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

MEETING DATE: June 14, 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 C.


2.0 REVIEW OF ANTI-TRUST POLICY
Robert Wichert reminded USFCC members regarding the USFCC Anti-Trust Guidelines:

Antitrust Guidelines (27Kb PDF)


3.0 CORRECTIONS TO MINUTES OF APRIL'S TELECONFERENCE MEETING
No corrections to the Draft Minutes of May's teleconference meeting were offered. Russ Hewett will finalize May'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 (Subprogram Manager, Hydrogen Safety and Codes & Standards Subprogram) and Antonio Ruiz were unavailable to participate in the meeting.

Russ Hewett shared with the Committee the Email message (see Attachment A) he had received regarding Steve Chalk's being tapped by Deputy Assistant Secretary Richard Moorer to serve as the Acting Solar Program Manager for a 120-day period. JoAnn Miller, Chief Engineer of the Hydrogen Program will be the Acting Hydrogen Program Manager.

No one was present that was able to give an update on the status of proposed funding for the FY07 Safety, Codes and Standards Subprogram.

Russ Hewett reported that the Merit Review Panel established to evaluate the proposals submitted in response to the "Codes and Standards for the Hydrogen Economy" RFP issued by the DOE/Golden Field Office: (i) completed evaluation of the proposals; (ii) selected the ones for inclusion in the competitive range; and (iii) generated their recommendations regarding selection of the winner. Their report will be forwarded to the Source Selection Official. Plans call for making the award by September 1, 2006.

5.0 MISSION STATEMENT FOR THE NATIONAL COORDINATING COMMITTEE
Shortly after the National Coordinating Committee was established by merging the activities of the DOE Hydrogen Codes and Standards Coordinating Committee, the USFCC Codes and Standards Working Group and the NHA Codes and Standards Committee, efforts were devoted to developing a Mission Statement for the new entity.
While a draft Mission Statement was developed, the activity got "side-tracked". At the May meeting, there was a consensus that the Coordinating Committee should have a Mission Statement and that efforts should be revived to formulate a final version from the working draft. Karen Hall volunteered to lead the activity and Committee members were invited to participate.

Karen, using the comments that Committee members submitted to Russ Hewett when they reviewed the first draft and with input from Robert Wichert, completed and presented a new draft for the Committee to consider.

Mission Statement (69Kb PDF)

During the meeting, participants had the opportunity to critique the new draft. There was some concern that the following clause in the draft went beyond the scope of the Coordinating Committee:

"HFC4 will promote standardized sizes, dimensions, ratings, interconnections, fittings and appurtenances only when supported by a broad industry consensus and only where such standardization does not hinder future innovation."

The consensus was to remove it.

The concern was expressed that the draft Mission Statement - as it is structured - is a combination of a classical mission statement (What the purpose of the Committee is) and operating guidelines (i.e., how the Committee carries out its functions). However, the consensus during the discussion was to keep the Statement organized as presented.

The action item was for all persons wishing to make additional comments to get them to Karen Hall by June 21st, so that she can generate the final version at least a week before the Committee's July teleconference meeting.


6.0 REPORT ON ISOC/TC197 ACTIVITIES AND DOCUMENTS IN
THE "COMMENTS" STAGE
Bob Mauro and Debbie Angerman reported on ISO/TC197 activities and documents in the "Comments" stage.

Bob Mauro's report (76Kb PDF)

Working Group 6 (WG6) (Gaseous Hydrogen and Hydrogen Blends - Land Vehicle Fuel Tanks) is working on a tank standard. In parallel, SAE is developing their own standard. WG6 has requested that someone from the SAE standard development activity work with WG6 so that the two standards will be harmonized.

WG10 (Transportable Gas Storage Devices - Hydrogen Absorbed in Reversible Metal Hydride) is working both on a draft standard and a technical specification. The ISO Central Secretariat has asked that ISO/TC58 SC3 (Gas Cylinders/Cylinder Design) be allowed to comment on their standard development work, but not vote. There is concern that this might slow down the standard development effort (but not development of the technical specification).

The ISO/TC197 plenary meeting was held on June 8th in the Paris suburb of St. Denis at AFNOR headquarters. Karen Hall attended the meeting and shared the informal notes that she took with the Coordinating Committee.

Karen Hall's report (76Kb PDF)

Karen pointed out that a plenary meeting is an administrative meeting and is about the only time that one has the opportunity get status reports and expected dates for all documents in progress of all working groups.


7.0 REPORT ON HYDROGEN INDUSTRY PANEL ON CODES (HIPOC) ACTIVITIES
Tom Joseph (chairman) reported on Hydrogen Industry Panel on Codes (HIPOC) activities. Since it's inception, HIPOC has convened seven teleconference meetings (the seventh was held on June 15th).

