The Deltah Lab, a New Multidisciplinary European Facility to Support the H2 Distribution & Storage Economy

The target for European decarburization encourages the use of renewable energy sources and H₂ is considered the link in the global energy system transformation. So, research studies are numerous, but only few facilities can test materials and components for H₂ storage. This work offers a brief review of H₂ storage methods and presents the preliminary results obtained in a new facility. Slow strain rate and fatigue life tests were performed in H₂ at 80 MPa on specimens and a tank of AISI 4145, respectively. Besides, the storage capacity at 30 MPa of a solid-state system, they were evaluated on kg scale by adsorption test. The results have shown the H₂ influence on mechanical properties of the steel. The adsorption test showed a gain of 26% at 12 MPa in H₂ storage with respect to the empty condition. All samples have been characterized by complementary techniques in order to connect the H2 effect with material properties.