Hydrogen safety for shipping and offshore (2024)

FAQs

What are the safety precautions for hydrogen? ›

Mixtures of hydrogen and air can be highly explosive. Never smoke near a place where hydrogen is generated or being used. Remove all possible sources of flame and sparks. Hydrogen should only be generated and used in a well ventilated out door area.

As well as being highly flammable, hydrogen molecules are very small which makes preventing leaks especially challenging. Because of this the two main concerns for anyone involved in transporting or storing hydrogen are: Preventing or detecting leaks of hydrogen.

Specifically, hydrogen has a wide range of flammable concentrations in air and lower ignition energy than gasoline or natural gas, which means it can ignite more easily. Consequently, adequate ventilation and leak detection are important elements in the design of safe hydrogen systems.

For example: To run a 200 kW fuel cell for 8 hours, (200 kW x 8 hours x 3600s) / (51% x 120,000 kJ / kg) = 94 kg of hydrogen is required. A type 4 hydrogen cylinder under a pressure of 300 bar (30 MPa) contains approximately 7 kg of hydrogen. In the example above, 13 pieces of cylinders are therefore required.

The LEL for hydrogen is 4%, and it remains quite flammable all the way up to 77% in air (77% is the UEL, or upper explosive/flammable limit). Sparks, static discharge arcs, and similarly-hot surfaces can ignite hydrogen-air mixtures at or above 4%.

Hydrogen has unique physical and chemical properties that make it an attractive option for energy storage, transport, and use. However, hydrogen also poses fire/explosion risks due to its high flammability.

If hydrogen needs to be shipped overseas, it generally has to be liquefied or transported as ammonia or in LOHCs. For distances below 1,500 km, transporting hydrogen as a gas by pipeline is generally the cheapest delivery option; above 1,500 km, shipping hydrogen as ammonia or an LOHC may be more cost-ef- fective24.

Because hydrogen has a relatively low volumetric energy density, its transportation, storage, and final delivery to the point of use comprise a significant cost and result in some of the energy inefficiencies associated with using it as an energy carrier.

The Dangers of Hydrogen. As a fuel, hydrogen is highly flammable and leaks generate a serious risk of fire. However, hydrogen fires are markedly different to fires involving other fuels. When heavier fuels and hydrocarbons, like petrol or diesel, leak they pool close to the ground.

Hydrogen is a highly inflammable substance and explosive in nature; it cannot be easily transported from one place to another and it can be generated by the hydrolysis of water but it is a very expensive process.

Why is hydrogen not the future? ›

One of the biggest issues is at the source. Extracting hydrogen isn't exactly a clean process—at least, not yet. As of 2021, more than half of all hydrogen production in the US was done via natural gas and coal.

Hydrogen fuel is generally stored in one of two ways, either as compressed hydrogen gas or as liquid hydrogen. To achieve compressed hydrogen, the gas is pressurized at or above 250 bar to reduce storage tank size requirements. In liquid form, hydrogen must be stored around -253°C in cryogenic tanks.

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The average selling price for its Tre FCEV fuel-cell electric trucks in the fourth quarter of last year was $351,000, but they cost $679,000 each to produce during the same period, according to Nikola.

The two SeaShuttle vessels, set for delivery in the latter half of 2025, will be fitted with 3.2MW hydrogen fuel cells, making them the first container ships of their size in the world to run on H₂. Hydrogen will be stored on board for the fuel cells, while the ship will also be fitted with a diesel engine as back-up.

Hydrogen should be stored outside at a safe distance from structures, ventilation intakes, and vehicle routes. Separation distance requirements are typically based on leak rate potential and vary depending on storage volume and pressure as well as pipe diameter. Consult NFPA 2 for specific distance requirements.

Inhalation: High concentrations of this gas can cause an oxygen-deficient environment. Individuals breathing such an atmosphere may experience symptoms which include headaches, ringing in ears, dizziness, drowsiness, unconsciousness, nausea, vomiting and depression of all the senses.

Hydrogen is a colorless gas with no odor. It is not toxic; the immediate health hazard is that it may cause thermal burns. It is flammable and may form mixtures with air that are flammable or explosive. Hydrogen may react violently if combined with oxidizers, such as air, oxygen, and halogens.