Fraunhofer Institute for Mechanics of Materials IWMFEATHER aims to develop a steel alloy for the next generation of hydrogen containers that offers a 30% increase in strength compared to the current solution, is suitable for high pressures, and guarantees safe use.
FEATHER: Steel for next generation H2 cylinders
Ongoing research project
Project description
New metallurgical concepts are being investigated on a laboratory scale and tested for their resistance to hydrogen embrittlement, hydrogen-microstructure interactions, fracture toughness, and fatigue under high H2 pressure. In an upscaling process, the service properties are tested on initial batches of prototype pressure vessels using the corresponding manufacturing processes, such as shot peening. A consistency check and gap analysis (including FEM) between laboratory and prototype results will support alloy development.
Fraunhofer IWM subproject
The expertise of Fraunhofer IWM is being applied at several stages of development. Fundamentally, the residual stress state and the changes in dislocation densities before and after shot peening processes are measured experimentally. The most important work package is the measurement of material properties on various alloys (current solution and new alloys) under very high hydrogen pressures of up to 1000 bar. The laboratory results are supported for transfer to real components with numerical calculations of the hydrogen distribution inside the pressure vessel walls in interaction with the internal (residual stresses due to shot peening) and external stresses (pressure changes during filling and emptying).
Transfer of project results to R&D services provided by Fraunhofer IWM
- Measurements of material properties at very high hydrogen pressures up to 1000 bar
- Inclusion of residual stress states of the real component in the evaluation of measured parameters
- Numerical 3D simulation of failure-relevant component areas, taking microstructure changes into account
Funding information
