National Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Codes & Standards Coordinating Committee Teleconference - July 2006 Minutes
Russell Hewett, NREL

MEETING DATE: July 12, 2006
TIME: 3:00 - 4:30 PM (EDT)

1.0 PARTICIPANTS
Russ Hewett welcomed participants and did the roll call. The list of meeting participants is provided in Attachment I.


2.0 REVIEW OF ANTI-TRUST POLICY
USFCC members participating in the meeting were reminded of the USFCC Anti-Trust Guidelines:

Antitrust Guidelines (27Kb PDF)


3.0 CORRECTIONS TO MINUTES OF JUNE'S TELECONFERENCE MEETING
Several minor corrections to the Draft Minutes of June's teleconference meeting were offered. Russ Hewett will finalize June's Minutes and forward them to NHA for posting on the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Safety Report website.


4.0 OPPORTUNITY FOR DOE/HQ SUBPROGRAM MANAGER TO
REPORT ON WHAT'S GOING ON AT DOE/HQ
Pat Davis (Manager, Hydrogen Safety and Codes & Standards Subprogram) briefed participants on three issues as discussed below:

1. Proposed Budget for the FY07 Safety and Codes and Standards Subprogram
   Pat stated that the only bases of discussing the FY07 budget right now for the Subprogram are the markups by the House and the Senate. The President's request was for $13.8 million. The lower of the Congressional markups is $12.0 million and
   is the one being used by DOE/HQ for financial planning. One encouraging thing is that both markups provide funding to cover Congressional earmarks. However, there is a negative right now - the Subprogram will probably be funded initially in FY07 by Continuing Resolutions because the budget is not likely to be finalized by October 1st, the beginning of FY07. And because this is an election year, the funding for DOE for FY07 is not likely to be finalized until much later than October.
   
   
2. Status Report on the DOE/Golden Solicitation "Codes and Standards for the Hydrogen Economy"
   This competitive solicitation involves selecting an organization to manage the codes & standards subcontract work that NREL has been managing. The Merit Review Panel established to evaluate the proposals received completed its work and sent its recommendations in a report to the DOE/HQ source selection official. Pat stated that the report is going through the DOE/HQ concurrence process. He expects that the winner will be announced in about 30 days.
   
   
3. Newly-Established Hydrogen Technical Advisory Committee
   On June 20th, Secretary of Energy Samuel W. Bodman announced the establishment of the new DOE Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Technical Advisory Committee (HTAC) and
   its members. Formed in accordance with the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPACT), HTAC's role is to advise the Secretary on issues related to the development of hydrogen and fuel cell technologies, a key component of President Bush's Advanced
   Energy Initiative (AEI). Committee members were selected from more than 100 nominees submitted in response to a Federal Register Notice. HTAC will give recommendations to the Secretary regarding DOE's programs, plans, and activities, as well as safety, economic, and environmental issues related to hydrogen.

5.0 DOT HYDROGEN INFRASTRUCTURE SAFETY TECHNICAL
ASSESSMENT AND RESEARCH RESULTS GAP ANALYSIS
During April 2006, the US Department of Transportation published the report "Hydrogen Infrastructure Safety Technical Assessment and Research Results Gap Analysis." The report is the result of a DOT effort to identify gaps in the current hydrogen technology base and to recommend solutions for closing the gaps.

Hydrogen Infrastructure Safety Technical Assessment and Research Results Gap Analysis (2,349Kb PDF)

You can also view this report at the following DOT website:

http://www.rita.dot.gov/publications/
hydrogen_infrastructure_safety_analysis/

DOT invited the various stakeholders to review the report and provide it with feedback. Karen Hall reported that NHA convened a special teleconference meeting of its Codes and Standards Steering Committee to initiate NHA's review of the document. She proposed that NHA, USFCC and the National Codes & Standards Coordinating Committee coordinate their responses back to DOT. Karen invited Coordinating Committee members to participate in the NHA review.

