London Airport Explores Hydrogen Technologies
Karen Hall, Technology Transition Corporation

(All information has been excerpted from information available on the ITM-Power web site at www.itm-power.com.)

ITM Power (AIM: ITM), the energy storage and clean fuel company, held a launch open day for investors, analysts, media and existing and potential commercial partners. The event took place on March 8, 2011 at London Stansted Airport on the occasion of the commencement of the Company's HOST (Hydrogen On Site Trials) program with first participant, Stansted Airport. 

A total of 21 partners will have the opportunity to trial the technologies through participation in Hydrogen On Site Trials (HOST) of ITM's transportable high pressure refuelling unit (HFuel) which was built with support from the Technology Strategy Board (TSB) and launched at the Company's AGM on 15th September 2010. ITM Power's HFuel is a self-contained module suitable for refuelling hydrogen-powered road vehicles and forklift trucks.

Speaking at the launch, Dr. Andy Jefferson, Stansted Airport's head of health, safety and environment, said: "London Stansted is delighted to be working with ITM Power and launch their ground-breaking Hydrogen On Site Trial project at the airport. The primary purpose of the trial for us will be to determine the options of using this technology for our existing airside vehicle fleet." 

"The airport's average air quality is well within the EU limits but we're always keen to seek and explore new opportunities that will further reduce our emissions and our carbon footprint. This project with ITM Power is just part of the on-going work to reduce the environmental impact of operations at the airport." 

The keynote address for the event, which attracted 300 participants, was made by leading motor industry commentator Quentin Willson. 

Graham Cooley, CEO of ITM Power, made the final presentation before attendees were given the first live demonstration of the Company's HFuel Refuelling system with two Hydrogen Internal Combustion Engine (HICE) Ford Transit vans. 

The official presentation is available online. 

In preparation for the HOST launch, ITM Power undertook a thorough assessment of system safety and required approvals. This generated a suite of documentation to evidence the legal transportation of HFuel on UK public roads with a full inventory of hydrogen and to satisfy local fire and Health & Safety authorities. This represents a significant undertaking and achievement, which demonstrates ITM Power's thorough understanding of the relevant legislative framework and approval requirements.

As part of the assessment, the Company has created a documentary resource covering the elements required by the Dangerous Goods Division of the Department for Transport. This has involved independent pressure testing to 1.5 times working pressure, assessment by an independent ADR Notified Body and interaction with specialist chemical plant consultants.

Similarly, Revolve Technologies has subjected the HICE (hydrogen internal combustion engine) Transit vans to the appropriate level of assessment. This has included independent leak testing of on board pressure systems, crash test simulation and the implementation of a dynamic leak detection strategy. This has resulted in the vehicles being granted a Vehicle Special Order Type Approval by the Department for Transport to enable them to be used on the road whilst transporting goods for trials and demonstration purposes.

 

NIST Seeks Industry Experience to Advance Weights and Measures Work
Juana Williams, NIST

During the National Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Codes & Standards Coordinating Committee monthly web-based meeting held on March 2, Juana Williams (NIST Weights and Measures Division (WMD)) provided a comprehensive update on the significant progress being made on weights and measures requirements and corresponding test procedures which will support commercial applications of hydrogen refueling dispensers. 

NIST WMD is interested in hearing from industry and other sectors with regard to their experiences with performance testing hydrogen dispensers. Please forward any additional information you are aware of on test methods (to include master meter and Pressure Volume Temperature methods as well as gravimetric test data on topics such as practicality, cost, equipment, safety, etc.) by March 30, 2011 to Marc Buttler (NIST WMD) by email at: marc.buttler@nist.gov. NIST WMD is in the planning phase of a tentative meeting on this topic. This information is necessary in order to refine and develop examination procedure outlines (EPOs) and guidelines for test methods recognized by the NIST Handbook 44 tentative hydrogen code. Test procedures based on the code are used to type evaluate and then approve devices for commercial use and to perform subsequent inspections and tests devices for continued commercial use. 

Things are moving quickly, with two upcoming meetings to note:

  • On March 23, 2011, the NCWM National Type Evaluation Technical Committee-Measuring Sector Subgroup will meet to complete its review of the draft Hydrogen Gas-Measuring Devices Checklist. The checklist includes general criteria for (1) the design of the measuring, indicating, and recording elements, (2) operation of the discharge components and systems that are card or cash activated, and (3) marking requirements.

    The next step will be for the Subgroup to distribute an updated draft checklist to the U.S. National Work Group for the Development of Commercial Hydrogen Measurement Standards for its review and comments. The Subgroup plans to submit a final draft of the checklist to the Measuring Sector for its approval in late September/early October 2011.

  • On May 18, 2011, NIST Weights and Measures Division will provide a presentation on “Commercial Hydrogen Measurement” to the Central Weights and Measures Association Annual Meeting in Grand Rapids, MI. The purpose of this event is to familiarize state, county, and local weights and measures officials and industry with the NIST Handbook 44 Hydrogen Gas Measuring Devices-Tentative Code and ongoing work on hydrogen - measuring devices test procedures, fuel quality specification and test procedures, refueling equipment, fuel cell vehicles, safety, properties, and other relevant facts.

