By definition, liquid hydrogen can BLEVE, but this is highly unlikely. Liquid hydrogen is stored in a double wall tank with vacuum insulation. This protects the primary pressure vessel from direct impingement and the very cold liquid provides self-cooling of the vessel walls. Tanks are also equipped with redundant pressure relief systems that are sized for fire exposure.

Underground storage tanks can be either installed in a vault or directly buried. Both offer additional
protection from external impact and fire, but each has unique challenges. Vaults must be properly
ventilated and designed to not create an explosion or asphyxiation risk. Direct burial vessels should not
have any underground leak points and must be protected from corrosion. Both…

Composite cylinders can be manufactured to standards written by CSA, ASME, and ISO depending on the application and local requirements. Several ISO standards can serve as the basis for composite cylinder approvals within North America.

Hydrogen has been used as a fuel to operate cars, buses, trucks, submarines, aircraft, forklifts, trains and virtually every type of mobile equipment. Each has special considerations which often drive specific requirements for that vehicle type. For example, higher g-loadings of rail operations and operations within tunnels are a couple considerations, but there are no significant barriers…

All systems must be designed for the applicable operating parameters such as pressure, temperature,
and flow. The sub-cooled liquid hydrogen (sLH2) approach for fueling is comparable to other processes
commonly used to handle cryogenic liquids in the industrial gas industry where remaining gas is
condensed during the fill operation. These processes often operate above the critical…

Detection systems are nearly always installed but the system design and installation details of detection equipment are up to the manufacturer. Standards are being developed for this market.

Leakage/loss depends on the vessel design. Metallic or metallic lined vessels have extremely low permeability and losses through the vessel walls are typically imperceptible. Conversely, Type IV composite vessels which have non-metallic liners are subject to permeation. They are required to meet maximum permeation rates as part of their certification. Fugitive emissions from piping systems can…

Store flammable gas cylinders such as hydrogen, separated from oxidizing (e.g. oxygen), toxic, pyrophoric, corrosive, and reactive Class 2, 3, or 4 gases. Non-reactive gases, such as helium, may be co-located. See codes and standards such as NFPA 2 [7.2.1.1 Incompatible Materials] for further guidance.

The Hydrogen Safety Panel is not aware of any detailed guidelines or requirements. There are general requirements for personal protective equipment (PPE) in relevant codes and standards, but these often defer to the manufacturers requirements or a material safety data sheet (MSDS) for specifics. Ultimately, PPE selection is a matter between the employer and the employee and may need to…

Researchers from Sandia National Laboratories have conducted extensive research on these topics. They have reviewed the current literature, identified knowledge gaps in alternate fuel vehicles and tunnel safety, and developed a generalizable framework to assess tunnel safety for a diverse range of alternate fuel vehicles. Supported by…