The report was disseminated to the members of the Coordinating Committee prior to the teleconference meeting for their review. The question was asked if DOT/RITA (Research and Innovative Technology Administration) has the funding to do all of the R&D proposed in the report. Bill Chernicoff said, "No". Bill stated that the feedback from stakeholders will be used by DOT to plan their R&D. In addition, Bill invited Coordinating Committee members to provide him with their feedback. Bill was asked to give a presentation on the report at the IEA Annex 19 (Hydrogen Safety) meeting scheduled for the Fall in Canada.


6.0 REPORT ON HYDROGEN INDUSTRY PANEL ON CODES
(HIPOC) ACTIVITIES
Darren Meyers reported on Hydrogen Industry Panel on Codes (HIPOC) activities. The goal focuses on harmonizing ICC and NFPA codes and/or standards documents with respect to hydrogen safety. Since it's inception, HIPOC has convened seven teleconference meetings (the seventh was held on June 15th). The next meeting is scheduled for July 25th, which will be closed. However, the meeting scheduled for August 30th will be open.

HIPOC is continuing to prepare for the Code Development Hearings scheduled to be conducted September 20 - 30 as part of the ICC 2006/2007 Code Development Cycle.

Darren Meyers did a search of all the proposed changes to the ICC family of codes relating to gaseous and liquid hydrogen and identified 16 such proposals, including the ones formulated by HIPOC. HIPOC is in the process of reviewing the proposals to determine what its position should be for each one at the Hearings:

1. Support the proposed code change
2. Modify it
3. Do nothing

This will be a major HIPOC focus in July and August. The proposals are listed in Annex A and Annex B.

HIPOC is getting ready to "gear up" to focus on proposed changes to requirements in:

• NFPA 55: Vehicular Fuel Systems Code
  
  
• NFPA 52: Standard for the Storage, Use and Handling of Compressed Gases and Cryogenic Fluids in Portable and Stationary Containers, Cylinders and Tanks

For NFPA 52, the closing date for making new proposals or modifications to existing ones is November 23, 2006. For NFPA 55, the closing date is May 26, 2007.

Darren stated that HIPOC will use the NHA Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Safety website for providing information regarding HIPOC activities.


7.0 REPORT ON IEC/TC105 ACTIVITIES AND DOCUMENTS IN
THE "COMMENTS" STAGE
Kelvin Hecht reported on IEC/TC105 activities and provided this report:

IEC/TC105 Report (85Kb PDF)

Of special significance, Amendment 1 to 62282-2 (Amendment 1: Fuel Cell Technologies - Part 2: Fuel Cell Modules) formulated by Working Group 2 (WG2) (Fuel Cell Modules) is open for comments. US comments are due by August 25th.

IEC/TC105 will have its next plenary meeting October 19 - 20 in Tokyo.

An outstanding issue for the US TAG is whether or not it wants to participate with IEC/TC22 (Power Electronic Systems and Equipment) to write the document "Safety Requirements for Power Semiconductor Converter Systems - Part 1 - General Requirements".


8.0 REPORT ON ISO/TC197 ACTIVITIES AND DOCUMENTS IN
THE "COMMENTS" STAGE
Bob Mauro reported on ISO/TC197 activities and documents in the "Comments" stage. Bob provided this report:

ISO/TC197 Report (75Kb PDF)

Of special significance are the following:

1. DIS (Draft International Standard) 15869.2 (Gaseous Hydrogen and Hydrogen Blends - Land Vehicle Fuel Tanks) has been sent out for vote and comment by November 1st .
   
   The voting and comment timeframe takes into account approval of the request by the US TAG for a three-month extension.
   
   
2. FDIS (Final Draft International Standard) 13985 (Liquid Hydrogen - Land Vehicle Fuel Tanks) has been sent out for comment and vote by early August.

9.0 UPDATE ON ISO/TC197 WG12 (HYDROGEN FUEL -
PRODUCT SPECIFICATION)
Jim Ohi reported on ISO/TC197 WG12 activities. WG12 met on June 9th in Paris in conjunction with the ISO/TC197 plenary meeting and reviewed the final draft of Technical Specification DTS14687-2. The draft TS provides hydrogen fuel specification guidelines for PEM fuel cell road vehicles involved in near-term demonstration projects. The requirements may change as experience is gained and as the fuel cell and hydrogen technologies advance. Consensus was reached regarding editing of the document.

