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Projects: Projects for Investigator
Reference Number	NIA_CAD0039
Title	Long Term Asset Reliability Study for Hydrogen Blended Gas
Status	Completed
Energy Categories	Hydrogen and Fuel Cells(Hydrogen, Other infrastructure and systems R&D) 100%;
Research Types	Applied Research and Development 100%
Science and Technology Fields	ENGINEERING AND TECHNOLOGY (Mechanical, Aeronautical and Manufacturing Engineering) 100%
UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation	Not Cross-cutting 100%
Principal Investigator	Project Contact No email address given Cadent Gas
Award Type	Network Innovation Allowance
Funding Source	Ofgem
Start Date	01 May 2019
End Date	01 March 2021
Duration	ENA months
Total Grant Value	£186,000
Industrial Sectors	Energy
Region	London
Programme	Network Innovation Allowance
Investigators	Principal Investigator	Project Contact , Cadent Gas (100.000%)
	Industrial Collaborator	Project Contact , Cadent Gas (0.000%)
Web Site	https://smarter.energynetworks.org/projects/NIA_CAD0039
Objectives	The real-world long-term reliability of network and domestic assets when distributing, or fuelled by, hydrogen blended natural gas, cannot easily be explored in a short-term laboratory experiments. This project is therefore needed to design and install equipment to operate on a network operating with blended gas, which will allow long-term reliability to be explored in both a domestic and network context.The proposed methodology for domestic asset works is as follows:1. Engage with boiler OEMs through collaboration with HHIC to identify components of interest,2. Develop a technical specification for domestic boiler installation,3. Baseline performance of boilers and undergo audit testing,4. Install domestic boilers in a commercial boiler house to operate on an accelerated duty mode,5. Return boilers to OEMs to repeat performance and integrity testing,6. Aggregate performance information and disseminate findings to stimulate the market.This work will have assessed the performance and long-term integrity of domestic boiler components to facilitate product development programmes and ensure any long-term effects are understood, quantified and if necessary mitigated.The proposed methodology for network asset works is as follows:1. Engage with gas detection manufactures to undertaken technical options for monitoring,2. Design and install an online compositional measurements on representative network pipework,3. Vary operating conditions with blended gas from full flow to stagnant gas and monitor fuel composition.This work will have provided the evidence base to inform operational network models of any expected operational changes due to the introduction of hydrogen blended gas, across the spectrum of operational conditions expected of a gas network. It is predicted that in the future hydrogen blended natural gas will be commonplace for gas network operators and downstream consumers. Therefore, it is critical that confidence can be gained across the full supply chain of stakeholders from OEMs to networks to consumers, that assets are fit for purpose in the long-term when exposed to hydrogen blended natural gas. The scope of the domestic boiler element of the project will cover:• A review of domestic boiler internals in collaboration with OEMs and facilitated by HHIC to identify specific components of interest within boilers where the introduction of hydrogen blended natural gas could impact long-term performance.• Development of a testing specification to allow representative domestic boilers to undergo accelerated testing under real-world conditions.• Development of a rigorous testing specification to baseline boiler performance and component integrity prior to undergoing accelerated testing, to be repeated following the testing to provide evidence for analysis.• Anonymise performance information across boilers, aggregate information and disseminate to domestic boiler industry to highlight any areas of concern for which product development will be required.The scope of the network asset element of the project will cover:• Development of real time monitoring specification on network pipe.• Development of operating mode testing regime to simulate the range of likely flow conditions network pipelines undergo.• Analysis of relationship between flow conditions and pipeline composition over full range of expected operating modes.• Review of network integrity models to ensure any dependency between flow condition and pipeline composition is incorporated to allow proactive management. This work will culminate in the development of dissemination material to inform boiler OEMs and in development of network model to be blend ready.The work will seek to:• Inform the domestic boiler supply chain of focus areas to facilitate widespread adoption of hydrogen blending,• Stimulate the boiler market to drive innovation,• Inform network models of any expected blending effects to ensure they are fit-for-purpose.
Abstract	The real-world long-term reliability of network and domestic assets when distributing, or fuelled by, hydrogen blended natural gas, cannot easily be explored in a short-term laboratory experiments. This project is therefore needed to design and install equipment to operate on a network operating with blended gas, which will allow long-term reliability to be explored in both a domestic and network context.
Publications	(none)
Final Report	(none)
Added to Database	09/11/22