failure of polyethylene pipes. At present, the traditional slow crack growth test generally has many problems, such as too long test time, using chemical reagents that pollute the environment, poor reproducibility, etc., which limit the accurate evaluation of the slow...
Author(s) : Rachel Anderson, Rujul Mehta, Alex Stolarz, Todd Hogan, Stephanie Whited, Joel Wieliczko
Growing worldwide demand for sustainably made irrigation systems has driven the creation of new resins for longer-lasting, more durable, recycle friendly, and cost-effective pipe that can better tolerate extreme conditions year after year. Microirrigation systems deliver vital water and nutrients where they’re needed...
Author(s) : Roland Valk, René Hermkens, Sjoerd Jansma
The use of hydrogen gas as an energy carrier is seen as a key component of the energy transition. This creates new challenges, including in relation to the transport and distribution of this gas. The low-pressure (natural) gas distribution grid in the Netherlands currently consists of 64% PVC and is presumed to be...
Author(s) : Ernst van der Stok, Nadia Luijsterburg-Vleugels
The latest generation of polyethylene grades (PE 100-RC and PE 4710 PLUS) have an increased resistance to slow crack growth. Such cracks can be initiated by either a scratch during installation or a rock indentation during use. The Accelerated Notch Pipe Test (ANPT) was standardized in ISO 13479 in 2022 to allow the...
Author(s) : Peter Youssef, Sultan Alkendi, Hussein Basha
Bahr El-Baqar Water Treatment Plant, produces 2 billion m3 per year, introduces a sustainable solution for environmental pollution recovery and irrigation water source (via recycling the water of Bahr El- Baqar drain); whereas it protects the environment and generates water to support the cultivation of 4000 km2 in...
Author(s) : Karin Jacobson, Daniel Ejdeholm
Plastic pipes often have much better corrosion resistance than metallic pipes and have, in addition, the benefits of low weight and flexibility. Thanks to this, they are often used to convey chemicals. There is, however, still a large potential for a much more extensive use of plastic pipes for this application. The...
Author(s) : Norbert Jansen, Andrew Wedgner, Rainer Kloth
PE100+ Association(client) has sponsored a technical investigation to define the permeation rate of hydrogen through polyethylene pipes at an external expert laboratory. Four different types of PE pipe materials in the same pipe size and SDR17 have been evaluated at 3 different target temperatures 8°C, 14°C and 20°C,...
Author(s) : Ali M Alghamdi, Recep Yaldiz, Faisal Almana, Yousof Ghazzawi, Abdul Rahim Arafath, Ratnesh Khandelwal, Azzedine Kioul, Turki Al-Shahrani, Salem Al-Anazi, Sarfraz Abbasi, Mohammed Aljasser, Parthipan B, Kavya A, Harm Caelers
Reinforced thermoplastic pipes (RTPs) are multilayer structured pipes reinforced with high-strength materials such as fibers (glass, aramid, or carbon fibers). RTPs are used to transport highly corrosive mediums at elevated pressures and temperatures. An example of that is the use of RTP in the Oil & Gas industry to...
Author(s) : Riwu Yao, Fengyao Ni, Jinkui Wu, Zhiyong Kong, Jianfeng Shi , Jinyang Zheng
Plastic pipelines have been widely used in various industries, such as gas and oil transmission and nuclear power plants. The safe operation of pipelines is a critical concern in applications, and structural health monitoring methods of plastic pipelines are attracting broad interest in both industry and academia. In...
Author(s) : Jennifer Ravereau, Catherine GIORNI, Benjamin RABAUD, Frederic Mohier, Mehdi Ahmadi
Pipe installation and renewal are critical for network management and extension both in terms of cost and of logistics for installation. Plastic materials, as polyethylene, are constantly evolving to offer additional benefits (chemical resistance improvement, mechanical resistance, innovative functionalities)....
Members of the Association
