Selecting materials for high-pressure hydrogen systems requires balancing technical understanding of hydrogen embrittlement and business considerations. While the direct effect of hydrogen on materials is usually manifested as ductility loss under tension stress, the most concerning failure in a hydrogen system is fatigue. Although no material is immune to property degradation caused by hydrogen, Type 316 stainless steel is among the best in resisting hydrogen embrittlement.

In conveyor oven applications, product testing is critical to determine the part heatup time and therefore the oven length. This article is a case study of how product testing was performed for a hydrogen embrittlement relief process of fasteners to determine oven design parameters.