1
 
4th International Conference on Hydrogen
SafetyICHS 2011 12 - 14 September 2011 San
Francisco, CA, USA
HYDROGEN SAFETY ACTIVITIES IN BRAZIL Newton
PimentaCristiano Pinto
209_NevesN
2
Introduction

• Acknowledgements
• Some groups in Brazil have been working on RD of
  hydrogen technologies since the 1970s
• Hydrogen Laboratory at UNICAMP alkaline water
  electrolysis
• Electrochemistry Laboratory at USPelectro-cataly
  sts and PEMFC
• Several gas companies operate with H2 in Brazil

3
Programs for Hydrogen Energy

• Program of Science, Technology and Innovation for
  the Hydrogen Economy
• Ministry of Science and Tech.
• Launched in 2002
• To coordinate RD activitiesin H2 and FC,
  optimizing resources, strengthening the RD
  groups, and establishing new labs and groups
• Safety and RCS permeate all the networks

4
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)

5
The Hydrogen Laboratory at Unicamp

• LH2 has been working on H2technologies since
  1975.
• Some RD 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

6
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
• RD and Energy Policy
• ProH2 (MCT) 50 RD groups
• IPHE (MME) 17 countries
• ABNT (ISO and IEC)

7
Detlef Stolten Jülich
Jim Ohi US Dept of Energy
Newton Pimenta Unicamp/Ceneh
Daryl Wilson Hydrogenics
Jay BenzigerPrinceton
8
Hydrogen RCS Activities and Safety

• Brazilian Technical Standards Association
  established the Commission for H2 Technologies
• Brazil participates atISO 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 1591620 - Basic considerations for the
  safety of hydrogen systems
• ISO 16110-12 - Hydrogen generators using fuel
  processing technologies - Part 1 Safety

9
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

10
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 RD 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.

11
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 RD 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)

12
Final Remarks

• Brazilian RD groups have practical experience on
  hydrogen safety
• Almost no specific RD 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

13
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.

14
Thank you! Obrigado!
Brazilian Reference Center for Hydrogen Energy
Hydrogen Laboratory at Unicamp
Contact Newton Pimenta nevesjr_at_ifi.unicamp.br