The hydrogen pipeline leak detection project from the Technical University of Wroclaw and the Cracow University of Technology together with Quantum SHM accomplished at the Grupa Azoty SA chemical plant in Poland, was a unique project to reuse waste hydrogen from the existing chemical plants as fuel to generate electricity and heat. The project was new and unique on a European scale for processing waste hydrogen. The objectives of the project “Use of waste hydrogen for energy purposes” were the development of an existing nitrogen fertilizer and to re-used of waste hydrogen generated from the industrial process for conversion into electricity using a PEM fuel cell and CHP generator (1MW total).
The operator was looking for an efficient solution for hydrogen concentration and critical locations monitoring within the power plant and the monitoring of hydrogen pipelines and other hydrogen storages was necessary.
In total, four 40 m long steel rack pipes of pure and by-hydrogen were instrumented for leak detection using Smartec’s SMARTape Temperature sensing tape affixed to the steel pipeline and protected with thermal insulation. The steel rack pipes are monitored for hydrogen leaks using distributed fiber optic temperature sensing cables and a DiTemp DTS analyzer together with DiView software to show results remotely and to trigger alerts in case of critical events.
Hydrogen steel rack pipes at Skotan Power Plant
Monitored hydrogen steel rack pipes
DiView Graphical User Interface superimposed hydrogen lines
Installation onto the pipes using a protective tape
Pipes with sensing cable before thermal insulation installation
Cabinet station with DiTemp DTS and Alarm Relay Module
Detection of a simulated leak during system commissioning
