SAFE USE OF HYDROGEN

As inexpert use of hydrogen led to several severe accidents significantly influencing the perception of its usage by the public. It is considered to be significantly dangerous. However, these accidents were caused mainly by technical issues and service failure. Therefore, it is crucial to consider the hazards when working with hydrogen and increase the awareness for operational conditions in hydrogen facilities.

Hydrogen creates a combustible compound when mixed with oxygen, fluor and chlorine. The most important safety rule is to avoid contact of hydrogen with air while this mixture is highly flammable. It can be easily ignited with cigarettes, electric charge, sparks, or even hot objects. Therefore, it is necessary to follow the strict safety, technical and fire regulations, and guidelines in all areas where hydrogen is used or stored.

Hydrogen has a negative Joule Thomson coefficient at standard temperatures and its temperature therefore rises with decreasing pressure. This leads to risk of spontaneous combustion during fast expansion of compressed hydrogen. Areas for storing and using hydrogen must therefore be well ventilated.

Since hydrogen is lighter than air, it can also accumulate under the roof increasing the risk of an explosion. In pressure cylinders with compressed gas, the pressure rises with temperature. Therefore, the pressure cylinders' storage conditions should not exceed 50˚ C, otherwise danger of mechanical damage to the collection system (valve, regulator, distribution boards). [1]