Also at the meeting, consensus was reached on the R&D and testing programs needed to modify the TS into an international standard. Jim reported that, for the first time, the WG12 meeting included significant participation by the European Community.

The next WG12 meeting will be held in November in Hawaii in conjunction with the USFCC Fuel Cell Seminar. The objectives of that meeting will be to: (i) develop the plan for testing constituents in more detail; and (ii) begin dividing up the work.


10.0 OPPORTUNITY FOR CDOS AND SDOS TO REPORT ON
THEIR ACTIVITIES

10.1 CSA America
Julie Cairnes reported that CSA America and SAE have completed and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for working collaboratively to foster the development of standards for fuel cell vehicles.

CSA America/SAE MOU (2,116Kb PDF)

While CSA will work collaboratively with SAE on safety requirements for hydrogen gas vehicle fuel containers, they will continue development of the draft standard HGV2 for applications other than vehicles. In addition, CSA will be involved in several joint working group activities with SAE to facilitate harmonization.

Julie reported that several stakeholders had approached CSA regarding development of a hydrogen fueling station standard or guide to assist local/state/Federal entities in approving projects. CSA has approached various stakeholders regarding interest in participating in such a standard development effort. In developing the new standard, CSA would not duplicate requirements in existing codes and standards.

There was much discussion during Julie's presentation regarding the impact of such a new standard (or guide) on existing codes and standards, such as those promulgated by ICC and NFPA. In addition, the question was asked that if the new document were to be a guidebook for siting and permitting fueling stations, what would it contain that is not in the ICC/NFPA/PNL/NREL document: Regulators' Guide for Permitting Hydrogen Projects Module 2: Permitting Hydrogen Motor Fuel Dispensing Facilities.

After much discussion it was agreed that the issue would be addressed again in the August teleconference meeting. Russ Hewett had the action item to disseminate the above-mentioned Guide to all members of the Coordinating Committee.

10.2 Underwriters Laboratories (UL)
Laurie Florence reported on UL activities. UL completed the first edition of UL 2264B (Standard for Hydrogen Generators Using Water Reaction) and submitted it for approval as an American National Standard Institute (ANSI) standard. However, with completion of the ANSI balloting, UL did not receive enough votes to reach consensus. Consequently, UL has withdrawn the action of proposing UL 2264B as an ANSI standard. Instead, they will publish the document as an Outline of Investigation. One consequence of the document's being an Outline of Investigation, rather than an ANSI standard, is that future revisions might not be sent to the Standard Technical Panel for review and comment.

10.3 National Fire Protection Association (NFPA)
Carl Rivkin reported on NFPA activities - focusing on the status of the project to develop NFPA 2 (Hydrogen Technologies Code). The NFPA Standards Council will be meeting in July to appoint the chairperson for the Hydrogen Technologies Technical Committee to develop the document and appoint enough committee members so as to have a "working committee". According to Carl, a full technical committee would have 30 members. Carl expects that the committee's first in-person meeting will be in the Fall. Their initial focus will be on determining the scope of and developing an outline for NFPA 2. Carl invited Coordinating Committee members to apply for committee membership. When someone applies to be a member of the committee, he or she might not be appointed immediately, because there may not be a vacancy. However, one could be appointed as vacancies arise and as committee needs change.


11.0 OPPORTUNITY FOR JOHN MOUGH TO GIVE SHORT BRIEFING ON CALIFORNIA HYDROGEN FUELS PROJECT'S FUEL QUALITY WORK
The newest member of the Coordinating Committee is:

John Mough, Chemist, California Hydrogen Fuels Project
California Department of Food and Agriculture
Division of Measurement Standards (DMS)
Email address: jmough@cdfa.ca.gov

The California Air Resources Board (ARB) has been tasked by state law to develop and update the hydrogen standard for motor vehicles. ARB established a contract with DMS to develop the fuel quality standard. They are required by state law to have the standard in place by January 2008. John was given the opportunity to describe the work that DMS is doing and open the door for coordination with the National Coordinating Committee.

