How Hydrogen Can Help (70Kb PDF)

Hydrogen Safety (77Kb PDF)

Hydrogen Distribution & Delivery (110 Kb PDF)

Hydrogen Storage (125Kb PDF)

Source: U.S. Department of Energy




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Is hydrogen safe?
Mos tfuels have high energy content and must be handled properly to be safe. Hydrogen is no different. In general, hydrogen is neither more nor less inherently hazardous than gasoline, propane, or methane. As with any fuel, safe handling depends on knowledge of its particular physical, chemical, and thermal properties and consideration of safe ways to accommodate those properties. Hydrogen, handled with this knowledge, is a safe fuel.

Hydrogen has been safely produced, stored, transported, and used in large amounts in industry by following standard practices that have been established in the past 50 years. These practices can be emulated in non-industrial uses of hydrogen to attain the same level of routine safety.




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If hydrogen has a wider flammability range than petrol, is it safe?
While hydrogen has a wider flammability range than petrol, the range is only a piece of the story when considering the likelihood of afire resulting from hydrogen escaping into the atmosphere. Each fuel has different properties that must be considered along with flammability range.

For example: Petrol's narrow flammability range is a bit misleading, since this range can easily and often be reached through normal consumer handling ofpetrol and certainly if spilled. There are of course petrol fires but, as we know, fires certainly don't occur every time petrol vapors are released to the open air, because the vapors fail to find an ignition source in time.

Hydrogen has a wider flammabilityrange, but because it is lighter than air (50 times lighter than petrol vapors and even lighter than helium) and diffuses 12 times faster than petrol vapors do, it is very difficult for hydrogen gas to find a suitable ignition source in an open environment, like a fueling station.

Hydrogen systems used for vehicular fueling are designed to provide public safety just as petrol systems are designed to do. While both fueling systems utilize break-away hoses, shear valves, and monitoring systems, hydrogen systems go a step further.

Hydrogen fuelers are designed as "closed" systems, meaning that the fuel is not exposed to the atmosphere - unlike petrol which can be spilled fairly easily during refueling. This closed system design approach keeps hydrogen always within proper containment and does not allow oxygen or air to mix with the fuel, thereby eliminating one of the required combustion elements needed to create a fire. This further mitigates hydrogen's low ignition energy property, compared to petrol, by never allowing a spark or ignition source to have any ability to interact with the hydrogen gas.

Source: Shell Hydrogen LLC




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Did hydrogen cause the Hindenburg accident?
The fire that destroyed the Hindenburg in 1937 gave hydrogen a misleading reputation. Hydrogen was used to keep the airship buoyant and was initially blamed for the disaster. An investigation by Addison Bain in the 1990s provided evidence that the airship's fabric envelope was coated with reactive chemicals, similar to solid rocket fuel, and was easily ignitable by an electrical discharge. The Zeppelin Company, builder of the Hindenburg, has since confirmed that the flammable, doped outer cover is to be blamed for the fire.




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How is burning hydrogen different than the reaction in an H-bomb?
Burning hydrogen, just like burning petrol, natural gas, or a candle, is a chemical reaction, which means that electrons get shifted around and new compounds are made, like water, but the basic atoms remain the same.

The thermonuclear explosion from a hydrogen bomb is the consequence of a nuclear fusion reaction. During this reaction, the two isotopes of hydrogen, deuterium and tritium, collide at very high energy to fuse into helium nuclei, releasing tremendous amounts of energy.

To get these rare isotopes of hydrogen to fuse requires extraordinary temperatures (hundreds of millions of degrees). These temperatures are supplied in a thermonuclear weapon (in this case, an H-bomb) by setting off an atomic, or fission, bomb to trigger the fusion reaction.

However, commercial hydrogen gas contains no deuterium and no tritium. Without these isotopes, it is physically impossible for ordinary hydrogen gas to produce a thermonuclear reaction under any circumstances.




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What is a fuel cell vehicle?
FCVs are electric vehicles that:

• Run on hydrogen
  
• Use a fuel cell, not an engine
  
• Are quiet – most noise comes from the air compressor and valves

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What are Codes and Standards?

• Documents that establish a basis for “technical communication”
  
• Provisions for assessing technology safety and performance
  
• The basis for “Building Construction Regulations” or other rules addressing public health and life-safety

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If industry has beenusing hydrogen safely, why do we need new standards?

• Industrial safe practices are often inappropriate for commercial applications
  
• More public access
  
• Smaller footprint
  
• Quantities often much smaller
  
• Industries with proven safety handling hydrogen are contributing to the development of commercial standards

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Where are we with Codes & Standards today?

• Lack of codes & standards hinders insurance, investments, demonstrations and local action
  
• Big international concern
  
• Potential difficulties
  
• Numerous national and international organizations involved
  
• Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Safety Report, NHA monthly on-line publication: www.hydrogenandfuelcellsafety.info
  
• Matrix of Codes and Standards: www.fuelcellstandards.com

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What is the current approach to hydrogen fuelling infrastructure?

• Take part in small number of Technology Demonstrations
  
• Learn about the performance and reliability of equipment in a ‘real life’ setting
  
• Develop safety codes and standards
  
• High visibility, help with public confidence and political support
  
• Develop in parallel a range of flexible fuelling products
  
• Suitable for small fleets of vehicles
  
• Low installation and utility costs
  
• Mobile or relocatable in design
  
• Flexible in supply of fuel (onsite production or delivery)

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What resources can I use to learn more about hydrogen safety activities?
There are numerous resources available. Good places to start include:

• The Hydrogen & Fuel Cell Safety Report: www.hydrogenandfuelcellsafety.info (see the Technical Resources page)
  
• Matrix of Codes & Standards: www.fuelcellstandards.com

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Is hydrogen acompeting technology for natural gas?

• NG is a natural feedstock for hydrogen.
  
• Infrastructure can be leveraged for both CNG and H2.
  
• Industrial hydrogen experience and infrastructures can be leveraged in the early phases of building a hydrogen economy.
  
• Expect a heterogeneous infrastructure.
  
• Breakthrough will come when the major automotive companies start volume production – but solutions for other transport options must be developed now.