Facility Design and Construction

A good facility design is necessary to achieve a safe hydrogen system installation. Hydrogen properties (as discussed in the previous section, hydrogen properties and leak detection play a major role in facility design. The following elements should be considered to ensure safe operations:

• Hydrogen Properties & Leak Detection A workspace can be configured to mitigate hazards by understanding and taking advantage of the characteristics of hydrogen.
• Loss Prevention It may be possible to reduce or eliminate risk by "designing out" the hazard.
• Ventilation Providing adequate ventilation will dilute hydrogen air mixtures, minimizing hazards caused by leaks.
• Electrical Providing the correct electrical equipment and instruments will eliminate some potential ignition sources.
• Leak Detection Special techniques are required to reliably detect hydrogen leaks.
• Flame Detection Special techniques are required to reliably detect hydrogen flames.
• Storage and Use Selecting the right kind of storage and the proper location can go a long way towards reducing risk.
• Venting Vent systems are necessary to move hydrogen purged from the system to a safe location.
• Instruments and Controls Safety of the facility can be improved by using interlock systems working in unison with hydrogen and fire detectors.
• Construction Good facility construction is necessary to achieve a safe hydrogen system installation.