HyNTS Operational - Qualification of Pressure Vessels

This project assessed whether a fracture mechanics approach can be used to justify existing gas cleaning scrubbers for future hydrogen or hydrogen blend service. The work focused on a representative Kings Lynn scrubber and considered crack-like flaws, hydrogen-affected toughness, residual stresses, pressure cycling and fatigue crack growth. The results indicate that the approach is viable for demonstrating integrity in large parts of the scrubber, particularly the upper vessel and nozzle welds, but further evidence is required before it can be applied across the wider scrubber population.