Hydrogen degradation of materials and changes in the operation mode of compressor station equipment as factors of increased risks and costs during transportation of hydrogen-containing gas through main gas pipelines

The problems of changing operating modes of the main technological equipment of compressor stations (CS) of the existing gas transportation system, as well as degradation of mechanical properties of the CS equipment material in case of transportation of methane-hydrogen mixtures or hydrogen at increased pressure are considered. The peculiarities of centrifugal compressor operation at pipeline transportation of hydrogen-containing mixtures are considered. Due to the peculiarities of physical and chemical properties of hydrogen, leading to an increase in flow velocity, an increase in the rotor speed of the compressor is required, which is limited by regulatory requirements. When operating with hydrogen-containing mixtures, the risk of embrittlement of the rotor material increases. The results of tests for estimation of resistance to hydrogen embrittlement of structural steels of different classes, which are characteristic materials of compressor station equipment, are presented. The main regularities of change of strength , ductility and crack resistance of steels at hydrogen concentration from 5 % to 100 % and pressure 10 MPa are established. In hydrogen-containing environment there is de-strengthening and strong embrittlement of high-strength steels. (provided to the authors on March 14, 2025 for printing in IJHE from the archive of Fermaltech Montenegro Limited, made by A.L. Gusev using Designer. On the DALL E 3 platform.).