SeAH Besteel expands into hydrogen infrastructure market

This milestone was achieved through joint R&D projects led by the Korea Planning & Evaluation Institute of Industrial Technology (KEIT), in which SeAH Besteel participated alongside the Korea Institute of Industrial Technology (KITECH) and other organisations. Through this collaborative effort, SeAH Besteel successfully developed manufacturing technologies for high-pressure seamless pipe materials for hydrogen transport and hydrogen storage alloy materials for non-mechanical compressors. As the first company in Korea to independently secure both technologies, SeAH Besteel plans to advance to full scale commercialisation following verification processes at a demo plant scale.

The newly developed 100-bar class high-pressure seamless pipe material is a critical component for establishing mid- to long-distance pipeline networks to safely transport gaseous hydrogen. It was developed as a high-strength material with a yield strength of 485 MPa (API 5L X70), maximising hydrogen embrittlement resistance to ensure its metallic properties are maintained even in hydrogen environments. While conventional hydrogen pipeline networks – such as those in Korea –operate at low pressures below 20 bar, limiting large-scale transport, SeAH Besteel's 100-bar class seamless pipe technology overcomes this capacity constraint. This advancement is expected to serve as a competitive alternative to conventional materials, significantly enhancing high-pressure pipeline networks and stabilising the broader supply chain.

SeAH Besteel has also secured manufacturing technology for a hydrogen storage alloy that can efficiently compress and discharge liquefied hydrogen at refuelling stations. Generally, hydrogen refuelling stations rely on mechanical compressors equipped with motor pumps to charge hydrogen. However, mechanical compressors have been considered a major obstacle to expanding hydrogen infrastructure, as their maintenance and installation costs account for as much as 48% of the total cost of building a refuelling station.

"Securing these core special steel technologies is a major leap forward in strengthening supply chain resilience and improving the economic viability of building hydrogen infrastructure," said a representative of SeAH Besteel. "Following thorough verification and full scale commercialisation, as a leading special steel materials provider, we will actively drive the expansion of the global hydrogen ecosystem."

Read the article online at: https://www.globalhydrogenreview.com/hydrogen/01072026/seah-besteel-expands-into-hydrogen-infrastructure-market/