Such a compressor should NOT be used for hydrogen. There are many issues with converting a compressor to hydrogen service. First and most important, this must be approved by the manufacturer. Examples of concerns for a non-hydrogen compressor used for hydrogen service include (but are not limited to):
Even if a small experiment is being run inside a fume hood, the best practice is to use a dedicated vent line for hydrogen which vents hydrogen to a safe location outside. This is especially recommended for planned venting. This practice avoids situations where flammable mixtures could develop. Each system is unique and should be evaluated and approved for use independently…
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…
Outside storage is generally considered safer and is required for large amounts of gas. Stationary storage should be located outside at a safe distance from structures and ventilation intakes, and protected from vehicle impact.
Hydrogen storage separation distance requirements are typically based on the quantity and pressure of the hydrogen or the piping diameter, depending on the…
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