20080233010 | Testing Hydrogen Flux Through Solid and Liquid Barrier Materials - Apparatus and methods for testing the hydrogen-gas compatibilities, hydrogen-gas embrittlement susceptibilities, hydrogen-gas containment performances, and/or the hydrogen-gas pressure-cycling durabilities, of hollow enclosures (“test specimens”), with single-layer, double-layer, or multi-layer walls, composed of various barrier materials, are disclosed. Barrier materials include but are not limited to: carbon steel, stainless steel, copper, aluminum, a polymeric material (e.g., high-density polyethylene), and a liquid material (e.g., water, or an aqueous solution). The test gas is either high-purity hydrogen or a hydrogen-bearing gas mixture (e.g., hydrogen gas mixed with methane/natural gas and/or biomethane). A key piece of the testing equipment is an enclosure that surrounds the test specimen. Fabricated from high-strength, porous solid material (e.g., porous stainless steel), the enclosure (i) captures the hydrogen gas that diffuses through the wall(s) of the test specimen, and (ii) channels the flow of that gas toward a volume-calibrated reservoir. | 09-25-2008 |