John's work focuses on:

1. Quality of the gaseous hydrogen fuel
   
   
2. Critical (contaminating) constituents in the fuel and measuring
   their amounts
   
   
3. Sampling procedures and measurement methodologies

He pointed out that California will develop and adopt its own fuel quality standard, but will do so with the participation of stakeholders. Available below is the letter that DMS disseminated to solicit input:

DMS Letter (69Kb PDF)


12.0 NEXT TELECONFERENCE MEETING
The next meeting of the Coordinating Committee will be a teleconference meeting as follows:

• DATE: August 2nd (First Wednesday)
  
  
• TIME: 3:00 - 4:30 pm EDT
  2:00 - 3:30 pm CDT
  1:00 - 2:30 pm MDT
  Noon - 1:30 pm PDT
  
  
• CALL-IN NUMBER: (641) 793-7000
• PASS CODE: 824011#

The planned agenda will be disseminated prior to the meeting. If there's an item you'd like to have on the agenda, please contact any one of the following:

• Karen Hall (NHA) (202) 223-5547
• Robert Wichert (USFCC) (916) 966-9060
• Sondra Ullman (Plug Power) (518) 782-7700 X1469
• Russ Hewett (NREL) (303) 384-7463

13.0 NEXT IN-PERSON MEETING OF THE COORDINATING
COMMITTEE
Ideally, the Coordinating Committee seeks to have semi-annual in-person meetings. This is typically accomplished by having these meetings in conjunction with forums that Committee members are likely to be at anyways. The last such meeting was held in March in conjunction with the NHA 2006 Annual Hydrogen Conference held in Long Beach, CA. During the meeting, various possibilities were identified for the next in-person meeting. It was agreed that Russ Hewett would conduct a teleconference meeting with NHA and USFCC to come up with the recommended date and site for the next meeting. The recommendation will be presented at August's teleconference meeting.

Respectfully Submitted,

Russ Hewett

ANNEX 'A' - SUMMARY:
RESULTS OF DARREN MEYERS' SEARCHING THE ICC PROPOSED
CHANGES MONOGRAM TO IDENTIFY CODE CHANGE PROPOSALS
RELATING TO GASEOUS AND LIQUID HYDROGEN

1. F54-06/07 608.6.3 (New)
   Proponent: Lynne M. Kilpatrick, Fire Department, City of Seattle, WA
   Summary: The ventilation systems in 608.6.1 and 608.6.2 are required to insure that the concentration of hydrogen does not exceed 1% or present an explosion hazard.
   
   
2. F157-06/07 2211.7.2, 2211.7.2.1
   Proponent: Greg Rogers, South Kitsap Fire & Rescue, representing ICC Joint Fire Service Review Committee
   Summary: Consistency with other gas detection requirements in Chapter 22. (See 2208.2.2 and 2209.2.2)
   
   
3. F172-06/07 3003.7.11 through 3003.7.11.2 (New), 3504.2.2 (New), Chapter 45
   Proponent: Paul J. Buehler, Jr., Plug Power, Inc.
   Summary: Revise outdated material because current International Fire Code and NFPA 55 sections do not deal with the storage of bottled hydrogen out of doors inside cabinets, but rather only consider "naked" cylinders or indoor gas cabinets per Sections 2703.8.6 and 3006.2.3. This amendment is to facilitate the placement of bottled hydrogen in proximity to low powered electrical equipment meeting only the highest standards of the telecommunications industry.
   Analysis: Results of review of the proposed standard(s) will be posted on the ICC Website by August 20, 2006.
   
   
4. F175-06/07 3204.3.1.3
   Proponent: John C. Dean, The National Association of State Fire Marshals
   Summary: There has been considerable discussion on the requirement for, or prohibition of, or restriction on, the use of diking around above-ground LH2 storage. The proposed language captures the intent to prevent liquid hydrogen from entering areas not zoned/rated for flammable gas, and to control the ground-level vapor cloud, to the extent possible, to within areas designed to address a flammable mixture.
   
