[ safety ]
‘ No smoking ’ signs should also be posted within 7.6 m ( 25 ft ) of outdoor storage areas and inside rooms where hydrogen may be stored . 8 understanding of hydrogen systems , the most upto-date standards should be routinely reviewed and followed .
All electrical equipment including control valves , sensors , compressors , and PLCs also need to comply with minimum distance requirements to hydrogen storage systems unless specifically designed and rated for explosive atmospheres . NFPA 70 ( NEC or National Electrical Code ) describes electrical classification areas . Class 1 electrical classification areas are those areas where flammable gases may be present in a quantity sufficient to ignite . This Class is then subdivided based on the hazard level of the area . Division 1 is defined as an area where ignitable concentrations can exist under normal operating conditions , whereas Division 2 is defined as an area where ignitable concentrations would only occur in accidental rupture or abnormal operation . Electrical equipment used in this area should either explicitly list approval for Class 1 , Group B ( hydrogen ) atmospheres , be purged or ventilated in accordance with NFPA 496 , or be intrinsically safe . Refer to Table 1 and Figure 3 for details . 10
Conclusion
It is important to note that the standards identified in this article only account for a small representation of the extensive information and practices available to draw upon when designing a system . The strictest standards should be followed from the National Fire Protection Association , the Compressed Gas Association , the Environmental Protection Agency as well as any local agencies . Personnel should be professionally trained to perform routine maintenance and inspections , while properly documenting findings .
This article is presented for information purposes only and should by no means be used as the basis for design and engineering . As safety standards continue to change based on the growing
References
1
International Journal of Hydrogen Energy 42.11 ( 2017 ): 7254 – 7262 .
2
Sirosh , N . “ FUELS – HYDROGEN STORAGE | Compressed .” In Encyclopedia of Electrochemical Power Sources , 414 – 420 . Amsterdam : Elsevier , 2009 .
3
‘ CGA G-5 ,’ Compressed Gas Association , 2017 .
4
‘ NFPA 2 ,’ National Fire Protection Association , 2020 .
5
International Journal of Greenhouse Gas Control 37 ( 2015 ): 504 – 512 .
6
Ayumi Kumamoto et al . Journal of Physics : Conference Series 301 ( 2011 ).
7
Blakey , P ., and G . Orlando . “ Using inert gases for purging , blanketing , and transfer .” Chemical
Engineering 91.11 ( 1984 ): 97 – 102 .
8
‘ NFPA 55 ,’ National Fire Protection Association , 2023 .
9 https :// intermountainbollardsandbarricades . com .
10
‘ NFPA 497 ,’ National Fire Protection Association , 2021 .
11
Treatise on Materials Science & Technology 25 ( 1983 ): 275 – 359 .
About GCT
Since 1995 , Gas Cleaning Technologies ( GCT ) has built a reputation as a responsive , technologydriven organization with a proven record of high-quality , specialized gas cleaning and energy solutions delivered to industries around the world . GCT ’ s decarbonization solutions range from industrial process energy-intensity audits , green fuel conversion and waste heat recovery to hydrogen production and CO 2 capture technologies . With professionals specialized on process engineering , field testing , technology development and integration , GCT serves clients across the globe from five locations : Dallas , Chicago , Vancouver , Singapore and India . For more information , visit www . gcteng . com or contact us at brosig @ gcteng . com .
16 Hydrogen Tech World | Issue 8 | February 2023