ISO-TR-15916-2004.pdf

Reference number ISO/TR 15916:2004(E) © ISO 2004 TECHNICAL REPORT ISO/TR 15916 First edition 2004-02-15 Basic considerations for the safety of hydrogen systems Considérations fondamentales pour la sécurité des systèmes à l'hydrogène Copyright International Organization for Standardization Provided by IHS under license with ISO Licensee=IHS Employees/1111111001, User=Wing, Bernie Not for Resale, 04/05/2007 00:54:44 MDTNo reproduction or networking permitted without license from IHS -,-,- ISO/TR 15916:2004(E) PDF disclaimer This PDF file may contain embedded typefaces. In accordance with Adobe's licensing policy, this file may be printed or viewed but shall not be edited unless the typefaces which are embedded are licensed to and installed on the computer performing the editing. In downloading this file, parties accept therein the responsibility of not infringing Adobe's licensing policy. The ISO Central Secretariat accepts no liability in this area. 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ISO copyright office Case postale 56 CH-1211 Geneva 20 Tel. + 41 22 749 01 11 Fax + 41 22 749 09 47 E-mail copyrightiso.org Web www.iso.org Published in Switzerland ii © ISO 2004 All rights reserved Copyright International Organization for Standardization Provided by IHS under license with ISO Licensee=IHS Employees/1111111001, User=Wing, Bernie Not for Resale, 04/05/2007 00:54:44 MDTNo reproduction or networking permitted without license from IHS -,-,- ISO/TR 15916:2004(E) © ISO 2004 All rights reserved iii Contents Page Forewordiv Introduction v 1 Scope1 2 Normative references .1 3 Terms and definitions.1 4 Overview of hydrogen applications 1 4.1 Basic hydrogen infrastructure.1 4.2 Typical hydrogen system components 3 4.3 Hydrogen fuel5 4.4 Environmental effects.5 5 Safety considerations for the use of gaseous and liquid hydrogen .5 5.1 General.5 5.2 Hazards involved as a consequence of the properties of hydrogen.6 5.3 Factors involved in combustion hazards.7 5.4 Factors involved in pressure hazards 8 5.5 Factors involved in temperature hazards.9 5.6 Factors involved in hydrogen embrittlement hazards 9 5.7 Health hazards.10 5.8 Team approach and training needed for the safe use of hydrogen 10 6 Basic properties of hydrogen10 6.1 General properties 10 6.2 Selected thermophysical properties.11 6.3 Basic combustion properties 12 7 Mitigation and control of risks.14 7.1 General mitigation and control of risk14 7.2 Mitigation of design risks.16 7.3 Mitigation of flammability and explosion risks21 7.4 Detection considerations.23 7.5 Considerations for facilities.24 7.6 Considerations for operations.29 7.7 Recommended practices for organizations.33 Annex A (informative) Hydrogen properties.35 Annex B (informative) Hydrogen combustion data39 Annex C (informative) Material data 42 Annex D (informative) Hydrogen-storing compounds.47 Annex E (informative) Terms and definitions .48 Bibliography .61 Copyright International Organization for Standardization Provided by IHS under license with ISO Licensee=IHS Employees/1111111001, User=Wing, Bernie Not for Resale, 04/05/2007 00:54:44 MDTNo reproduction or networking permitted without license from IHS -,-,- ISO/TR 15916:2004(E) iv © ISO 2004 All rights reserved Foreword ISO (the International Organization for Standardization) is a worldwide federation of national standards bodies (ISO member bodies). The work of preparing International Standards is normally carried out through ISO technical committees. Each member body interested in a subject for which a technical committee has been established has the right to be represented on that committee. International organizations, governmental and non-governmental, in liaison with ISO, also take part in the work. ISO collaborates closely with the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) on all matters of electrotechnical standardization. International Standards are drafted in accordance with the rules given in the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2. The main task of technical committees is to prepare International Standards. Draft International Standards adopted by the technical committees are circulated to the member bodies for voting. Publication as an International Standard requires approval by at least 75 % of the member bodies casting a vote. In exceptional circumstances, when a technical committee has collected data of a different kind from that which is normally published as an International Standard (“state of the art”, for example), it may decide by a simple majority vote of its participating members to publish a Technical Report. A Technical Report is entirely informative in nature and does not have to be reviewed until the data it provides are considered to be no longer valid or useful. Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent rights. ISO shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights. ISO/TR 15916 was prepared by Technical Committee ISO/TC 197, Hydrogen technologies. Copyright International Organization for Standardization Provided by IHS under license with ISO Licensee=IHS Employees/1111111001, User=Wing, Bernie Not for Resale, 04/05/2007 00:54:44 MDTNo reproduction or networking permitted without license from IHS -,-,- ISO/TR 15916:2004(E) © ISO 2004 All rights reserved v Introduction Generally the public is not familiar with industrial hydrogen systems, nor does it have any experience with the new hydrogen systems under development today. The focus of this Technical Report is on the new energy applications. The intent is to provide, those unfamiliar with the technology, a basis upon which to understand the safety issues. This document concerns itself with applications that derive their utility from the chemical reactions of hydrogen and does not apply to applications based on nuclear processes. Traditionally, hydrogen has been used extensively in the petrochemical and chemical industries and in smaller quantities in the electronics, steel-producing, glass-making, and food hydrogenation industries. In energy applications, the only significant use of hydrogen has appeared in space programmes. This is about to change, given the promise that hydrogen brings as an efficient energy carrier and an energetic fuel with minimal environmental impact. Systems are being developed that produce hydrogen from primary energy sources such as sunlight, wind power, biomass, hydro and fossil fuels, for use in energy applications for home and office heating, generation of electricity, and transportation. The safe use of hydrogen as a fuel is a primary ISO goal as it seeks to facilitate the rapid emergence of these hydrogen technologies. A key element in the safe use of hydrogen is understanding its unique safety-related properties and that there are acceptable engineering approaches to controlling the risks associated with