The Australian hydrogen sector is moving from policy framework into construction. Stanwell and Fortescue projects in Gladstone, Origin Energy in the Hunter Valley, the Hydrogen Park South Australia work in Adelaide, and the Western Sydney Green Hydrogen Hub in New South Wales are all in some phase of capital execution. Each of those projects has a substantial ancillary chemical inventory, deionised (DI) water, alkaline electrolyte (potassium hydroxide, abbreviated KOH), oxygen vent, ammonia (NH3) or urea as a hydrogen carrier, that needs storage, dosing and handling infrastructure beyond the electrolyser itself.
Industrial Plastics fabricates the ancillary chemical tankage and pipework that surrounds hydrogen production plant. We have been welding HDPE (high-density polyethylene), polypropylene (PP) and PVDF (polyvinylidene fluoride, also known by the trade name Kynar) since 1971, with DVS 2207-qualified welders (DVS 2207 is the German plastics welding procedure standard) and DVS 2205-engineered tank design (DVS 2205 is the German design code for fabricated thermoplastic tanks), the engineering standards that match the lender, insurer and EPCM (engineering, procurement and construction management) contractor expectations on hydrogen capital projects.
In 30 seconds. Hydrogen embrittlement is a steel and high-pressure problem, not a polyethylene problem at typical electrolyser ancillary pressures. The chemistry that needs plastic in a hydrogen plant is the supporting chemistry: deionised water, potassium hydroxide electrolyte for alkaline electrolysers, the perfluorosulfonic acid (PFSA) electrolyte in proton-exchange-membrane (PEM) electrolysers, oxygen separation tanks, ammonia or urea as a hydrogen carrier, water treatment for the makeup feed. Each component has the right material: HDPE for ambient DI water, PP-H (polypropylene homopolymer) for hot potassium hydroxide, PVDF for chloride or peroxide chemistry, and PE100 (pipe-grade polyethylene) for low-pressure hydrogen-ready distribution to AS/NZS standards (the Australian/New Zealand Standards system).
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Where plastic sits in the hydrogen production chain
Alkaline and PEM electrolysers both have a chemical ancillary system around the cell stack. The electrolyser itself is generally a packaged product from an original equipment manufacturer (OEM), Nel, Cummins, ITM, Plug Power, Siemens and others. What sits before and after the stack is the tankage, pipework and dosing system that the project’s balance-of-plant (BoP) engineer specifies, and that is where Industrial Plastics’ work fits.
| Component / system | Service | Recommended material |
|---|---|---|
| Deionised (DI) water storage | Ultra-pure water for electrolyser feed | HDPE (PE100), natural / low-leachate grade |
| KOH electrolyte storage (alkaline) | 30-40% potassium hydroxide, up to 80°C | PP-H, caustic plus temperature ceiling |
| Alkaline electrolyser gas-liquid separators | Hot KOH plus oxygen and hydrogen | PP-H welded to DVS 2207 |
| PEM electrolyser DI water feed | Ultra-pure water, ambient temperature | HDPE (PE100), low-conductivity grade |
| Oxygen vent and dryer condensate | Wet oxygen, ambient to 60°C | PP-H, oxidiser-compatible |
| Ammonia (NH3) carrier storage | Liquid ammonia, atmospheric or low pressure | PP-H welded; PVDF for higher-purity duties |
| Urea storage (SCR or carrier) | 32% urea solution (AdBlue-grade) or solid | HDPE (PE100), agriculture-tested service |
| Treated process water | Reverse osmosis (RO) permeate, deionised feed | HDPE (PE100) |
| Dosing chemistry | Caustic, acid for pH | PP-H or HDPE per chemical tank pages |
| Low-pressure H2-ready pipework (<10 bar) | Distribution where steel is over-engineered | PE100 butt-fusion or electrofusion welded to DVS 2207 |
Why polyethylene handles hydrogen-ready piping at low pressure
Hydrogen embrittlement of steel is a phenomenon where atomic hydrogen diffuses into the metal lattice at elevated pressure and temperature, weakening the steel. The mechanism does not apply to polyethylene. PE is a hydrogen-permeable polymer (small hydrogen molecules diffuse slowly through the wall over time), but for low-pressure applications below about 10 bar, typical of ancillary distribution rather than the high-pressure storage circuit, the permeation rate is small enough that PE is the practical material choice. The European gas industry has been substituting PE100 for cast iron and steel gas mains for over 30 years for natural gas distribution, and the same PE100 grades are now being qualified for blended-hydrogen and pure-hydrogen distribution.
