Wind-hydrogen energy demonstration plant in Argentina - Basis for design and safety aspects

In order to carry out the basic and detail engineering for the construction of a wind-hydrogen energy demonstration plant (WHE Demo Plant), a review of the present standards for design, accesories and instrument specifications and safety data was performed, taking into account the needed knowledge for gaseous hydrogen handling in different pressure and temperature ranges. The construction and operation of the Heavy Water Industrial Plant - Planta Industrial de Agua Pesada (PIAP) in Arroyito, Argentina, in which great flows of pressurized hydrogen are involved, is an appreciable experience. An internal industrial safety standard (as part of the Quality Assurance Manual) was developed by the PIAP operation staff. In this work, the regulatory frames for the engineering design of the WHE Demo Plant are presented, and a summary of the safety aspects to be fulfilled in the design, building-up, starting-up, operation and maintenance of the plant is detailed. The involved items in this work are the following: Hydrogen handling safety standards and data, Hydrogen detectors. Piping design. Pressure vessels design. Accessories and instrumentation data.