PHMSA News
By Karen Quackenbush, FCHEA

The Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration (PHMSA) recently issued several notices which may be of interest to readers of the Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Safety Report:

Tuesday, April 26, 2016— PHMSA On-Line CFR

PHMSA has released a beta-version of its On-Line CFR (o-CFR) interactive web-based application. This new application serves as a one-stop shop that provides access to the various aspects of the Hazardous Materials Regulations (HMR). This application provides users the ability to search sections of the HMR, interpretations issued on the specific sections, rulemakings affecting the section, special permits/approvals issued referencing the section and various enforcement actions identifying the section. Users can also access/download the Quick Reference Guide that provides an overview of the application and search guides.

The Quick Reference Guide can be found here.

DGAC has invited Mr. Charles Betts, Director Standards and Rulemaking Division to make a presentation on the use of the application, as well as future plans for its development at our Spring Conference and Quarterly Meeting.

The o-CFR is available here.

April 26, 2016 - PHMSA Releases New Emergency Response Guidebook

PHMSA today released the 2016 Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG2016).  The ERG2016 provides first responders with necessary information to respond to hazardous materials transportation incidents within the first critical minutes.  PHMSA states that it will distribute more than 1.5 million free copies to firefighters, emergency medical technicians, and law enforcement personnel nationwide.  A copy of the press release can be found here.

The ERG2016 version has been revised to include general updates, expanded sections and has added guide pages for absorbed gases.  PHMSA has also partnered with the National Library of Medicine to provide a free Smartphone version of the ERG2016.  PHMSA indicates that the mobile application will be available this spring.

A copy of the new ERG2016 is posted online here.

Print copies of ERG2016 are available for sale to the general public through the U.S. Government Printing Office Bookstore and other commercial suppliers.

April 27, 2016 - 2016 Emergency Response Guidebook Mobile Version

Do you have an Android smart phone?  If so, you can now download the Android version of the ERG2016 via the Google Play Store.  The Google Play Store download can be found here. Note that this is a free download from the National Library of Medicine, NIH.  (You will need a Google Gmail account to download.)

May 4, 2016 - Updated Information on the IMO Container Weighing Program

PHMSA issued a Direct Final Rule to update the reference to the most recent edition of the 2015 Edition of the ASME Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code that is incorporated by reference in the HMR. This update enables manufacturers of non-specification cargo tanks (e.g. nurse tanks) and DOT and UN specification packagings to use current technologies, materials, and practices in the manufacture of these packagings.

This Direct Final Rule is effective June 28, 2016 without further action, unless PHMSA receives a substantive adverse comment no later than May 31, 2016. If an adverse comment is received, PHMSA will publish a timely withdrawal of the rule in whole or part.

PP 25613-25618; Docket PHMSA-2015-0271 (HM-261), FR Doc. 2016-10056, Affecting 49 CFR Parts 171, 173, and 178

May 4, 2016 - Updated Information on the IMO Container Weighing Program

PHMSA issued a Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (SNPRM) which proposes to incorporate and allow the use of the 2015 Edition of the ASME Section XII—Rules for Construction and Continued Service of Transport Tanks used in the carriage of hazardous materials.  This section would cover the construction and continued service of cargo tank motor vehicles, cryogenic portable tanks and multi-unit tank car tanks (ton tanks).  Adoption of this Section would provide an alternative to that currently required in the HMR to use Section VIII.  In the SNPRM, PHMSA also responds to comments submitted to the NPRM that was published on December 30, 2013.

Comments on the SNPRM must be received by June 28, 2016. 

PP 25627-25639; Docket PHMSA-2010-0019 (HM-241), FR Doc. 2016-09919, Affecting 49 CFR Parts 107, 171, 173, 178, 179 and 180

Documents out for Review
By Karen Quackenbush, FCHEA

The following draft ISO documents are currently out for stakeholder review:

ISO/TS 15869:2009, Gaseous hydrogen and hydrogen blends — Land vehicle fuel tanks is out for review. FCHEA members who wish to contribute to the FCHEA review and provide comments are asked to contact Karen Quackenbush no later than June 30th.

ISO/CD 16111: Transportable gas storage devices -- Hydrogen absorbed in reversible metal hydride is out for review. US experts are being sought for review. PPWG is monitoring as this document is referenced in international shipping regulations, and defined as an “article”.  

