Underground SS 304 or 316 tubing?

[FixerTed]

We are considering using SS tubing for high pressure Hydrogen underground. Will corrosion protection be needed?
Does anyone have experience with this application?
Thanks,
TRW

 

[JayCarp]

Need a lot more input -


a) what is the pressure ? diameter ????

b) what is the distance ?

c) what type of soil -

dry / wet / what chemistry and

electrolytes ??????????????

d) any big power lines near ??????????
will this be part of a ground
(earth ) sustem picking up
destructive stray currents ???????

e) is operation steady state after reaching

equilibrium or does pressure fluctuate ???????????????????????????????????????????
IE filling hydrogen vehicles ?

 

[stanweld]

I would advise that CP be added. I have seen a number of cases where CP was not added and the pipe quickly became swiss cheese at costs of many millions to rectify.

 

[SJones]

http://www.google.com/custom?domain...000000;GFNT:0000FF;GIMP:0000FF;FORID:1;&hl=en

Steve Jones
Materials & Corrosion Engineer

http://www.linkedin.com/pub/8/83b/b04

 

[cloa]

While I guess the issue of external corrosion needs to be considered, the OP wants to first know if 304 is affected by high pressure hydrogen, assuming its dry and at room temperature, I don't think it is embrittled which is the only corrosion issue.

 

[stanweld]

The 304 SS will handle the hydrogen; it will be corroded from the out side due to soil and electrolytes contained therein.

 

[EdStainless]

there are a lot of buried water lines in Japan that are 316. None are 304.
Internal is no issue, even if there is water.
External could be a nightmare, considering the risk if there is a leak.

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Plymouth Tube

 

[hacksaw]

seems a bit worrying that you'd be burying HP hydrogen tubing without some mechanical barrier to protect it from digs, soil corrosion, etc.

 

[stanweld]

Over 30 years ago, miles of 304 SS pipe to be placed in high pressure hydrogen service was installed at a US Gov facility without protection. It was swiss cheese in less than a year at taxpayer expense of nearly 30 million dollars for replacement - almost sounds like real money!

 

[MJCronin]

Everyone......

There are guidelines for the design and installation of above and underground hydrogen piping systems. New standards are also in development.

Consider NFPA 55 and the rules contained in ASME B31.3

http://www.hydrogenandfuelcellsafety.info/archives/2006/may/febMinutes_nfpa.pdf

The Compressed Gas Association (CGA) also publishes recommended guidelines for hydrogen systems.

http://www.techstreet.com/cgi-bin/detail?product_id=1154166

-MJC

 

[FYS]

The SS - 316 buried pipes in Japan, have CP?

 

[FYS]

Ed,

The SS - 316 buried pipes in Japan, have CP?

Regards

 

[EdStainless]

No CP, they don't. But the locations that I have seen reports on are 'good' soil. Not wet, not coastal, not high organics.

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Plymouth Tube

 

[stanweld]

In the late 1950's, the US Gov published its findings regarding the use of 304 SS and 316 SS in underground service without Cathodic Protection. Type 304 was ruled out for such use but type 316 was not (pitting corrosion occurred in only one soil type tested). As a result of that publication, the Utility for which I worked initiated a pilot program to install 316 risers to the gas meters at private homes. In certain soils where Colorado River water was used for irrigation and a suitable crevice was formed, pitting corrosion resuted in leakage. The estimated cost to replace was 5 million USD in 1979.