Thread by @AllthingsLNG

🌐 Natural Gas vs. Hydrogen Pipeline Design: Comparing European Design Standards ⚡️

🍃 Fueling Tomorrow: Decoding the Pipeline Design Challenge 🔍

👋 Welcome! 1/14

Europe is rapidly moving towards substituting hydrogen 💧 for natural gas 🔥 as part of its ambitious clean energy transition 🌱.

In this thread, we'll explore the differences between:
Natural gas pipeline design using EN 1594 🏭
Hydrogen pipeline design using EN 16726 🌿 2/14

As the energy landscape evolves, understanding these distinctions is crucial for engineers, designers, and industry professionals. 3/14

Both EN 1594 and EN 16726 are European standards 🇪🇺, which provide guidance for the design, construction, and operation of pipeline systems. 4/14

📖 EN 1594: Guidelines and requirements for design, fabrication, installation, testing, commissioning, operation, and maintenance of natural gas supply systems, specifically high-pressure pipelines with a maximum operating pressure above 16 bar. 5/14

📖 EN 16726: Focuses on the design, construction, and operation of hydrogen systems, including pipeline systems, ensuring their safe and reliable operation. 6/14

Now, let's explore key differences in criteria when designing pipelines for natural gas (EN 1594) and hydrogen (EN 16726): 7/14

1️⃣ Material selection: Hydrogen can cause embrittlement in some materials, while natural gas pipelines may have different material requirements due to the different chemical properties of natural gas. 8/14

2️⃣ Leak detection and prevention: Hydrogen has a smaller molecular size and a wider flammability range compared to natural gas, requiring specific consideration for leak detection and prevention systems in hydrogen pipelines. 9/14

3️⃣ Pressure and temperature: Hydrogen systems may operate at different pressures and temperatures compared to natural gas systems, affecting pipeline design, material selection, and safety features. 10/14

4️⃣ Purity and contamination: Hydrogen systems may require additional measures to maintain purity and prevent contamination, while natural gas pipelines may have different considerations regarding the composition of the transported gas and associated impurities. 11/14

5️⃣ Safety and risk assessment: Due to the unique properties of hydrogen, safety measures and risk assessments for hydrogen systems may differ from those for natural gas systems. 12/14

🔚 In conclusion, as Europe accelerates its clean energy transition 🌍, understanding the differences between natural gas and hydrogen pipeline design becomes increasingly important. 13/14

Hope this thread serves as a valuable educational resource, and I encourage everyone to share their thoughts, experiences, & questions related to natural gas and hydrogen pipeline design! 🚀🌍

#EnergyTransition #Hydrogen #PipelineDesign #EN1594 #EN16726 #EuropeanStandards 14/14