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Report on Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Safety Published
by Karen Hall
Vice President, Technical Operations of the National Hydrogen
Association
Fuel Cell Today (www.fuelcelltoday.com)
has recently published a report on hydrogen and fuel cell
safety by Vicki P. McConnell, Editor of the Fuel Cell Industry
Report Newsletter (www.FcellReport.com).
Finding Safe Haven in Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Systems
was published in two parts. It attempts to put hydrogen safety
into perspective, and uses information provided by manufacturers
and safety experts interviewed specifically for the report
in recent months. The article examines hydrogen myths, and
describes engineering protocols being used to assure safety
in hydrogen and fuel cell systems today. The report utilizes
information from the NHA's Hydrogen Safety Factsheet, as well
as an analysis of safety precautions and lessons learned from
industry.
A synopsis is provided here. The purpose of this synopsis
is informational only. Please refer to the full report for
references, accompanying graphics, and many resources for
hydrogen and fuel cell safety and education.
Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) are keenly aware that
H2 must be proven as a safe fuel on par with proving reliability,
longevity, ease of maintenance, and low cost in commercial
fuel cell products. To that end, emphasis on safety is part
and parcel of evolving fuel cell system designs from OEMs,
along with intensive system testing. Likewise, safety is central
to efforts by fuel cell industry organisations, codes and
standards bodies, and world governments (though this report
focuses primarily on efforts in the United States).
Every element of a fuel cell system will have its own safety
assessment prior to widespread commercialisation. For the
purposes of this report, a fuel cell system encompasses these
elements:
- The stack (supplying primary power, made from graphite,
ceramic, metal, or composite and containing the catalyst
that begins the electrochemical reaction between H2 and
oxygen needed in every fuel cell)
- Balance of plant (BOP, comprised of auxiliary components
that may include a heat exchanger, pumps, fans and blowers,
motors and compressors, humidification and water management
components, controllers, inverters and converters, filters,
valves, piping, flow meters, seals and gaskets and more)
- Fuel processor or reformer (when using methods such as
steam, autothermal or partial oxidation to extract H2 from
a feedstock fuel other than H2)
- Fuel storage (such as variously-sized high pressure or
cryogenic tanks, or solid storage forms such as hydrides)
on vehicles or at stationary locations, and small, replaceable
pressurised or nonpressurised cartridges in portable devices)
- Fuel (H2 in compressed, liquid or solid form; also hydrocarbon
reformate fuels such as gasoline, diesel, natural gas, propane,
and kerosene from which H2 is derived; synthetic fuels that
also produce H2; or on-demand fuels such as sodium
borohydride/water that are inert until combined with the
aid of a catalyst to create H2).
- The basic properties of H2 as an energy carrier can be
seen in light of a need for safety in handling it, as well
as by the benefits this carrier provides within fuel cell
systems. For a hydrogen safety overview, please may view
the National Hydrogen Association's "Hydrogen
Safety" fact sheet (216Kb PDF).
Though FCVs represent one of the potential high volume markets,
transportation application of fuel cells still appears to have
the longest timeline to commercialisation (at least the year
2020 by some estimations). They also require perhaps the most
complex integration of a fuel cell system. As described by the
California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP), "a fuel cell
engine is the complete set of components that integrate with
a fuel cell to form a small energy plant that creates electricity
to power a vehicle's wheels."
The well known benefits of H2 powered FCVs boil down to near
zero pollution, except for exhaust water vapor, and zero production
of greenhouse gases due to a lack of combustion and increased
energy efficiencies. FCVs can also contribute to reducing noise
pollution. At their most productive, FCVs could be used as backup
power systems for residential or business electricity.
The consensus among industry, government, academia, and other
hydrogen and fuel cell experts is this: Overall safety concerns
have effectively remained the same as those identified 5-10
years ago, although we know more and have better data from these
additional years of hands-on hydrogen experience, and a much
higher degree of safety and confidence. The use of hydrogen
as an energy carrier in applications including fuel cell vehicles
deserves the same, but not inordinately more, attention to safety
as with other fuels and vehicle propulsion systems. The potential
safety issues for hydrogen are different, and these differences
must be factored into design with absolute rigor, as required
for any safe and reliable energy or vehicle fuel system.
The report focuses on the commercialization of fuel cell vehicles,
and cites reports from the CaFCP, University of Miami, and others
that describe results of modeling and testing for use of fuel
cell vehicles in normal conditions, including garages.
Over the past five years, one of the crucial issues that
has emerged at the core of achieving a hydrogen economy with
FCVs is the need for a global infrastructure of fueling stations.
Concepts continue to fly thick and fast as to the best way
to create this infrastructure (Will entirely new stations
be required, or can existing stations be adapted? How fast
can codes and standards bodies and OEMs conduct the testing
necessary to be sure H2 is safe in these stations?). Also
in question is the expense of a hydrogen infrastructure. Some
believe billions will be have to be spent. (Others believe
there are technological answers that will not require entirely
new stations to be built, but will provide the means to adapt
existing stations.)
