HIPOC Considers Ventilation for Parking Structures
Karen Hall, National Hydrogen Association

The Hydrogen Industry Panel on Codes (HIPOC) held a web-based meeting on December 3 to consider recent changes to the International Mechanical Code (IMC) ventilation requirements for public and private parking garages.

The 2009 IMC, Table 403.3 will show new changes to private and public parking garage ventilation rates. Specifically, these rates have been cut in half from 1.5 cfm/ft.2 to 0.75 cfm/ft.2. 

HIPOC is reviewing the situation, and is collaborating with the SAE Fuel Cell Vehicle Safety Working Group and the ASHRAE 62.1 committee to understand the implications of this change.

International Standards Update
Karen Hall, National Hydrogen Association

The following is a brief update on the development of international standards for hydrogen technologies. These documents are all being developed under the ISO Technical Committee for Hydrogen Technologies (TC 197).

Reformer Efficiency
ISO/DIS 16110-2: Hydrogen generators using fuel processing technologies -- Part 2: Procedures to determine efficiency, is moving toward a Final Draft International Standard. ISO/TC 197 Working Group 9 will be meeting in Washington, DC on January 5-6, 2009. The main topic will be discussing DIS 16110-2 and the received comments/suggestions.

Hydrogen Detectors
The Draft International Standard ISO/DIS 26142: Hydrogen detector,is currently out for review and comment. Members of the US TAG are requested to provide input to CGA by January 9, 2009. There is a US TAG web conference on this topic scheduled on January 20 to agree on a US position.

This document provides:

  • Certification criteria for hydrogen detection apparatus designed to detect hydrogen concentrations before a fraction of the flammable or explosive limit is reached, in order to allow for purging, shut-off, and similar safety operations.

  • Requirements for stationary hydrogen detection apparatus, covering both performance requirements and test methods;

  • Applicability only to detection apparatus that allow for continuous monitoring of hydrogen concentrations.

The document is primarily intended for hydrogen detection apparatus at vehicle refueling stations, where a high level of safety management is required (since it is the sector that has immediate need for this document and is expected to be the main application for such apparatus. Nevertheless, it may be applied to other stationary installations where the detection of hydrogen is required).

NHA members are invited to contribute to the NHA position on the US TAG. NHA members who would like to review this draft are requested to contact Karen Hall at hallk@hydrogenassociation.org to request a review draft no later than January 5, 2009.

Metal Hydrides
ISO 16111:  Transportable gas storage devices — Hydrogen absorbed in reversible metal hydride, has been published. This International Standard describes the service conditions, design criteria, type tests, batch tests and routine tests for transportable hydride-based hydrogen storage systems, referred to as “metal hydride assemblies” (MH assemblies). Types of MH assemblies may serve as: fuel cell cartridges; hydrogen fuel storage containers; high-purity hydrogen supplies and others. 

This International Standard defines the requirements for MH assemblies which utilize shells not exceeding 150 liters internal volume and have a maximum developed pressure (MDP) not exceeding 25 MPa. This International Standard only applies to refillable storage MH assemblies where hydrogen is the only transferred media. Storage MH assemblies intended to be used as fixed fuel storage onboard hydrogen fuelled vehicles are excluded. This standard is intended to be used for certification purposes.

The Standard can be purchased from ISO or national standards bodies, such as the Compressed Gas Association.

Codes & Standards Coordinating Committee Takes Brief Respite

The National Hydrogen & Fuel Cells Codes & Standards Coordinating Committee opted to hold no teleconference in December. As a result, the November draft minutes have not been officially approved, and are therefore not ready for publication. The next meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, January 7, 2009.

Motions Committee Report Confirms Further Consideration of NFPA 55 and NFPA 52
Karen Hall, National Hydrogen Association

The Motions Committee Report on documents in the Fall 2008 Revision Cycle has been released. The Report identifies Certified Amending Motions for documents in the Fall 2008 Revision Cycle that may be presented at the 2009 Association Technical Meeting in Chicago, IL on June 8-11, 2009. These include NFPA 55 and NFPA 52.

The Report also identifies Fall 2008 Revision Cycle Consent Documents. The entire report can be accessed on the NFPA website at http://www.nfpa.org/assets/files/PDF/
CodesStandards/NITMAM_MC_Report_F08.pdf.

This Report will be incorporated into a Final Motions Committee Report for the 2009 Association Technical Meeting, and this document will be made available by May 1, 2009. In addition to Consent Documents and Certified Amending Motions on documents in the Fall 2008 Revision Cycle, the Final Report will include Consent Documents and Certified Amending Motions on documents in the Annual 2009 Revision Cycle.

NFPA 55, Standard for the Storage, Use, and Handling of Compressed Gases and Cryogenic Fluids in Portable and Stationary Containers, Cylinders, and Tanks, with proposed modifications for the  2009 edition, was submitted for public comment and one NITMAM (Notice of Intent To Make A Motion) has been Certified by the NFPA Standards Council. The NITMAM is for the return of the Entire Report to the Committee. If, during the June 2009 meeting, the Association recommends that the Technical Committee Re­port be returned to the Technical Committee, the previously adopted version of NFPA 55 shall remain standing.

NFPA 52, Vehicular Fuel Systems Code, with proposed modifications for the 2009 edition, received eleven Certified Motions, involving Chapters 9 and 14. If, during the June 2009 meeting, the Association recommends that a portion of a Report be returned to the Technical Committee, any existing text to which the returned portion pertains shall remain standing.

At the June meeting, the NFPA membership can consider and act on these Certified Amending Motions as well as Follow-up Amending Motions. [Follow-up Amending Motions are motions that become necessary as a result of a previous successful Amending Motion. (See 4.6.2 through 4.6.9 of the NFPA Regulations Governing Committee Projects (RGCPs) for a summary of the available Amending Motions and who may make them. This can be accessed athttp://www.nfpa.org/assets/files/PDF/
CodesStandards/Directory/RegsGovCommProjects2008.pdf).] Any outstanding objection following action at an Association Technical Meeting (and any further Technical Committee consideration following successful Amending Motions, see RGCPs at 4.7) must be raised through an appeal to the Standards Council or the issue will be considered resolved.

Installation Permitting Guide (IPG) Now Out for Public Review
Karen Hall, National Hydrogen Association

The IPG was created in response to the growing need for guidance to facilitate permitting of small hydrogen and fuel cell stationary installations in Europe.

This document is not a standard, but is a compendium of useful information for a variety of users with a role in installing these systems, including:

  • Design Engineers
  • Manufacturers
  • Installers
  • Operators/Maintenance
  • Regulators

The IPG provides a structured analysis of known documents relevant for the permitting of hydrogen and fuel cell systems in Europe, records best practices for the installation of different generic types of hydrogen and fuel cell systems, provides guidance on issues not properly dealt with in existing documents, and hence, provides the basis for harmonized permitting guidance. The IPG takes account of issues such as the installation environment, country and jurisdiction as well as taking full account of the already established permitting requirements for natural gas appliances.

The project is mainly aimed at installations incorporating fuel cells with net electrical outputs up to 10kWel (small according to IEC 62282-3-3 Ed. 1, Chapter 11). Systems providing combined heat and power (CHP) on the order of 50 kW combined heat and electrical power, suitable for small back-up power supplies, residential CHPs and small renewable storage systems may therefore be included. In addition, much of the guidance provided may also be applicable to larger systems which may serve small communities or groups of households.

Stakeholders are encouraged to review the draft, and provide feedback directly to by E-mail Deborah Willoughby atDeborah.Willoughby@hsl.gov.uk no later than 12 January 2009.