The Degradation Effects of Hydrogen on Existing Pipeline Infrastructure

The objective of this project is to analyze the embrittlement effect of introducing hydrogen fuel into the gas pipeline infrastructure. In efforts to switch to renewable fuels, hydrogen fuel is being gradually blended into natural gas infrastructure. However, due to the nature of the carbon steel’s lattice structure, hydrogen molecules can permeate into the surface of the material and cause defects that shorten the lifespan of the pipe. The extent to which the pipelines are compromised will be insightful to the suitability of existing infrastructure to support hydrogen fuel as an alternative to natural gas.