The ROSEN Group has opened its first own hydrogen test laboratory at the Lingen (Ems) site. It is part of the new, approximately 4,000 m² Test Center building on the company's test site. 

Testing on 16 Soccer Fields

The new Test Center building is located on the ROSEN Group's test site in Lingen (Ems), which has roughly the size of about 16 soccer fields after the expansion. The background to the massive expansion is the sharp rise in customer requirements.

In the outdoor area of the test site in Lingen (Ems), the ROSEN Group tests its inspection equipment with so-called pull test, pump test and water test facilities. The world's largest storage facility for test pipe sections alone takes up around 22,000 m2. These are relevant for the testing and improvement of the inspection equipment, as the sensor technology is calibrated and further developed on real fault locations. All laboratory tests are brought together centrally in the new test center building: material tests (now also in hydrogen), sensor tests, endurance and wear resistance tests, data evaluation tests, climate simulation, as well as the preparation and post-processing of the complex pipe installations. All tests are carried out, verified and validated according to the latest ISO test procedures, among others.

"In the course of the energy transition, new challenges are arising for our customers: New ways of using their plants, additional verification requirements, and significantly greater interest from the public. All these factors require significantly more testing than before. We are now optimally positioned for this," Rosen summarizes the influencing factors.

The Potential of Hydrogen

"With our hydrogen lab, we provide any material testing procedures for industry to help them efficiently repurpose existing gas networks for hydrogen transport and continue to operate reliably and safely," Rosen said.

Hydrogen, after all, can change the properties of a pipeline. The extent can vary depending on steel grade, microstructure and hydrogen concentration. The properties of existing pipelines must be reevaluated accordingly as part of rededications. In addition, in-house research and development activities in the field of hydrogen are supported and promoted. The Emsland is a hydrogen model region and ROSEN has been a partner since the beginning. The experience and knowledge that the company gains with its new laboratory will also be used here in the region. However, the global energy industry has also recognized the potential of hydrogen as an alternative to fossil fuels. Plans call for a European pipeline network that will be gradually expanded starting in the mid-2020s, linking the "Hydrogen Valleys." By 2040, the network is to comprise 23,000 km of pipelines in nine European countries. Three out of four of these pipelines are to be converted gas pipelines.

"There is potential here that we can serve with our decades of experience in plant inspection – plus our new hydrogen laboratory," said Patrik Rosen representative of the owner family.

Hydrogen as an energy carrier has been a focus of the technology group for several years and represents an important cornerstone of its long-term company strategy. Several locations of the ROSEN Group were considered for the construction of the hydrogen laboratory. The decisive factor for Lingen (Ems) was the large development department, the short distances from idea to research, development and manufacturing as well as the existing test facilities. The interior works for the Test Center building are in the process of completion. With the installation of the necessary equipment, completion of the hydrogen laboratory is scheduled for early 2022.