Recently, the hydrogen storage and transportation team from the Advanced Low Carbon Institute of the Central Research Institute of SPIC Group successfully achieved safe and stable operation for 30 days on a large-diameter (DN150), high-pressure (10MPa) non-metallic flexible hydrogen pipeline developed by them on a self-designed and built comprehensive testing platform. This innovation has established an engineering application paradigm for hydrogen energy transportation through non-metallic pipelines that is adaptable to multiple scenarios. The implementation of this project marks a technological breakthrough achieved independently by the Central Research Institute in the field of non-metallic pipeline hydrogen transportation technology and safe operation and maintenance.
The hydrogen storage and transportation project team of the Advanced Low Carbon Institute of the Central Research Institute has made early strategic arrangements, dedicated themselves to research, and undergone numerous experimental validations and iterative improvements. The non-metallic hydrogen pipeline developed this time adopts a composite structural design concept of "reinforced braided layer + functional barrier layer". By optimizing the braiding angle and tension distribution control, the structural stability and hydrogen resistance performance of the pipeline under high-pressure hydrogen conditions have been improved, breaking through eight core technical bottlenecks such as hydrogen permeation inhibition in non-metallic materials and optimization of pressure-bearing structure simulation calculations. Eight invention patents have been applied for. The inner diameter of this pipeline reaches 150 millimeters, with a hydrogen transportation pressure of 10 megapascals, making its performance indicators currently the highest in China. Compared to traditional metal pipelines, this product is lightweight, easy to install, and highly corrosion-resistant, with significant advantages especially in complex environments such as saline-alkali land, high humidity and heat, and marine areas.
This project has established China's first comprehensive testing platform for non-metallic hydrogen pipelines that supports a 10-megapascal pure hydrogen environment, with verification capabilities under full operating conditions (including start-stop/pressure rise-fall/cyclic loading). This has enabled the pressure rating of non-metallic hydrogen pipelines to exceed the traditional upper limit of 6.3 megapascals. This platform not only verifies the safety and feasibility of non-metallic hydrogen pipelines under actual high-pressure hydrogen operating conditions but also provides core data support for the formulation of a series of national standards such as design specifications and safe operation assessments for non-metallic hydrogen pipelines, enhancing the Central Research Institute's core competitiveness and industry influence in this field and providing strong support for the development of SPIC Group's green hydrogen-based energy industry.