For the high-pressure storage and tanker circuit (typically 350-700 bar), plastic is not the right material, that’s where stainless steel and composite-overwrapped pressure vessels live. We don’t fabricate those. We do fabricate everything in the low- to medium-pressure ancillary chemistry around them.
Standards and compliance, at a glance
| Standard | Coverage | Where it applies |
|---|---|---|
| AS/NZS 4129 | Australian/New Zealand Standard for PE pipe fittings, pressurised | Low-pressure PE distribution |
| AS/NZS 4130 | Australian/New Zealand Standard for PE pipes for pressure applications | Pipe material specification |
| DVS 2205 | German design code for fabricated thermoplastic tanks | All fabricated tank vessels |
| DVS 2207 | German plastics welding procedure | Per-weld records on critical-path joints |
| AS/NZS 4766 | Australian/New Zealand Standard for PE storage tanks | Material reference |
| ISO 22734 | International Standard for water-electrolyser hydrogen generators | OEM electrolyser spec, we work to the OEM’s BoP spec |
Australian hydrogen project context
The market context our buyer is operating in:
- National Hydrogen Strategy (2023 update), over $526 million committed across federal programs
- Hydrogen Headstart program, $2 billion underwriting major projects
- Queensland Hydrogen Industry Strategy, Gladstone, Townsville, Bowen Basin
- New South Wales Hydrogen Strategy, Hunter, Port Kembla, Western Sydney
- Victorian Renewable Hydrogen Industry Development Plan
- Western Australia Renewable Hydrogen Strategy, Pilbara, Mid West, Kwinana
Typical applications
- Green hydrogen production plant ancillary tankage (Gladstone, Hunter, Port Kembla)
- Electrolyser water treatment skids, reverse osmosis, ion exchange, electrodeionisation feed tanks
- Alkaline electrolyte (KOH) circuit, storage, makeup, separator vessels
- Ammonia synthesis ancillary chemistry, feed water treatment, cooling water, dosing
- Urea-from-ammonia and AdBlue manufacturing, storage and process tankage
- Hydrogen refuelling station ancillary water and cooling systems
- Liquefied natural gas (LNG) to hydrogen blending facility chemistry
Frequently asked questions
In the ancillary chemistry around the electrolyser stack: deionised water storage, potassium hydroxide electrolyte, gas liquid separators, oxygen vent and dryer condensate, ammonia or urea carrier storage, and treated process water. The electrolyser itself is a packaged OEM product; we fabricate the balance of plant tankage and pipework around it.
No. Hydrogen embrittlement is a steel and high pressure problem, not a polyethylene problem at typical electrolyser ancillary pressures. PE100 suits low pressure hydrogen ready distribution to AS/NZS standards.
HDPE PE100 in low leachate grade for DI water, PP-H for 30 to 40 percent potassium hydroxide up to 80 degrees and for hot separator duty, PVDF for chloride or peroxide chemistry and higher purity ammonia duties, and HDPE for 32 percent urea solution.
Yes. DVS 2205 engineered tank design and DVS 2207 qualified welding match the lender, insurer and EPCM contractor expectations on hydrogen capital projects.
Stanwell and Fortescue in Gladstone, Origin Energy in the Hunter Valley, Hydrogen Park South Australia in Adelaide and the Western Sydney Green Hydrogen Hub are all in some phase of capital execution.
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