HYDROGEN SAFETY ACTIVITIES IN BRAZIL

Newton PimentaCristiano Pinto

4th International Conference on Hydrogen Safety

ICHS 2011

12 - 14 September 2011San Francisco, CA, USA

209_NevesN

Introduction

Acknowledgements Some groups in Brazil have been working on

R&D of hydrogen technologies since the 1970’s : Hydrogen Laboratory at UNICAMP:

alkaline water electrolysis Electrochemistry Laboratory at USP:

electro-catalysts and PEMFC

Several gas companies operate with H2 in Brazil

Programs for Hydrogen Energy

Program of Science, Technology and Innovation for the Hydrogen Economy

Ministry of Science and Tech.

Launched in 2002

To coordinate R&D activitiesin H2 and FC, optimizing resources, strengthening the R&D groups, and establishing new labs and groups

Safety and RCS permeate all the networks

PEMFC

Systems &Integration

End Users &Applications

SOFC

H2Production

ProH2

SafetyRCS

Programs for Hydrogen Energy

Brazilian Hydrogen Roadmap Ministry of Mines and Energy (MME):

In 2003 Brazil joined IPHE Roadmap published in 2005 To introduce hydrogen technologies in the market To start the use of hydrogen as an energy carrier in Brazil 69 infrastructure projects (4 projects involving hydrogen

safety and RCS) Important project: Fuel cell bus project (#228, ICHS 2011)

The Hydrogen Laboratory at Unicamp

LH2 has been working on H2

technologies since 1975. Some R&D topics are:

Hydrogen economy

System integration

H2 and H2 blends for transportation

Alkaline water electrolysis

Ethanol and NG reformation

H2 from renewables (wind & PV)

Trace gas analysis and gas standards

Safety & RCS

The Brazilian Reference Center for Hydrogen Energy

International Workshop on Hydrogen and Fuel Cells – WICaC: 2002, 2004, 2006, 2008 and 2010

Short course: Best Practices on Hydrogen Safety

R&D and Energy Policy: ProH2 (MCT): 50 R&D groups IPHE (MME): 17 countries ABNT (ISO and IEC)

Hydrogen RCS Activities and Safety

Brazilian Technical Standards Association established the Commission for H2 Technologies

Brazil participates at:ISO TC 197 - Hydrogen Technologies (member P)IEC TC 105 - Fuel Cell Technologies (member O)

Work is supported by ProH2 and MCT Over 10 standards have been adopted, 2 on Hydrogen Safety: ISO/TR 15916:20 - Basic considerations for the safety of

hydrogen systems ISO 16110-1:2 - Hydrogen generators using fuel processing

technologies - Part 1: Safety

Activities involving Hydrogen Safety

CETESB – Sao Paulo State Environmental Protection Agency

Fire Department / Sao Paulo Their contributions are explained in two

additional papers: # 198 – Hydrogen risk assessment in São

Paulo State – Brazil #228 – Licensing a Fuel Cell Bus and a

Hydrogen Fuelling Station in Brazil

Hydrogen Safety Courses

Offered by CENEH since 2002, during the 1st International Workshop on Hydrogen and Fuel Cells (WICaC) as a 6-hour class

A more detailed course (20-hour training) is offered for personnel working with hydrogen and fuel cells in R&D centers, university labs and companies

Basic safety procedures with hydrogen systems;

Hydrogen production and uses (water electrolysis, fuel reforming, fuel cells);

Hydrogen properties and material compatibility;

Some historical incidents and accidents; Safe handling of compressed, flammable

and toxic gases;

Identification of hazards and possible risk scenarios;

Operation of hydrogen systems, hydrogen leakage and detection, gas exhaustion and flame detection;

Flammability and detonation conditions; Hydrogen piping, cylinders, vessels and other

components; Regulations, codes and standards.

Activities involving Hydrogen Safety

Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Safety Handbook for Laboratory Users: Supported by ProH2 / MCT to be published at the end of

2011 Aimed at users of small and medium amounts of hydrogen

and R&D staff in universities To provide a good coverage of issues related to the safe

use of hydrogen (full review of the main safety RCS published by ABNT, ISO, IEC, NFPA, CGA, ASME and ANSI, plus publicly available information from EIGA, HyApproval and Brazilian regulations)

Final Remarks

Brazilian R&D groups have practical experience on hydrogen safety

Almost no specific R&D projects on hydrogen safety under development (H2 sensors, steel permeation)

Hydrogen safety is demanded as supplementary activities by all the networks

The World Cup in 2014 and the Olympics in 2016 will imply in larger investments which include hydrogen demonstration projects

There is space for work and improvement

Final Remarks

Brazil is a member of the IPHE

In my point of view the present government is more likely to join the IEA-HIA and HySafe

We are emphasizing permanently to the federal government the importance of international cooperation in hydrogen technologies, safety and RCS.

Thank you! Obrigado!

Brazilian Reference Centerfor Hydrogen Energy

Hydrogen Laboratoryat Unicamp

Contact:Newton Pimenta

nevesjr@ifi.unicamp.br