HIPOC continued work to finalize the three code change proposals to ICC documents that will be offered as part of the ICC 2006/2007 Code Development Cycle. HIPOC is offering the following code changes:

1. Proposal for International Fire Code (IFC) relating to indoor fast-filling of hydrogen (98Kb PDF)
   
   
2. Proposal for IFC relating to the consistency of PRD activation pressure (63Kb PDF)
   
   
3. Proposal for IFC relating to fueling pad resistivity (63Kb PDF)

The ICC Code Development Final Action Hearings will take place September 20 - October 1 at the Disney Coronado Springs Resort in Lake Buena Vista, FL.

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 HIPOC's proposals. HIPOC is in the process of reviewing all of these 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 16 proposals are listed in Attachment B.

During the discussion, the question was asked if the HIPOC proposals to be considered at the ICC Hearings would be considered also for inclusion in NFPA documents. The answer was "Yes" - the proposals will be made available for consideration for incorporation into the appropriate NFPA documents during their next development cycles.


8.0 REPORT ON IEC/TC105 ACTIVITIES AND DOCUMENTS IN
THE "COMMENTS" STAGE
Kelvin Hecht reported on IEC/TC105 activities and provided this write-up:

Kelvin Hecht's report (85Kb PDF)

Of special significance, Working Group 1 (WG1) (Terminology) has gotten started on working to change the current document that gives definitions of terminology in the IEC series of documents into a general fuel cell terminology glossary. They are doing this using the following resources:

• JIS 8800 (Japanese)
• SAE J2574
• FCTESTNET Glossary
• University of California/Davis Fuel Cell Dictionary

At the current time, there are no IEC/TC105 standards out for public comments.


9.0 OPPORTUNITY FOR CDOS AND SDOS TO REPORT ON
THEIR ACTIVITIES
Julie Cairnes reported that CSA America and SAE are close to completing and signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for working collaboratively to foster the development of standards for fuel cell vehicles.

Mike Steele, reporting on behalf of SAE, made the following comments:

1. During May 2006, SAE published J2760 (Pressure Terminology
   Used in Fuel Cells and Other Hydrogen Vehicle Applications)
   as a Technical Information Report (TIR).
   
   
2. SAE initiated work on J2783 (Liquid Hydrogen Surface Vehicle
   Refueling Connection Devices)

In Carl Rivkin's absence, Russ Hewett (who attended the NFPA technical committee hearings conducted at the NFPA 2006 World Safety Conference), reported that revised NFPA 30A (Code for Motor Fuel Dispensing Facilities and Repair Garages) (2006 Edition) was not accepted and referred back to the Automotive and Marine Service Stations (AUV) Technical Committee.

In a memo to the AUV Technical Committee, Carl explained the rationale for the action:

30A was returned because it will reference NFPA 30 for tanks specifications and the issuance of 30 was delayed. NFPA 30 is on a fall 2006 revision cycle (it was originally on the Annual 2006 cycle - the same as 30A), but because of the likelihood of a Notice of Intent to Make A Motion on the Floor being filed it will probably end up in the Annual 2007 revision cycle.

There were no other reports.


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

• DATE: July 12th (Second 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#

Normally, meetings are held on the first Wednesday of the month - which would be July 5th. However, the consensus was that, since the July 4th Holiday is the day before the first Wednesday and many of us might be on vacation, the meeting should be moved back to the second Wednesday.

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

Respectfully Submitted,

Russ Hewett

ATTACHMENT A
ANNOUNCEMENT REGARDING STEVE CHALK'S NEW POSITION

Dear Colleagues,

On behalf of Assistant Secretary Karsner, I want to pass along important news to our organization.

As you know, President Bush's Advanced Energy Initiative provides EERE a tremendous opportunity to achieve significant results in attaining greater energy and environmental security for our Nation.

To that end, I am naming Steve Chalk as Acting Solar Program Manager for 120 days effective immediately. Steve is highly regarded for his program management skills within the Department and by industry. Therefore, I am asking him to help lay out the comprehensive planning and technology approaches that will allow us to meet our commitments under the President's
Solar America Initiative. Steve's leadership on establishing the President's Hydrogen Initiative is exemplary and reflects the high competency needed in developing a highly visible initiative.

JoAnn Milliken, Chief Engineer of the Hydrogen Program, who has worked in hydrogen and fuel cells for many years, will be the Acting Hydrogen Program Manager, also effective immediately. JoAnn has been on detail in the Assistant Secretary's office under EERE's Senior Management Development Program and has done an outstanding job. Thanks to JoAnn for her invaluable contributions during her tenure in the Assistant Secretary's office.

I ask all EERE staff, especially the Solar and Hydrogen Program staff, to help Steve and JoAnn in their new assignments.

Sincerely,

Richard F. Moorer
Deputy Assistant Secretary
Technology Development
Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy

ATTACHMENT B
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) 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.

7) 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.

8) 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.

9) 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.

10) 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)

11) 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.

12) 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.

13) 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.

14) 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.

15) 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.

16) 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.

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

GUEST PARTICIPANTS

1. Ron Coiner - CSA America
2. Bill Houf - Sandia/Livermore (subbing for Chris Moen)