ISO/CD 19880-1: Gaseous hydrogen — Fueling stations — Part 1: General requirements, is out for review. Member countries are in the process of providing their feedback to ISO/TC 197. Results are expected to be announced in late June or early July.

ISO/DIS 19880-3: Gaseous hydrogen — Fueling stations — Part 3: Valves, is now out for review. ISO member countries are voting whether to approve this DIS for publication. FCHEA members with an interest in this document are requested to contact Karen Quackenbush no later than July 15th. 

ISO/CD 19880-8: Hydrogen Quality Control, prepared by WG 28, was recently out for comment from ISO member countries. Results will be collated and announced in the near future.

ISO/DTS 19883: Safety of pressure swing adsorption systems for hydrogen separation and purification was out for comment. It received several from the US. This document is being published as a TS initially before moving toward an International Standard.

ISO/CD 19884: Gaseous hydrogen — Cylinders and tubes for stationary storage, prepared by ISO/TC 197 WG 15, is now available for comment.  Any FCHEA member wishing to aid the FCHEA review of this document is requested to contact Karen Quackenbush for a review copy right away. FCHEA member comments are requested no later than Friday, May 27th.

Abbreviations: TS: Technical Specification; CD: Committee Draft; DIS: Draft International Standard; DTS: Draft Technical Specification.

Interview with ISO/TC 197 Chair: Europe Forms Technical Committee to Address Gaps in Standardization
By Karen Quackenbush, FCHEA

In this fourth installment of FCHEA’s "Interview with the ISO/TC 197 Chairman" series of articles, Dr. Andrei V. Tchouvelev describes a new initiative in European Standardization, which has an important relationship with ISO/TC 197.

“The European Committee for Standardization (CEN) and the European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization (CENELEC), are forming a new cross-cutting Technical Committee – CEN-CLC/TC 6 – to address areas not currently covered by other European and ISO activities”, Dr. Tchouvelev explained. “A previous announcement on the subject anticipated the TC would be CEN/TC 446, however the CEN Sector Forum Energy Management WG ‘Hydrogen’ – a strategic-type forum that maps out H2 activities including Power-to-Hydrogen (P2H), recently announced a change,” he stated. “The first meeting of the new CEN-CLC/TC 6 'Hydrogen' is intended to be held on June 9th and 10th in Brussels,” Dr. Tchouvelev reported.

I asked ISO/TC 197 Chair Andrei V. Tchouvelev to summarize the relevance of the formation of this new European Technical Committee on hydrogen in relation to the activities of ISO/TC 197.  

“ISO/TC 197 currently enjoys a direct connection with CEN/TC268/WG 5, which serves as a true mirror committee to our international activities under the Vienna Agreement and currently carries the European Commission (EC) mandate (M533) in the context of the implementation of the European Union (EU) Alternative Fuels Infrastructure (AFI) Directive,” Dr. Tchouvelev noted. “While this relationship is perfect for ISO/TC 197, it is somewhat inconvenient for our European P-members – national ISO/TC 197 mirror committees,” he continued. “Historically, CEN/TC 268 covers cryogenic vessels, while specific hydrogen technologies applications have been added to the scope only recently to address the above-mentioned EC mandate M533 via a newly formed WG5. As CEN/TC 268 is comprised of experts in cryogenic vessels, it has been somewhat difficult for some European national ISO/TC 197 mirror committees to provide input for voting on hydrogen documents unrelated to cryogenic vessels since there is no direct established link between those national ISO/TC 197 mirror committees and CEN/TC268/WG5,” Dr. Tchouvelev observed. “Although this situation is outside direct control of ISO/TC 197, we will try to improve this situation working directly with individual European national standardization bodies.”

“The new CEN-CLC/TC 6 is a rare, joint CEN/CENELEC Technical Committee which will cover standardization issues in areas not presently covered by existing standardization efforts, such as for example Power-to-Hydrogen, blended fuels (H2NG), multifuel fueling stations, terminology and metrology – to mention the topics relevant to ISO/TC 197”, he advised.

