SwRI expands Metering Research Facility capabilities for hydrogen research and testing

(Press-News.org) SAN ANTONIO — November 11, 2025 — Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) has expanded the capabilities of its world-class Metering Research Facility (MRF) to ensure existing natural gas infrastructure is compatible with hydrogen fuels. This initiative is supported by internal funding and combines SwRI’s expertise in energy, power, and automotive engineering to help several industries evaluate how blending hydrogen with natural gas affects infrastructure and technology.

“Blending hydrogen into natural gas pipelines could prove to be a promising, cost-effective pathway to reduce greenhouse gas emissions using existing natural gas infrastructure,” said MRF Manager Adam Hawley, one of the initiative’s leaders. “The industry is studying using hydrogen-natural gas blends to generate electricity and in-home appliances such as heaters and ovens without impacting equipment or performance. SwRI’s goal is to have a research test bed to support these activities.”

As part of this development, the team repurposed a gas loop within the MRF, which was previously used to study flow measurement and compression for low-pressure natural gas applications. These enhancements now enable the facility to test hydrogen-natural gas blends and explore their effects on pipeline systems, components, and flow measurement technologies.

“SwRI originally designed the MRF to accurately measure natural gas flow, and we’ve now adapted the facility to include hydrogen,” said SwRI Assistant Program Matthew Godush, one of the project’s leaders. “This leverages years of research and infrastructure already in place.”

The upgraded facility now features a hydrogen injection system, which introduces hydrogen into the natural gas stream, along with other compatibility upgrades. These include a new safety system to detect both hydrogen and natural gas leaks. The upgraded system can simulate transmission, distribution, and end-use scenarios for natural gas-hydrogen blends.

The facility will focus initial studies on blends of natural gas with 5 to 25 percent hydrogen, pursuing both internal and client-funded research to understand how introducing hydrogen affects existing energy infrastructure.

It will also offer flow measurement testing, endurance testing, gas analysis, component compatibility analysis, leak detection, and general component testing to clients.

“Our goal is to show, through testing and research, the process needed to upgrade natural gas infrastructure to accommodate hydrogen,” Godush said. “Right now, hydrogen production is limited by its use, but demonstrating the efficiency and feasibility of these applications creates a large and economically viable case for hydrogen as a reliable fuel source.”

SwRI continues to dedicate a multidisciplinary team to hydrogen energy research initiatives, supporting efforts to decarbonize a broad spectrum of industries.

For more information, visit https://www.swri.org/markets/energy-environment/oil-gas/flow-measurement-services/metering-research-facility.

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