At a cost of 3.8 million euros, the Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM) is constructing a test platform for the safe functioning of hydrogen and hydrogen-natural gas pipes. The facility is designed to give industry and gas grid operators the ability to promptly and effectively resolve technical concerns, therefore greatly speeding up the market ramp-up of hydrogen in Germany. The initial elements of the test platform, which are made up of numerous modules and offer a unique variety of testing choices in Europe, are expected to be operational in early 2023.
Green hydrogen will play a critical role in meeting climate goals and reducing reliance on fossil fuels. In turn, a safe pipeline network is required for gas storage and transportation. The rededication of existing natural gas networks is now being proposed, in addition to the creation of a new gas grid infrastructure for pure hydrogen. These networks will receive a certain amount of hydrogen.
However, in order to secure the safe and long-term functioning of the current infrastructure, a number of safety-related concerns must be resolved first. These include, for example, the compatibility of the materials used in the thousands-of-kilometer-long pipeline network, as well as hundreds of thousands of interfaces with homes and businesses. Hydrogen molecules, due to their tiny size, can seep into materials, causing fractures and other flaws.
Only real-world tests can provide answers to these concerns and lead to the development of appropriate safety measures. They are at the center of BAM’s comprehensive testing platform. It will include, among other things, modules for measuring hydrogen absorption, penetration, and accumulation in materials and components, as well as online precision analytics.
“We are making a significant contribution to the speedy transition to a hydrogen economy by establishing the test platform,” says BAM President Prof. Dr. Ulrich Panne. “On the one hand, we are assuring the systems’ safety, which is critical for their commercial success and public acceptance. Simultaneously, we assist industry and grid operators in resolving technical challenges.”
BAM is also constructing more extensive testing facilities for new hydrogen technologies on its twelve-square-kilometer Technical Safety Test Site in Brandenburg, in addition to the test platform. A high-pressure test stand with a pressure of 1000 bar, a liquid hydrogen test field, and another test platform for the research of all technical procedures surrounding a hydrogen filling station are also proposed. The test facility is part of H2Safety@BAM, a hydrogen competence center that already employs roughly 130 BAM employees.