When asked what opportunities this new CEN-CENELEC activities can present to the international community, Dr. Tchouvelev offered that “I don't think many people are aware of how important this new effort is in the global hydrogen standardization scheme,” Dr. Tchouvelev commented. “There is mutual respect between the leadership of CEN and ISO which makes it possible for CEN-CLC/TC 6, CEN/TC268/WG5 and ISO/TC 197 to develop a harmonized win-win relationship playing to the strengths and competences of each party under the Vienna Agreement. On one hand, it will fully address hydrogen technologies standardization under ISO/TC 197 leadership with CEN/TC268/WG5 serving as the CEN mirror committee for ISO/TC 197. On the other, it will help to fully investigate the field of Power-to-Hydrogen and other areas that are not quite in the scope of existing efforts under CEN-CLC/TC 6 leadership with ISO/TC 197 providing support in relevant areas,” he continued. “Such relevant efforts initiated in and led by CEN with ISO/TC 197 participation may be brought back to ISO/TC 197, for parallel voting and publication of ISO International Standards”.  “In addition,” Dr. Tchouvelev noted, “pre-normative research has been an integral part of this discussion – not just standardization. If this is supported by stakeholders willing to develop and fund pre-normative activities, this could be very beneficial,” Dr. Tchouvelev concluded.

About CEN:

CEN provides a platform for the development of European Standards and other technical documents. CEN works closely with the European Commission to ensure that standards correspond with any relevant EU legislation. CEN cooperates with ISO to reach agreement on common standardization needs that can be applied worldwide.

About the Vienna Agreement:

(Source: www.iso.org/va)

The Agreement on technical cooperation between ISO and CEN

(Vienna Agreement)

The Agreement on technical cooperation between ISO and CEN (Vienna Agreement) is an agreement on technical cooperation between ISO and the European Committee for Standardization (CEN). Formally approved on 27 June 1991 in Vienna by the CEN Administrative Board following its approval by the ISO Executive Board at its meeting on 16 and 17 May 1991 in Geneva, it replaced the Agreement on exchange of technical information between ISO and CEN" (Lisbon Agreement) concluded in 1989. The 'codified' Vienna Agreement was approved by ISO Council and the CEN Administrative Board in 2001.

Contact: va@iso.org

HyRAM Toolkit Available
By Karen Quackenbush, FCHEA

HyRAM V1.0 (Hydrogen Risk Assessment Models), a first-ever software toolkit to assess the safety of hydrogen fueling and storage infrastructure, is now available at http://hyram.sandia.gov.

HyRAM integrates models, methods and data used to inform fire codes to create a common platform for assessing hydrogen safety. HyRAM makes this information accessible to the hydrogen safety community to quantify accident scenarios, predict physical effects, and characterize the impact of hydrogen hazards on humans and structures. Official press release here.

HyRAM can be downloaded for free after acceptance of the license terms on the website. HyRAM is designed for Windows platforms. After users install HyRAM, they must also request a free product registration key for each system; instructions are provided when you first open HyRAM.

The US Department of Energy (DOE) held a webinar on the HyRAM (Hydrogen Risk Assessment Models) software for science-based safety, codes and standards, on April 26th, 2016. The webinar slides are now available at the DOE-EERE website located here.

Did You Know?  New Editions of ISO Directives
By Karen Quackenbush, FCHEA

As of May 1st, there are now new editions of the ISO/IEC Directives.

The 12th Edition of the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1; the 7th edition of the Directives Part 2; and the 7th Edition of the Consolidated ISO Supplement are available. You can access the PDF files here: 

ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1

ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2

ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1, Consolidated ISO Supplement

There is also a “Track Changes” version available in order to allow the reader to view the changes since the last edition of the Directives Part 1 and Consolidated ISO Supplement:

ISO/IEC Directives, Part 1, Consolidated ISO Supplement (Track changes)

The new edition of the Directives Part 2 represents a significant revision. See the Foreword and Introduction of the new edition for more details on what has changed. 

For a summary of the most important changes on both parts 1 and 2, please see the write-up in the February 2016 edition of the TMB Communiqué.

NFPA Call for Energy Storage Experts
By Brian O’Connor, Associate Engineer, National Fire Protection Association

A new Technical Committee on Stationary Energy Storage Systems has been approved by the NFPA Standards Council. NFPA is now looking for members for the 1st edition. If you are interested in being a member on this committee please follow the link here and click “Submit Application Online” to start your application.