Strengthening Collaboration for the Development of Large-Capacity Liquid Hydrogen Storage Tanks

Four Organizations Including Giyongyeon, Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering, POSCO, and Korea Gas Safety Corporation Sign MOU

Hydrogen storage tank. Stock photo. Not related to the article.

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Bong-su] On the 23rd, four institutions and companies including the Korea Institute of Machinery and Materials (KIMM), Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering (DSME), POSCO, and the Korea Gas Safety Corporation signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) to strengthen cooperation in developing new material tanks that can enhance the competitiveness of liquid hydrogen storage tanks ahead of the hydrogen era.

They will collaborate on ▲ development and certification of high manganese steel and welding materials ▲ performance evaluation of steel and welding materials, safety review of high manganese steel storage tanks ▲ liquid hydrogen demonstration testing ▲ exchange of research personnel, joint use of facilities and equipment, and sharing of academic and technical information.

High manganese steel (High Mn Steel) is gaining attention as a next-generation material for liquid hydrogen storage tanks because it is easier to weld and less expensive than stainless steel, which is currently used as the material for liquid hydrogen storage tanks. However, since there is no commercial experience worldwide in the liquid hydrogen field, there is increasing demand for research and development in areas such as cryogenic properties and safety in liquid hydrogen environments.

DSME and POSCO have already started joint research on high manganese steel development since 2010, succeeded in development in 2015, and are currently using it as a material for liquefied natural gas (LNG) storage tanks. They plan to cooperate in developing high manganese steel materials for liquid hydrogen storage tanks, which have a lower liquefaction temperature than LNG.

KIMM will jointly establish facilities for performance evaluation of liquid hydrogen supply and storage tanks and conduct performance evaluations. Based on its research capabilities related to liquefied hydrogen, KIMM launched the "Commercial-grade Liquid Hydrogen Plant Research Group" in 2019 and began securing hydrogen liquefaction process and design technology and building a demonstration plant.

This agreement expands the scope of research cooperation into a multilateral agreement including POSCO and the Korea Gas Safety Corporation, following continuous exchanges between KIMM and DSME since 2018 in the field of cryogenic plants such as LNG and hydrogen liquefaction facilities.

KIMM stated, "A cooperative system for commercialization has been established with the participation of POSCO, a leading domestic metal materials company, DSME, a specialist in shipbuilding and offshore plants, and the Korea Gas Safety Corporation, the main agency for safety certification," adding, "It is expected to contribute to strengthening the competitiveness of the domestic industry related to large-capacity liquid hydrogen storage technology."

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