Course description
Hydrogen is becoming increasingly important in both traditional process industries and emerging energy transition projects. It is already widely used in refining and petrochemical processes, and its role is expanding across hydrogen production, transportation, storage and end-use applications such as fuel cells, turbines, engines and energy storage.
However, hydrogen service creates specific materials and integrity challenges. Due to its small molecular size, hydrogen can enter, diffuse through and interact with metals and other materials, potentially leading to hydrogen embrittlement, high-temperature hydrogen attack, hydrogen disbonding, cracking, fatigue, loss of mechanical properties and pressure envelope failure. These risks canincrease the probability of leaks, equipment damage, fire, explosion and unplanned shutdowns.
This course provides a practical technical overview of materials selection and damage mechanisms across the full hydrogen lifecycle, from hydrogen production and purification to compression, pipelines, storage, transport, ammonia routes, liquid organic hydrogen carriers, fuel cells, engines and turbines. It explains how hydrogen affects common engineering materials under ambient, high-pressure, high-temperature and cryogenic conditions.
Participants will also examine standards, best practices and material-selection considerations for hydrogen service, including API RP 941, HTHA, Nelson curves, carbon steel limits, stainless steels, nickel alloys, aluminum, copper, titanium, piping joints, dissimilar metals, heavy-wall vessels and pipeline applications.
The course concludes with lifecycle material-management topics, practical examples, worked economic and energy-efficiency considerations, alternative materials and composites, and case studies of hydrogen-related damage and incidents across electrolyzers, fuel cells, pipelines, storage, distribution and high-temperature hydrogen systems.
