Electrostatic discharge (ESD) is incredibly common in the world. Humans generate it while doing everyday activities, as do widely used pieces of equipment, such as conveyor belts. However, with more research occurring about feasible uses of hydrogen fuel cells, people must take stringent precautions to eliminate it.
Explosion Risks
People have remained fascinated with the Hindenburg airship disaster, with the most enduring questions centering on what led to the explosion. Now, recent research suggests electrostatic discharge was at least partially to blame.
One of the most prevalent theories is that static electricity built up on the airship’s skin as it moved. Then, as it came in for its landing, the resulting zap and a hydrogen leak caused the explosion.
Konstantinos Giapis — professor of chemical engineering at Caltech — tested the theory by creating a model of part of the Hindenburg’s outer surface in his lab. He made multiple versions of the skin and analyzed their electrical properties. Although the skin was attached to the airship’s frame, wooden pegs separated the two surfaces. Tests suggested the resultant small gap made ESD a deadly problem for dozens of Hindenburg passengers.
Additional lab experiments showed mooring ropes on the frame facilitated the buildup of a positive charge, turning the airship into a giant capacitor. Giapis also believes multiple sparks in various locations caused the disaster, rather than a single spark occurring precisely where the hydrogen leak was. Although the tragedy happened decades ago, it is a potent reminder of how any current or future uses of hydrogen fuel cells must include precautions to limit ESD buildup.
Preventive Measures
A spark is the most recognizable form of ESD. However, preventing complications at sites working with hydrogen can occur when people follow best practices and get expertise from those who know the most appropriate mitigation methods. For example, coating surfaces with conductive electroless nickel can stop buildup. Tying components to a common ground also maintains zero potential difference.
However, those precautionary actions primarily relate to the design of a hydrogen cell. It is also important to prioritize safety in the factories, laboratories or other sites containing at least one product that needs hydrogen to work. For example, adequate ventilation can limit the size of a hydrogen cloud and its concentration. Some people use computational fluid dynamics simulations to see what would happen if hydrogen began leaking in a ventilated room, then rely on that data to make strategic, safer changes.
When people build hydrogen filling stations for buses and other vehicles, they typically equip them with dispensers that automatically deactivate if they sense a leak. The people working at those sites also receive safety training to ensure they know how to react in emergencies. Some companies are developing global training programs that help participants identify and mitigate risks.
Manufacturers of hydrogen fuel cells, vehicles and other products can also apply for certification marks that prove their offerings meet stringent safety standards. Those could improve consumer confidence and help these companies stand out in a market with increasingly prominent hydrogen developments.
An Ongoing Effort
Even the most conscientious people cannot expect to meet and follow all safety best practices during their first efforts to do so. That is why any hydrogen safety programs must include periodic evaluations to detect potential new threats. Similarly, safety managers or other involved parties must adapt whenever anything changes that could introduce threats by teaching people how to minimize risks and behave responsibly.
Jane Marsh, Contributor
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