-2,40%INVAR® M93: The Nickel based alloy for Liquified Hydrogen
The hydrogen revolution is taking momentum – and Aperam materials are at the heart of it
Wherever emission-free energy is needed that can be stored and transported in liquid or gaseous form, green hydrogen is the obvious solution. However, its production and handling require special materials. Aperam has metallic alloys in its product portfolio that will be key to the energy transition from fossil fuels to hydrogen.
Europe is a case in point. Under the heading “Fit for 55”, the EU aims at a 55 % reduction of carbon emissions by 2030. By 2050 it shall be entirely carbon neutral. Besides electricity, hydrogen will become the second pillar of clean energy supply.
Green hydrogen is produced either by Alcaline Water Hydrolysis or by a Polymer Electrolyte Membrane (PEM) process. Whatever the method, massive amounts of electric power are required, generated from renewable sources, among them wind and solar energy. The problem is that neither of them is permanently available at constant levels.
Another problem of solar electricity generation is that Europe is not the sunniest of continents. Most of its landmass is north of the 40th parallel. Above that line, concentrating solar systems, which focus solar radiation onto heat exchanger tubes or central receivers for steam production, are uneconomical.
Utility-scale photovoltaic (PV) installations are an alternative, but they, too, work best in sunny regions including the Arabic peninsula, Australia, or parts of Africa – places remote from the world’s busiest industral hot spots.
The development of wind energy is limited by low acceptance of wind turbines in densely populated areas. Offshore wind farms are expensive to build and may conflict with busy navigation routes.
The consequence is that, to large extents, green hydrogen will not be produced where it will be consumed. Instead, it will need to be transported long distances, by land or by sea, from its countries of origin to its consumers.
Green hydrogen – a logistic challenge
Gaseous hydrogen, H2, has an extremely low density. For the same calorific value and at room temperature, gaseous H2 takes about three times the volume of natural gas. For piped hydrogen, the pipelines must be dimensioned accordingly.
To make transport and storage in tanks practical, hydrogen must be liquefied by cooling it down to minus 273 °C, which reduces its volume to less than 1/800 of its room temperature value.
The challenge lies in mainting tempertures at such a low level over the entire transport chain. Pipe-in-pipe systems are a key element of storage and transport systems. The materials used must meet several requirements: resistance to hydrogen, low thermal conductivity, and high pressure resistance.
The necessary infrastructure investments will be huge. Fortunately, parts of the existing natural gas pipelines can be repurposed to convey hydrogen. However, some of their technical equipment like pumps and valves will have to be replaced by materials that are suitable for permanent exposure to hydrogen. Other supply lines will have to be built from scratch.
No energy transition without high performance alloys
Suitable materials for the energy conversion from fossil fuels to hydrogen are key. One of them is INVAR® M93 by Aperam Alloys Imphy, today a market leader in materials for cryogenic membrane tanks. Not only are the mechanical properties of the alloy very stable down to cryogenic temperatures, but the grade can also be welded safely using an exclusive overmatched welding wire by Aperam Alloys Imphy.
Analysts expect three digit billion US Dollars to be invested into hydrogen projects by 2030. Each of them will involve dedicated metallic materials – a market in which Aperam Alloys Imphy is a leader word-wide. Ralf Behle, Aperam Senior Business Development Manager, is convinced of the business opportunities opened by the energy turnaround: “The key industrialized countries are getting prepared for the hydrogen revolution. We have the high performance alloys necessary to make it happen.”
