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VIII.6  Hydrogen Safety Panel, Safety Knowledge Tools and First Responder Training Resources

Fuel Cell Basics and ApplicationsProperties of HydrogenPrimary Codes and StandardsFundamental Safety ConsiderationsHydrogen Safety ResourcesFirst Responder Training ResourcesConcluding Thoughts

The purpose of this guide is to provide basic background information on hydrogen technologies.It is not intended to be a comprehensive collection of hydrogen technologies safety information.

Owner/operators of chemical processing and petroleum refining sites often ask whether unconfined hydrogen vapor cloud explosions (VCEs) can actually occur. This question normally arises during the course of a consequence-based facility siting study (FSS) or a quantitative risk assessment (QRA). While it is generally recognized that a hydrogen release within a process enclosure could lead to an explosion, the potential for an external hydrogen release to cause a VCE is not as widely recognized and is often questioned.

VIII.8  Hydrogen Safety Panel and Hydrogen Safety Knowledge Tools

AS THE WORLD SEEKS TO IDENTIFY alternative energy sources, hydrogen-powered fuel cells offer a broad range of benefits for the environment, the economy, and energy security. Hydrogen fuel cells have the potential to replace the internal combustion engine and to provide power in a wide range of stationary and portable applications.

The Hydrogen Safety Panel brings a broad cross-section of expertise from the industrial, government, and academic sectors to help advise the U.S. Department of Energy’s (DOE) Fuel Cell Technologies Office through its work in hydrogen safety, codes, and standards.  The Panel’s initiatives in reviewing safety plans, conducting safety evaluations, identifying safety-related technical data gaps, and supporting safety knowledge tools and databases cover the gamut from research and development to demonstration and deployment.