Hydrogen fuel cell bus: operating experience in Italy

摘要

This paper describes and comments the safety related aspects that have been experienced during the design, test and delivery of a prototype of Hydrogen fuel cell Bus. Risk analysis has been identified as the best tool to be adopted for the evaluation, not only qualitative but also quantitative, of the hazards connected to the hydrogen application on a fuel cell bus for an urban public transport line and its refuelling station in Turin (Italy). The automatic approval to the circulation of the bus was not possible due to the lack of specific codes and standards in Italy about this innovative technology. Thus, the risk analysis seemed to be a necessary support for the final authorisation to the operation in the urban context. The paper reports an overview of the project and the main achievements of the analysis: the definition of the main sources of risk (resulted acceptable) and the possible accidental events; the draft of new guidelines about hydrogen use and storage in the transport sector.