the use of hydrogen. This Technical Report describes the hazards associated with the use and presence of hydrogen, discusses the properties of hydrogen relevant to safety, and provides a general discussion of approaches taken to mitigate hydrogen hazards. The aim of this Technical Report is to promote the acceptance of hydrogen technologies by providing key information to regulators and by educating the general public on hydrogen safety issues. The development of International Standards to eliminate barriers to international trade and to simplify the arduous regulatory process by providing hydrogen-specific standards to allow early implementation for rapidly emerging technologies was among the needs identified in the ISO/TC 197 Business Plan. This Technical Report is one of many documents that have been developed, or are in the process of being developed, by ISO as a response to the needs described in the ISO/TC 197 Business Plan. Detailed safety requirements associated with specific hydrogen applications are treated in separate International Standards. This Technical Report provides an informative reference for those separate standards as a common, consistent source of safety-related hydrogen information. This should result in a reduction in duplication and possible inconsistencies in these separate standards. The considerations presented in this Technical Report are broad, general, and attempt to cover all aspects of hydrogen safety. The degree to which these guidelines are applied will vary according to the specifics of the application (such as the conditions and quantity of hydrogen involved, and the way in which the hydrogen is used). Industrial users may find large portions of the guidelines, presented herein, applicable for their operations. It is not expected that the general public will be required to apply this degree of knowledge to safely operate a hydrogen appliance. It is anticipated that good appliance design, coupled with appropriate care in installation, will reduce the degree of safety considerations to levels that are deemed acceptable by the public for common appliances in use today. The manufacturers of hydrogen appliances will need to consider these guidelines to tailor sufficient specific information for the operation of their appliances, in the environment in which they are to be used, and for the audience that will use them. Readers are encouraged to keep these points in mind as they consider the information presented in this document. Hydrogen has been safely used in many different applications over many years. Adherence to the principles presented in this Technical Report can lead to a continuation of the successful use of hydrogen. Copyright International Organization for Standardization Provided by IHS under license with ISO Licensee=IHS Employees/1111111001, User=Wing, Bernie Not for Resale, 04/05/2007 00:54:44 MDTNo reproduction or networking permitted without license from IHS -,-,- Copyright International Organization for Standardization Provided by IHS under license with ISO Licensee=IHS Employees/1111111001, User=Wing, Bernie Not for Resale, 04/05/2007 00:54:44 MDTNo reproduction or networking permitted without license from IHS -,-,- TECHNICAL REPORT ISO/TR 15916:2004(E) © ISO 2004 All rights reserved 1 Basic considerations for the safety of hydrogen systems 1 Scope This Technical Report provides guidelines for the use of hydrogen in its gaseous and liquid forms. It identifies the basic safety concerns and risks, and describes the properties of hydrogen that are relevant to safety. Detailed safety requirements associated with specific hydrogen applications are treated in separate International Standards. 2 Normative references The following referenced documents are indispensable for the application of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies. ISO 111144: 1), Transportable gas cylinders Compatibility of cylinder and valve materials with gas contents Part 4: Test methods for selecting metallic materials resistant to hydrogen embrittlement ISO 14687:1999/Cor 1:2001, Hydrogen fuel Product specification 3 Terms and definitions For the purposes of this document, the terms and definitions given in Annex E apply. 4 Overview of hydrogen applications 4.1 Basic hydrogen infrastructure 4.1.1 Categories of infrastructure Conceptually, the purpose of hydrogen applications can be categorized as the a) production, b) storage and transport, and c) use of hydrogen. Some applications may involve all three categories. 4.1.2 Production The primary means of bulk production of hydrogen today involves chemical processes such as steam reforming of natural gas, displacement of hydrogen from acids by metals, and electrolysis of water. In the 1) To be published. Copyright International Organization for Standardization Provided by IHS under license with ISO Licensee=IHS Employees/1111111001, User=Wing, Bernie Not for Resale, 04/05/2007 00:54:44 MDTNo reproduction or networking permitted without license from IHS -,-,- ISO/TR 15916:2004(E) 2 © ISO 2004 All rights reserved future, photochemical processes and genetically tailored plants may also become practical means of producing hydrogen. Different means of hydrogen production are used for special applications. For example, some applications seek to minimize storage or hazards by supplying hydrogen (or oxygen with hydrogen as a byproduct) on demand. Several electrolyser technologies are under development for this purpose. Ultra-pure research-grade hydrogen and oxygen outputs are possible from these systems. 4.1.3 Storage and transport 4.1.3.1 General Hydrogen that is produced at a site for use elsewhere has to be processed into a state which can be readily stored and transported to consumer applications. Compared to conventional fuels, hydrogens low density under ambient conditions and its low boiling point make it difficult for storage of sufficient quantities to suit typical applications. Proven methods of increasing hydrogen storage density include handling hydrogen as a pressurized gas or a refrigerated liquid, and using ground transport, water transport or piping for delivery. Only very small quantities of hydrogen are permitted for transport by commercial aircraft. Piping of hydrogen is used in industrial settings. In the past, hydrogen had widespread use as a component of “town gas” that was piped to street lighting. Today hydrogen is not commonly distributed in piping for commercial or public applications. This may change with more widespread use of hydrogen. 4.1.3.2 Gaseous storage and transport Where small to intermediate quantities of hydrogen are required, gaseous hydrogen is compressed and stored in high-pressure containers. Conventional storage tanks of aluminium and steel are routinely used to contain hydrogen at pressures up to 40 MPa 2). Tube trailers, designed for highway service, transport