Publications

Measurement of Fatigue Crack Growth Relationships in Hydrogen Gas for Pressure Swing Adsorber Vessel Steels

Somerday, Brian P.

We measured the hydrogen-assisted fatigue crack growth rates (da/dN) for SA516 Grade 70 steel as a function of stress-intensity factor range (ΔK) and load-cycle frequency to provide life-prediction data relevant to pressure swing adsorber (PSA) vessels. For ΔK values up to 18.5 MPa m^1/2, the baseline da/dN versus ΔK relationship measured at 1Hz in 2.8 MPa hydrogen gas represents an upper bound with respect to crack growth rates measured at lower frequency. However, at higher ΔK values, we found that the baseline da/dN data had to be corrected to account for modestly higher crack growth rates at the lower frequencies relevant to PSA vessel operation.