Moreover, in the last two years, major "hydrogen highway,"
"hydrogen corridor," and "hydrogen village
partnership" initiatives began in the US, Canada, Europe,
Iceland, Japan, and Norway. As with each FCV, each of these
fueling stations and fueling station networks will go through
a stringent safety assessment and risk management siting review
that must include cooperation from relevant jurisdictional
bodies.
From sophisticated and complex internal combustion engines
in current vehicles, to furnaces, ice rinks, refrigerators,
barbeques and toasters, people are already operating equipment
every day that entails particular safety concerns. This equipment
and relevant energetic fuels are accepted for proven safety,
in large part because they have been tested and certified
to applicable codes and standards for consumer use. The same
or higher levels of testing and certification are underway
for fuel cell systems.
Virtually every OEM who participated in this report is working
on codes and standards formation, and have also availed themselves
of third party certification, often in both the U.S. and abroad.
"Participation on code and standard committees provides
the opportunity to discuss and resolve potential issues with
other technical experts," observes Glenn Scheffler, Manager
of General Engineering for UTC Power in South Windsor, CT,
USA. "This creates a core group with common understanding
of how to safely manage situations involving design, fabrication
and use of fuel cell products."
Plug Power's (Latham, NY, USA) Director of Government Relations,
George Earle, comments that participation in codes and standards
formation groups offers the opportunity to review codes that
may have a dated genesis, and rectify that by encompassing
more current specific and relevant scenarios. And Honda's
Manager of Fuel Cell Vehicles, Sales and Marketing, Stephen
Ellis (Torrance, CA, USA) takes the view that codes and standards
committees allow a degree of harmonisation, especially among
automakers who don't always agree with each other's perspective.
He adds that committee participation is extending beyond just
R&D representatives with a mostly technical outlook, to
sales and marketing. "Now that my opinion is being sought,
that tells me industry wants to get it right in the eyes of
the end user."
Indeed multiple codes and standards bodies have task groups
working internationally on testing and certification requirements
for meeting existing and creating new codes, standards, and
best practices for operating fuel cell systems. This is true
whether the fuel cell system is applied to stationary, portable
or transportation applications.
The report also describes many codes, standards, and recommended
practices specific to fuel cells that are beginning to be
published, as well as research activities through DOE and
DOT/ NHSTA.
The U.S. hydrogen and fuel cell industries are addressing
the public's concern about hydrogen and fuel cell safety through
the development of standards, codes and certification requirements,
as well as through education and outreach programs.
The fuel cell industry as a whole must continue to take an
active role in designing codes and standards for fuel cells
and H2-related products. Promoting those testing standards
within numerous customer industries will help them understand
that the products are safe. Proof of performance in customer
applications is just as important. After all, if the public
perceives H2 as unsafe, there will be no general acceptance
of fuel cell products. So it takes everyone involved in both
the fuel cell and H2 industries to educate customers, government
entities, and the public about the safety of these products.
The report cites the US DOE, DOT, National Renewable Energy
Laboratory (NREL), and National Hydrogen Association (NHA)
as entities involved in "preparing customers for fruitful
dialogues with the authorities having jurisdiction regarding
H2 and the safety elements of its use in a product or fueling
facility."
Just as important as assuring the public that fuel cells and
H2 can be operated safely in their communities, is assurance
for the emergency responders -- typically fire, police, and
other rescue personnel -- that handling a H2 incident can
be accomplished with adequate training and without undue threat
to personal safety. The challenge will be not just at the
federal level with new codes and standards related to H2 storage,
but in training all the fire marshals and personnel in individual
municipalities, at the local level. A wide segment of responder
personnel must be trained to handle H2.
"By itself, attention to safety cannot draw H2 into the
marketplace, but if poorly addressed, it will pose a formidable
barrier," states the US National Research Council's Committee
on Alternatives and Strategies for Future H2 Production and
Use in "The Hydrogen Economy -- Opportunities, Costs,
Barriers and R&D Needs." Clearly the sources for
this report are active participants in properly addressing
the safety of H2 and fuel cells. "I think it's critically
important that regulatory bodies and the public be shown definitively
that H2 is in fact a safe and reliable fuel," concludes
Idaho National Laboratory's John Kolts. "This is more
than just perception, but a demonstrable level of safe performance.
I also believe those of us in the H2 development community
are responsible for this demonstration of safe H2 use in safe
fuel cell products."
Air Products' Jim Hansel concludes "the key safety issues
have been addressed. I believe that the main issue is to get
properly designed units out into properly designed facilities,
with OEMs and educated customers operating these properly.
This way, public acceptance will be gained on its own."
To read this two-part report, please click below.
Finding
Safe Haven in Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Systems
Part 1
Finding Safe Haven in Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Systems
Part
2
For more information on Fuel Cell Industry Report, a monthly
subscriber-based newsletter, visit www.FcellReport.com.
Ms McConnell can be reached at Vmcconnell@FcellReport.com.
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