Can hydrogen energy bring new development opportunities to plastic pipes?

Ningbo Fangli Technology Co., Ltd. is a mechanical equipment manufacturer with nearly 30 years’ experiences of plastic pipe extrusion equipment, new environmental protection and new materials equipment. Since its establishment Fangli has been developed based on user’s demands. Through continuous improvement, independent R&D on the core technology and digestion & absorption of advanced technology and other means, we have developed PVC pipe extrusion line, PP-R pipe extrusion line, PE water supply / gas pipe extrusion line, which was recommended by the Chinese Ministry of Construction to replace imported products. We have gained the title of “First-class Brand in Zhejiang Province”.

The development of hydrogen energy will inevitably require pipelines. The first question discussed abroad is whether polyethylene pipe can be used in low-pressure transmission and distribution pipe. Because many countries have already laid and applied polyethylene pipe networks to transport natural gas at low pressure, it is ideal to use these laid pipe networks to transport hydrogen. The previous article "hydrogen transmission through plastic pipes -- the recent hot spot of the international plastic pipe industry" introduces the results of experimental research abroad in recent ten years and the report of these results at the international plastic pipe conference. Fortunately, these reports confirm that PE80 / PE100 pipes for low-pressure (2bar) natural gas transmission can safely and reliably transmit and distribute hydrogen and can be connected by electrofusion.

Of course, metal pipes are mainly used for long-distance hydrogen high-pressure transmission, but as proved by international practical experience in the field of oil and gas long-distance high-pressure transmission pipelines, the application of reinforced thermoplastic pipes may have more advantages under certain conditions and environments. For example, the famous reinforced thermoplastic pipe manufacturer pipelife is laying 4km aramid fiber reinforced polyethylene pipe (42bar) in the Netherlands to transport the green hydrogen produced by the North Sea windmill to the chemical enterprises in Groningen.

Therefore, hydrogen energy will certainly bring new opportunities for the development of plastic pipes.