• Ilyushechkin, Alex
• Carter, Lachlan
• Schoeman, Liezl
• Hla, San

Abstract

The global energy transition is driven by both environmental motivation and economic considerations, which have gained international momentum in recent years. Hydrogen has been studied extensively as a potential solution to the energy transition. It promises a feasible decarbonisation route, because it can act as an energy carrier, a heat source or a chemical reactant in industrial processes. Hydrogen can be produced via renewable energy sources, such as solar, hydro or geothermic routes, and is a more stable energy carrier than intermittent renewable sources. If hydrogen can be stored efficiently, it could play a crucial role in decarbonising industry. For hydrogen to be successfully implemented in industrial systems, its impact on infrastructure needs to be understood, quantified and controlled. If hydrogen technology is to be economically feasible, we need to investigate and understand retrofitting of current industrial infrastructure [1]. The risks and challenges of hydrogen also need further study. This includes varying concentrations of hydrogen–syngas mixtures and their effect on current industrial infrastructure, such as pipeline systems typically used in high-strength applications. Another example is hydrogen embrittlement, an understanding of which is crucial to ensure the safety of structures used in engineering applications. Hydrogen embrittlement is also extremely important in the longevity and robustness of industrial reactors, burners, welds and pipelines [2]. This review summarises insights into the gaps in hydrogen embrittlement research that apply to high-temperature, high-pressure systems in industrial processes and applications. It illustrates why it is still important to develop characterisation techniques and methods of hydrogen interaction with metals and surfaces under these conditions. The review also describes the implications of using hydrogen in large-scale industrial processes.

Topics

• impedance spectroscopy
• surface
• strength
• Hydrogen