Hydrogen technologies offer a multitude of potential advantages for manufacturers, distribution centers and heavy industry. From stationary power supplies to forklift fuel cells, they often require less space than the batteries used in electrified equipment. Cells can also be refueled quicker than a battery recharge and maintain a constant power output, unlike typical lithium-ion batteries.
With water the only byproduct, fuel cells offer a sustainable alternative to diesel engines in heavy machinery – and supplies of the alternative fuel are set to rise. “With an increase in hydrogen supply globally, we expect that companies will be able to adopt the technology,” says Luke Allison, senior staff engineer at global insurance company FM.
One of the the world’s largest commercial property insurance companies, Rhode Island-headquartered FM insures one of every four Fortune 500 companies and similarly sized organizations worldwide. It works with clients to engineer resilience into every corner of their organizations – a vital focus in developing fields such as hydrogen. Here is a look at some of the key risks, and ways to overcome them.
Safety critical
Around the world, large new hydrogen production plants are coming online. Fossil fuel processing accounts for a large portion, but water electrolysis – often powered by renewable energy – is a significant focus for expansion. The European Union is planning 40 gigawatts of electrolyser capacity for example, capable of producing roughly 10 million tonnes per year – compared to the 18,000 tonnes a year produced in North America.
That hydrogen will be chilled to cryogenic temperatures for storage and distribution as a liquid, or used as a gas. With supply still ramping up, the dominant methods for production, storage and use have yet to emerge – but, whatever they are, there is one central consideration.
“In my experience in the hydrogen world, the biggest thing that people think about is the safety aspect,” says Allison, who works with colleagues to develop and maintain operating standards and FM’s publicly available data sheets. “The biggest safety concerns… are the explosion or deflagration risks, along with subsequent jet fires that can occur when hydrogen, at pressure, leaks from different piping, tubing, vessels or equipment.”
The risks are different from fossil fuels such as natural gas and propane because of hydrogen’s much wider flammability range and lower ignition energy. “Something as small as a spark from a wrench or even static electricity in the air can ignite hydrogen,” Allison says. “Equipment protection and industry responses are really critical to having a high resilience against these types of events.”
With some organisations exploring their own production and storage of the fuel, all stages of the hydrogen lifecycle must be considered. Bad water feed can foul up both proton exchange membrane (PEM) and alkaline stacks, requiring continuous monitoring and automated means to divert poor-quality water. An unreliable electricity supply can also cause “catastrophic failures”, Allison adds.
Cryogenic hydrogen, meanwhile, will boil off if not utilised, and may need to be vented to the atmosphere if unused. Carbon fibre vessels are providing interesting new options for storage – but, Allison says, “all storage vessels, gaseous or cryogenic, have the potential to release all of their contents and fuel if they reach their pressure and temperature limits, or if there’s an operator error and a human factor introduced. Or if they simply have unreliable equipment, things like pressure safety valves or air-operated valves, or tubing leaks based on a poor design.”
The environment surrounding production, distribution and use facilities must also be considered, whether they are in urban or remote locations. This includes a close eye on natural hazards and weather, including high winds, freezing conditions or hail. Vent plume studies are “critical” to ensuring that vented hydrogen is not ignited by external sources, Allison adds.
Staying ahead of the curve
“We believe the majority of loss events are preventable. Instilling proper planning, design and execution of the equipment is something we support our clients with every step of the way,” Allison says. “We stay ahead of the curve by continuously conducting extensive research on the latest technologies, and understanding the industry trends that keep our guidance up to date.”
This expertise is used by FM to support client engineering planning and operations, with a specialised team of field engineers working around the globe.
With leak detection a key concern – and new technologies becoming available, such as ultrasonic gas leak detectors and thermal conductivity sensors – an FM Approvals guide provides assurance for hydrogen-specific gas detectors, while the company’s data sheets detail best practice for equipment OEMs, owners and operators. Topics include hydrogen production by electrolysis, storage of liquefied and gaseous hydrogen, dispensing and end-use equipment. The sheets are updated at least every 12 months and more when needed.
“Having a sound understanding of the equipment, its controls, incorporating a proper management-of-change process is really important and critical to preventing issues and ensuring longevity of the equipment,” Allison says.