Hydrogen Uptake of Duplex 2205 at H 2 Partial Pressures Up to 100 Bar

Microbiological methanation is investigated in an underground natural gas reservoir. Since H 2 is involved in the process, hydrogen embrittlement of steel must inevitably be considered. Therefore, a routine for testing has been developed and a unique autoclave test bench was designed to simulate field conditions. The 2205 duplex stainless steel (UNS S31803) was investigated. Constant load tests (CLTs) and immersion tests with subsequent hydrogen analyses were performed. The specimens were exposed to different partial pressures of H 2 under both dry and wet conditions (with brine). Additionally, the influence of CO 2 under wet conditions was covered. Tests were performed at two different temperatures (25 °C and 80 °C) and lasted for 30 days. In general, the duplex stainless steel shows a good resistance to hydrogen embrittlement, but a significantly higher hydrogen uptake was obtained compared to other steel grades.