   
5. F191-06/07 3501.1, 3502.1, 3506 (New), 3201.1, 3204.3.1.1, 2209.3.2.5
   Proponent: Larry Fluer, Fluer, Inc., representing Compressed Gas Association
   Summary: Part 1. NFPA 55 contains material specific provisions for "bulk" hydrogen systems. The term "bulk" has been added to direct the user to the applicable sections of the Standard. Two new definitions have been added to define "bulk liquefied" and "bulk compressed" gas systems where specific details surrounding such installations can be found.
   
   Part 2. Chapter 32 was intended to be a generic chapter for cryogenic fluids. Material specific hazards were to be placed into the appropriate chapter based on the nature of the material. A code change was introduced into the last code cycle (F216-04/05 Fluer, representing CGA) to F192 ICC PUBLIC HEARING ::: September 2006 relocate the requirements for liquid hydrogen tanks to Chapter 35, however, the necessary correlating changes and references were overlooked and the code change was rejected at the request of the proponent.
   
   The provisions for liquid hydrogen have been proposed to be relocated without change from Chapter 32 to Chapter 35 and placed into a new Section 3506. Section 3506 is the only section in the chapter intended to apply to cryogenic fluids, and hydrogen is the sole cryogenic fluid provided for at this time.
   
   
6. F193-06/07 Table 3504.2.1
   Proponent: Paul J. Buehler, Jr., Plug Power, Inc.
   Summary: Revise outdated material because current International Fire Code and NFPA 55 sections do not deal with the storage of bottled hydrogen out of doors inside cabinets, but rather only consider "naked" cylinders or indoor gas cabinets per Sections 2703.8.6 and 3006.2.3. This amendment is to facilitate the placement of bottled hydrogen in proximity to low powered electrical equipment meeting only the highest standards of the telecommunications industry.
   
   
7. F194-06/07 3506 (New), 3502.1 (New)
   Proponent: Larry Fluer, Fluer, Inc., representing Compressed Gas Association
   Summary: METAL HYDRIDE STORAGE SYSTEM. A closed system consisting of a group of components assembled as a package to contain metal-hydrogen compounds for which there exists an equilibrium condition where the hydrogenabsorbing metal alloy(s), hydrogen gas, and the metal-hydrogen compound(s) co-exist and where only hydrogen gas is released from the system in normal use.
   METAL HYDRIDE. A generic name for compounds composed of metallic element(s) and hydrogen.
   
   
8. F229-06/07 IFGC [F] 706.4 (New)
   Proponent: John C. Dean, The National Association of State Fire Marshals
   Summary: This differs from anything in existing code in that it stipulates pressure limits, not just quantities of hydrogen gas. Ventilation and alarms are required so that should there be a gas leak, it is detected and there is no chance of asphyxiation. The IEC and NFPA 55 have established 25% of the LFL as the alarm point, and this seems to be consistent with good engineering practice. Proposed changes are based on findings from NASFM's Ad Hoc committee consisting of emergency responders, federal and state authorities, and industry experts all having experience with and/or code enforcement authority over residential and consumer hydrogen facilities.

ANNEX 'B' - SUMMARY:
RESULTS OF DARREN MEYERS' SEARCHING THE ICC PROPOSED
CHANGES MONOGRAM TO IDENTIFY CODE CHANGE PROPOSALS
RELATING TO GASEOUS AND LIQUID HYDROGEN

1. International Fuel Gas Code-Scoping Changes
   Subject Section 2003 Scoping Assignment
   2006 Scoping Assignment - Storage of hydrogen 706.4 will be heard by the International Fire Code Committee
   
   
2. FG54-06/07 704.1.2.3.5
   Proponent: Guy Tomberlin, Fairfax County, Virginia, representing Virginia Plumbing and Mechanical Inspectors Association (VPMIA) and the Virginia Building Code Officials Association (VBCOA)
   Summary: Hydrogen piping shall not be located inside in a concealed location.
   
