The ‘Components for Energy Carriers’ division deals with the safety and qualification of components for alternative energy carriers, with a particular focus on hydrogen and its derivatives, such as ammonia.

The division focuses on technical and scientific questions regarding material compatibility for the components of these energy carriers. This involves not only the development of suitable test methods, e.g. hollow tensile specimen testing technology, but also the analysis of corresponding materials and welds.

The services and expertise of the division are bundled in the competence centre H2Safety@BAM in the competence field of material properties and compatibility for hydrogen technologies.

further information

  • Fields of expertise

    • Hydrogen-assisted crack initiation and development in metallic materials
    • Testing and qualification of metallic components for hydrogen (and ammonia)
    • Testing of hollow tensile specimens with gaseous hydrogen (and reference gases)
    • Determination of hydrogen contents and diffusion coefficients
    • Simulation of hydrogen diffusion and hydrogen-assisted cracking
    • Ammonia readiness
    • Failure analysis and prevention

  • Main activities

    • Development of test methods for metallic components and for the compatibility of their materials and welds in hydrogen and ammonia
    • Analysis of hydrogen absorption and diffusion behaviour in metallic materials and welds
    • Development of models for the simulation of hydrogen absorption and diffusion behaviour in metallic materials and their welded joints
    • Evaluation of concepts for the repurposing of LNG tank systems for subsequent use with ammonia as part of the LNG Acceleration Act
    • Interdisciplinary failure analysis (iSA) to determine the causes of damage in components
    • Intensive collaboration with national and international partners from academia and industry as well as participation in DIN and ISO committees (e.g. DIN NA 062-01-42 AA “Tensile and ductility testing for metals”, ISO TC 197, and 164)

  • Range of services/technical equipment

    Existing Testing Technology and Equipment

    • SSRT/LCF testing with hollow tensile specimens, with test loads up to 150 kN and test pressures up to 1000 bar
    • Gaseous hydrogen charging of materials up to 1000 bar and 150 °C or 200 bar and 300 °C
    • Carrier gas hot and melt extraction (G8 Galileo, G4 Phoenix) with mass spectrometer or thermal conductivity detector to determine hydrogen concentrations and effective diffusion coefficients
    • Permeation experiments (hydrogen transport and adsorption behaviour according to DIN EN ISO 17081)
    • Electrochemical hydrogen charging conditions
    • Phenom XL scanning electron microscope with SE, BSE and EDX detector for chemical composition analysis
    • Simulation of hydrogen diffusion and hydrogen-assisted cracking

    Planned competences and testing capabilities

    • Full-scale testing of pipelines and components (ModuH2Pipe: cyclic and thermal loading of components, burst tests)
    • Permeation with gaseous hydrogen
    • Mechanical testing with ammonia

  • Publications of the division

    In the database PUBLICA you will find publications by BAM employees.

    Publications of the division Components for Energy Carriers (former Service Loading Fatigue and Structural Integrity) in PUBLICA

    PUBLICA

Dr.-Ing. Oded Sobol, Abteilung Komponentensicherheit der Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung (BAM)

Contact Dr. rer. nat. Oded Sobol

Head (temporary in charge) of Component Safety

Phone +49 30 8104-4573

Email