SeAH Besteel Develops Korea's First Two Key Materials for Hydrogen Infrastructure

Securing Core Technologies for High-Pressure Piping and Hydrogen Refueling

SeAH Besteel has become the first company in Korea to secure manufacturing technologies for two key materials essential to the hydrogen infrastructure.

Hydrogen storage alloy powder developed by SeAH Besteel. SeAH Besteel

On June 25, SeAH Besteel announced that, through a government project conducted in collaboration with the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology and other organizations, it has secured the manufacturing technologies for high-pressure seamless pipe material used for hydrogen transport and hydrogen storage alloy material for non-mechanical compressors. The company plans to move forward with commercialization after undergoing demonstration processes.

The high-pressure seamless pipe material developed this time is a core material for mid- and long-distance pipeline networks designed to safely transport hydrogen. In particular, it has been developed to withstand an environment of 100 bar, which is 100 times atmospheric pressure. Currently, most of the hydrogen pipeline networks in Korea operate at low pressures below 20 bar, which has limited large-scale hydrogen transport. With the acquisition of this technology, it is expected to contribute to the localization of high-pressure hydrogen pipelines and the stabilization of the supply chain.

This material has been developed to have a yield strength of 485 MPa. Yield strength refers to the amount of force a metal can withstand without deformation; the higher the value, the greater the pressure and load it can endure.

SeAH Besteel has also secured the technology to manufacture hydrogen storage alloys for hydrogen refueling stations. Hydrogen storage alloys are materials that store hydrogen and release it at high pressure when needed. Currently, hydrogen refueling stations use mechanical compressors, and the cost of these related facilities accounts for about half of the total construction cost of a station, making it an obstacle to infrastructure expansion.

Non-mechanical compressors that utilize hydrogen storage alloys can compress hydrogen at high pressure without the need for motor pumps. In particular, they can achieve compression levels up to 900 bar, which exceeds the standard hydrogen vehicle charging pressure of 700 bar, and are therefore expected to help improve refueling efficiency.

A SeAH Besteel official stated, "Through the demonstration and commercialization process, we will establish a stable domestic supply chain and contribute to the expansion of hydrogen infrastructure."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.