New Working Group: ISO TC-197 WG9 Forms to Address Hydrogen Generators on
by Patrick Serfass, National Hydrogen Association

On December 19, 2002, a New Work Item Proposal (NWIP) was approved by the International Organization of Standardization’s (ISO) Technical Committee 197 (Hydrogen Technologies).  The NWIP has been allocated to a new ISO/TC 197 working group: ISO/ TC-197 WG9 on hydrogen generators using fuel processing technologies.  The working draft document was prepared by HydrogenSource, LLC based on U.S., European and international standards, including CSA International U.S. Requirement 5-99 on Hydrogen Generators.  The document covers fuel processing, system management (fuel, thermal, automatic controls, electrical), safety strategies, physical environment and operating conditions, installation procedures, testing methods and emissions.

The New Work Item Proposal was presented jointly by the Netherlands and the United States to ISO TC 197. After balloting by correspondence, the technical committee accepted the proposal and the included draft standard document.  Argentina, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Netherlands, Norway, France and the USA have nominated 26 technical experts to the working group.  Japan submitted a PEM Fuel Cells safety document, “Investigation on the Standard/Reference Regarding the Safety of the Compact Solid Macromolecule Fuel Cell System,” for consideration by WG9.

Comments received during approval of the NWIP are currently under review by WG9 members.  Actions on comments received will be taken at WG9’s first meeting scheduled for April 14-16, 2003.  For additional information on WG9 activity, contact Jennifer Henderson, CSA America Inc., Secretary to ISO/TC 197 WG9 at Jennifer.Henderson@csa-america.org.