Those who have experience with dispensing hydrogen are urged to contact Marc Buttler at marc.buttler@nist.gov or Juana Williams at juana.williams@nist.gov. 

Codification of Research Results - a Guide for Influencing Public Safety Code
Martin Gresho, FP2FIRE, Inc.

Performing research in the interest of determining relevant safety requirements is a valuable and essential endeavor, but translating research results into enforceable requirements adopted into national codes and standards - a process sometimes referred to as codification - can be a separate and challenging task. In fact, the codification process can be more time consuming, costly, and difficult to predict than the research itself. The potential pitfalls that can be encountered when attempting to codify research results include:

  • Failure to determine in advance the proper target regulatory document(s) for the research results.

  • Unrealistic expectations about the ability and willingness of the committee responsible for the target document to accept research results and translate them into enforceable regulatory requirements.

  • Failure to consider the developmental timelines for the target regulatory document.

  • Underestimation of the effort and skills required to translate research results into enforceable code language.

  • Significant potential that research results will have little impact on public safety codes if research results are simply "turned over" to the code development community for further action.

These pitfalls can be avoided by recognizing the difficulty of the codification process and taking steps to avoid them by developing a codification plan early in the research process and then updating and implementing the plan along the way as the research progresses. A codification plan should address the following areas as a minimum:

  • Answer the Right Question: Determine what questions the code development community needs answered. Determine what gaps need to be filled or what code requirements need improved or revised justification.

  • Find the Right Home: Determine the target code document(s). The regulatory flow-down can be conveniently thought of as having three levels as follows: 1st Level – Building and Fire Prevention Codes; 2nd Level – Technical Standards; 3rd Level – Component Level Standards. Once the target code document is determined, the rest of the codification plan can be tailored accordingly. Some topics may have more than one target document.

  • Understand the Responsible Technical Committee:Recognize the limitations of the committee responsible for the target document. The committees are typically comprised of volunteer members who participate in addition to their primary jobs. The minimum responsibility of these members is to study and vote on the change proposals submitted by the general public. This requires a significant amount of effort. As a secondary responsibility, the members may also engage in developmental code writing efforts, but this is not required. In most committees, the members are not required to respond to scientific reports and determine and develop code change proposals that may be warranted as a result of the research conclusions. A more probable success plan is to make development of code change proposals part of the research project via development and execution of a codification plan.

  • Understand Proposal Process and Schedule: Each regulatory document has a developed and regimented process used to process code change proposals. Understanding the processes and schedules for the target code document is key to timely codification of research results. Many codes and standards operate on a triennial cycle composed of one or two review periods for the technical committee to discuss reports on proposals. Development of a codification plan to communicate and address the administrative aspects of code development is critical to successful codification of research results.

  • Develop Code Change Proposals: Developing the actual code change proposals is a critical and easily overlooked step in the process of research informed code making. Strong code change proposals that address the concerns of a code committee have a good chance of getting approved. Developing strong code change proposals is technically challenging and requires a diverse and representative group of experts. The codification plan should outline a strategy to accomplish this result. Understand how the proposed code change impacts the rest of the code: for example, does the change impact other sections or definitions, etc. Convene a group of code developers that represents an adequate cross section of interested parties to thoroughly understand the research results and develop code change proposals with detailed technical justifications for the target code documents and formally submit the code change proposals

  • Support Proposals through the Development Process:Despite the best efforts of well developed and technically justified code change proposals, there can be unanticipated technical questions that arise during the proposal review/approval process by the technical committee. The codification plan should recognize this and provide for the proper experts to be present during the technical committee deliberations to answer technical questions.

  • Feedback and Improve: For code change proposals that fail, a strategy should be developed to address the reason for failure and to prepare for resubmission. For code change proposals that succeed, it is often the case that the 1st iteration of code language is not the ultimate solution. Support during subsequent proposals to simplify or improve code language is also needed and should be addressed in the code development process.

Our Thoughts are With Our Japanese Colleagues and Friends
Karen Hall, Technology Transition Corporation

Words can not express the heartfelt concern we are feeling for our Japanese colleagues. We watched the news report first on the unprecedented earthquake, which was often described by those who have been through several earthquakes previously as "somehow different." Then we watched with horror as the tsunami sweep through the coastal towns, devastating everything in its path. The images of the area before and after the tsunami are heartbreaking. And now the situation with the nuclear reactors may put the survivors of the earthquake and tsunami in even more danger. 

The scale of this humanitarian crisis is the largest we can recall. In many areas, people are still fighting for survival as there is little food and water, no heat or power, and long waits for fuel if there is any fuel at all. All of this while so many are struggling to cope with the loss of loved ones and not knowing the fate of many others.

Our work previously with the National Hydrogen Association (NHA), and now with the Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Energy Association (FCHEA), the Partnership for Advancing the Transition to Hydrogen (PATH), and ISO/TC 197 has afforded us the opportunity to visit Japan and to work with many Japanese professionals. The staff of the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Safety Report has many friends and colleagues from many regions in Japan, and our hearts are with them in this very difficult time.