Skip to main content

Best practices for storage and use of hydrogen cylinders inside the lab

What are the best practices for storage and use of hydrogen cylinders inside the lab?

In general, indoor storage should be limited and the use of hydrogen indoors should be the least necessary. Look to store flammable gases outdoors in dedicated protected area when practicable. Check to see what adopted building and fire codes in your jurisdiction say. NFPA 2, Hydrogen Technology Code, Sections 6.4.1 and 16.3 prescribe requirements to limit hydrogen storage and use in laboratories. NFPA also prescribes requirements for ventilation, gas cabinets, electrical classification, and fume hood operations. Consider outdoor or dedicated storage facilities if you need more than one standard-sized cylinder of hydrogen to support your work.

FAQ Category
Submission Year
2023
Month
09

H2 vent stack grounding and lightning protect requirements

What are the specific grounding and lightning protection requirements for H2 vent stacks?

CGA G-5.5 states: All vent stacks shall be grounded and meet the requirements of NFPA 70, National Electrical Code, for integrity and system design and also references NFPA 77, Recommended Practice on Static Electricity, and NFPA 780, Standard for the Installation of Lightning Protection Systems. 

For lightening refer to NFPA 780 and for grounding of the Hydrogen equipment, refer to NFPA 70 (Article 250 and Article 510 are good starting points). 

Best practices in the past have used large stranded wire for grounding connected to a grounding grid. Lightening typically has a larger grounding current requirement than grounding and bonding of nonelectrical equipment for static electricity. 

FAQ Category
Submission Year
2024
Month
01

Code versus Regulatory Requirements

What guidance can be given regarding application of NFPA 2/55 code versus regulatory requirements given in OSHA 1910.103?

NFPA 2 Annex G provides a summary of the conflicts with 29 CFR 1910.103. This is language that has been in NFPA 55 for several cycles as this conflict has existed for many years. The requirements in the Federal Regulations were established in the early 1970s. Since that time, OSHA has not had sufficient resources to update the applicable provisions.

The primary difference between OSHA and NFPA requirements is the separation distances for bulk hydrogen storage systems. The separation distances were changed by NFPA several years ago based on scientific analysis of leak data. When evaluating installations involving CFR referenced standards such as the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code, OSHA inspectors are taught to accept compliance with later editions of the standards as meeting the requirements of the regulation. The same may be true for the differences between OSHA 49 CFR 1910.103 and NFPA 2.

See attached response from OSHA on the general topic of NFPA codes/standards.

Subscribe to NFPA
We are professional and reliable provider since we offer customers the most powerful and beautiful themes. Besides, we always catch the latest technology and adapt to follow world’s new trends to deliver the best themes to the market.

Contact info

We are the leaders in the building industries and factories. We're word wide. We never give up on the challenges.

Recent Posts