   
3. M56-06/07 502.4 through 502.5.2, 407 (New)
   Proponent: Ronald Marts, Telcordia, representing AT&T, SBC, Ameritech, PacBell, Cincinnati Bell, BellSouth, Qwest and Southern New England Tele
   Summary: The ventilation requirement for stationary storage battery systems was inadvertently put in the "exhaust" chapter of the IMC instead of the ventilation chapter.
   
   
4. FS37-06/07 402.4.6, 402.7.1, 403.2, [F]404.3, 410.5.1, 410.5.2, [F]415.6.1.2, [F]415.6.2.2, [F]415.6.3.4.1, [F]415.6.3.5.2, [F]415.7.1, [F]415.7.3, [F]415.8.2.2, 415.8.5.2.1, 415.8.5.2.2, [F]416.2, [F]418.4, [F]418.5, [F]418.6, 706.3.3, 706.3.9, Table 706.3.9, 707.11, 707.13.3, 707.13.4, 712.3, 901.7, 903.2, [F]909.11 (IMC 513.11 & IFC 909.11), 909.20.2, 909.20.6.1, [F]910.3.4, [F]910.4.4, 1021.3, (IFC [B] 1021.3), 1022.2 (IFC [B] 1022.2) 3006.4, 3104.5, 3410.6.16.1 (IEBC [B] 301.6.16.1)
   Proponent: Philip Brazil, P.E, Reid Middleton, Inc., representing himself
   Summary: The definition of fire barrier was revised last cycle from begin a vertical or horizontal assembly to being a wall assembly and by deleting the provisions for horizontal fire barriers. The purpose of this proposal is to make the necessary revisions to the provisions in those code sections.
   
   
5. F53-06/07 608.1, Table 608.1, 608.5, 608.5.2, 608.6.1, 602 (New)
   Proponent: Ronald Marts, Telcordia Technologies, representing AT&T, SBC, Ameritech, PacBell, Cincinnati Bell, Qwest, Southern New England Telephone
   Summary: This proposed change adds Lithium Metal Polymer (LMP) batteries to Section 608.
   
   
6. F154-06/07 2209.4.1 (New)
   Proponent: Thomas Joseph, Chair, Hydrogen Industry Panel on Codes
   Summary: To prevent overpressure of the vehicle fuel system. Overpressure protection of the vehicles is provided by the fueling station system.
   
   
7. F155-06/07 2209.5 (New), 2202.1, 2209.3.2.3, 907.2.24 (New) [IBC [F] 907.2.24 (New)]
   Proponent: Thomas Joseph, Chair, Hydrogen Industry Panel on Codes
   Summary: Current provisions of the code do not address the requirements for indoor attended fast fill systems. Fast fill hydrogen fuel dispensing can be safely accomplished with the requirements added by this new section 2209.5.
   
   
8. F156-06/07 2209.5.1.1(New), Chapter 45; IBC 406.5.2 (New), Chapter 35
   Proponent: Thomas Joseph, Chair, Hydrogen Industry Panel on Codes
   THIS PROPOSAL IS ON THE AGENDA OF THE IFC AND THE IBC GENERAL CODE DEVELOPMENT COMMITTEES. SEE THE TENTATIVE HEARING ORDERS FOR THESE COMMITTEES.
   Summary: The current language does not address safety issues associated with electrostatic discharges (ESD). Fueling surfaces for hydrogen powered vehicles should be at least as protective regarding ESD issues as those fueling surfaces used for petroleum powered vehicles.
   Analysis: Results of review of the proposed standard(s) will be posted on the ICC Website by August 20, 2006.

ATTACHMENT I
National Hydrogen and Fuel Cells Codes and Standards Coordinating Committee: Members that Participated in the July 2006 Meeting

GUEST PARTICIPANTS

1. Ben Deal -- California Air Resources Board (subbing for Lesley Crowell)
   
   
2. Charlie Myers - Nuvera Fuel Cells, Inc.
   
   
3. Steve Kazubsky - CSA America
   
   
4. Terry Meusell - Jadoo Power