About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2025 AWS Professional Program
|
| Symposium
|
2025 AWS Professional Program
|
| Presentation Title |
Evaluation of Hydrogen Embrittlement Susceptibility in Pipeline Steel Welds |
| Author(s) |
Fernando Romero Consuegra, Boian Alexandrov |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Fernando Romero Consuegra |
| Abstract Scope |
Transportation of green gaseous hydrogen across long distances is essential for the transition to environmentally friendly and efficient energy generation. The safety and efficiency of hydrogen transportation will rely on the service conditions of existing natural gas pipelines, which must be resistant to hydrogen embrittlement (HE). Extensive research efforts have been focused on quantifying the effect of high-pressure gaseous hydrogen on the mechanical properties and fracture behavior of pipeline steels and welds, using fracture toughness and slow strain rate testing (SSRT). SSRT demonstrates the detrimental effects of hydrogen on mechanical properties above the ultimate tensile strength (UTS) but not in the elastic service range or up to 5% strain in strain-based design pipelines. Fracture toughness testing quantifies the resistance to propagation of existing cracks but cannot characterize the susceptibility to crack nucleation. However, presence of moisture in the transported gas can result in localized corrosion, leading to generation of atomic hydrogen, accelerated absorption, and crack nucleation in susceptible microstructures at service loads below the material yield strength (YS).
To address the HE susceptibility in pipeline steel welds at service loads below the YS, we utilize the delayed hydrogen cracking test (DHCT) standardized as AMPP TM21453-2023. The DHCT applies a constant tensile load below the YS with in-situ electrolytic hydrogen charging. Time-to-failure at a load of 90% YS is used for ranking HE susceptibility in tested welds. Extracted sustained mechanical energy (SME) and sustained extension (SE) values represent quantitative characteristics of HE susceptibility. This study will evaluate the HE susceptibility in weld metals and HAZ regions of X65 and X70 steel welds using the DHCT and SSRT. It aims to compare the HE mechanisms introduced by these tests and their ability to replicate potential service failures in welds of hydrogen transporting pipelines. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Undecided |