Service experience with hydrogen containment

Low-alloy ferritic steels have been used extensively in cylindrical vessels for storing and distributing hydrogen gas [13,31,45]. Hydrogen gas distributors in Europe currently have several hundred thousand low-alloy steel vessels in service, which supply up to 300 x 10 m of hydrogen gas to customers annually 

The austenitic stainless steel A-286 has also been used in pressure vessels for hydrogen gas containment, although reported experience with this steel is limited to specialized laboratory components [27, 47] and not extensive commercial application. Nonetheless, the material has filled a unique niche, where relatively large diameter, seamless pressure vessels have been fabricated 

Hydrogen gas producers in the United States and Europe have accumulated decades of experience with transmission pipelines fabricated from carbon steels and currently operate over 1500 km of pipeline [13,49]. Large-diameter piping systems ( 2.5cm) used for local distribution of hydrogen gas in large-scale industrial operations also make extensive use of low-alloy steels, such as the chromium-molybdenum steels, particularly for service at elevated temperature. Pipelines and piping fabricated from low-alloy and carbon steels have functioned safely and reliably in hydrogen gas service. 

Low-pressure piping systems use a variety of materials in addition to the austenitic stainless steels. Copper and various brass alloys have been used for hydrogen gas distribution at ambient temperature and operating pressures up to 18MPa [13]. 

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R. Queisner wrote a report about his experiences with German filter devices used during the Second World War for delousing procedures with hydrogen cyanide.488 The filter inserts "J" and G used at that time were especially developed for being applied in air containing hydrogen cyanide and had a service life of 30 min. with a peak load of... 

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