The answer will depend on if it is only H2 measured or if VOCs are also included. The type of gas sensor may change since many detectors are limited to flammable gases. To provide feedback, the Panel would require more details on the sensors being used on the project and the failure modes. There are concerns about allowing hydrogen concentrations as large as 3.5% for the high level alarm.…

There are many manufacturers of multiple  types of flame detectors and it’s best to seek their input for the advantages of different types for specific applications. Regarding flame detector technology, UV detectors have been prone to false alarms from outside sources such as sunlight, lightning, and welding/cutting torches. The newer triple-IR detectors that are specifically designed and…

One pertinent reference is a Sandia National Laboratories paper by Schefer et al: Spatial and radiative properties of an open-flame hydrogen plume, Intl J. Hydrogen Energy, 31 (2006): 1332-1340. Information on this and other similar papers are available at https://h2tools.org/bibliography. Further information can probably be obtained from the author of this paper and other papers reporting…

The Panel is not aware of any standard for hydrogen detectors for onboard vehicle applications. Some information is available in the SAE Technical Information Report: TIR J3089 Characterization of On-Board Vehicular Hydrogen Sensors, which was published in 2018.

Several programs can predict this such as HyRAM or PHAST. The inputs are critical to a safe
answer.

This is not a simple answer due to the many types of flame lengths and flame orientations due to pressure and direction. NFPA 2 recommends that vent systems should be designed so that if the safety relief valve is relieving at capacity the radiative heat felt by an individual at grade…

Water icing at the exit of a stack is certainly an issue in cold climates. Significant effort has been put into vent stack outlet design to minimize the probability. Documents such as CGA G5.5 have topworks that are recommended. Stacks that face upward have a higher probability of having water, ice, or snow enter the stack and freeze. 

Delayed ignition is a significant hazard for hydrogen releases, either intended or unintended. The primary concern is the overpressure and energy release created from a vapor cloud which could contain a significant quantity of hydrogen. The H2Tools Incidents database contains a number of examples of delayed ignition. 

Absolutely. Vent systems will experience a variety of transient conditions of pressure, temperature, and thrust load, so stress analysis to anticipate the strength and flexibility needed are important for safe design. These issues are often overlooked and only become an issue when they are called upon to operate in emergencies. 

It is a best practice to include the vent system in…

There are many potential sources of delayed ignition. Hydrogen is easily ignited, and the larger the cloud, the more likely it is for it to find an ignition source. The cloud itself may serve as an ignition source as the force of the gas release may cause dust or other contaminants to mix in the air creating a static charge which ignites the hydrogen. Similarly, the force of the release can…

The answer is dependent upon the nature of the system and a hazard assessment which evaluates a balance of risk. 

Keeping the hydrogen in the vessel is better so the hydrogen release does not compound the original hazard. Large flowrates from vessels can create significant risk of vapor cloud explosion, jet explosion, or radiation exposure. Vent systems can also fail from poor…