The NREL and JRC Sensor Test Laboratories Instrumentation and Methods for Hydrogen Sensor Performance Verification

摘要

Hydrogen safety sensors are an enabling technology for the safe implementation of hydrogen infrastructure and the public acceptance of hydrogen fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEV). Sensors can perform several important functions including indication of unintended hydrogen releases, activation of mitigation strategies to preclude the development of dangerous situations, activation of alarm systems and communication to first responders, and the initiation of system shutdown. The functionality of sensors in this capacity is decoupled from the system being monitored, thereby providing an independent safety component that is not affected by the system itself. Recognizing the importance of hydrogen sensors, the European Joint Research Centre (JRC) and the Fuel Cell Technology Office within the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) independently established hydrogen sensor testing facilities at the Institute for Energy and Transport [1] and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory [2], respectively. The NREL and JRC sensor laboratories are dedicated to impartially evaluating hydrogen sensor performance and work with sensor developers and manufacturers by providing independent and impartial verification of sensor performance; with end-users by providing guidance and assistance in verifying compatibility of sensors for use in specific applications; and with standard and code development organizations to provide both pre-normative data for standards and codes and. to directly support document development. The NREL and JRC sensor laboratories have been collaborating since 2008 in support of the international utilization of hydrogen as an energy carrier. This collaboration has been formalized under the auspices of different agreements, including a Memorandum of Agreement [3] and through a common call between DOE and the European Fuel Cell and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking (FCH JU) [4], however each laboratory maintains independent research programs and directives. An outcome of the work has been the development of test instrumentation and procedures, both of which can be adapted to address performance requirements as defined by emerging applications.