Hydrogen pipelines: BAM opened the ModuH2Pipe test platform — pressure cycles of 10–85 bar, pipe sections up to 1400 mm in diameter and burst tests at 900 bar
On 2 July 2026 Germany’s Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing (BAM) opened the ModuH2Pipe platform at its technical safety test site for full-scale testing of pipelines for hydrogen and hydrogen–natural gas mixtures. Construction was funded by the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy with EUR 3.8 million.
- Background: by 2032 Germany plans a hydrogen core network of more than 9,000 km, largely from converted natural gas pipelines; it is to become part of the European hydrogen network expected to reach about 50,000 km by 2040. It is not fully known, however, how well the materials used for decades, above all steels, are suited to transporting hydrogen, and whether the infrastructure itself affects hydrogen purity.
- The “H2Compatibility and Quality” module has two freely configurable 5 m pipe sections with nominal diameters up to 1400 mm. Pipes are repeatedly cycled between 10 and 85 bar to reproduce load changes in network operation, and components (seals, valves) are loaded thermally and cyclically to accelerate ageing; impurities can also be added deliberately. BAM then carries out materials testing and gas analyses, including hydrogen purity.
- The “H2Safety” module allows pipeline sections and fittings to be loaded with pressures up to 900 bar — far beyond operating limits — until failure, and the consequences to be analysed in order to improve protective measures. Manufacturing, welding and repair procedures as well as non-destructive testing under real conditions are also to be tested on the platform.
- Gas network operators, manufacturers and research institutions can use the platform and commission BAM to carry out materials testing and gas analyses. The results are to feed tools for assessing remaining service life and maintenance intervals and the development of technical rules and standards for hydrogen infrastructure. The platform is part of the hydrogen competence centre H2Safety@BAM.
Source: BAM — BAM eröffnet europaweit einzigartiges Reallabor für sichere Wasserstoffnetze (02.07.2026)