Comparison of Available Portable Combustible Gas and Hydrogen Sensors

摘要

This report documents a comparison of currently commercially available portable equipment that can be used to sense/detect the presence of hydrogen and/or combustible gases in the air. Available devices, identified via a literature search, were compared and ranked based on a common set of ranking criteria and an objective rating system for each criterion. The devices were rated against each criterion based on data contained in manufacturer literature. This document is intended as a reference for the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration in evaluating available equipment that might be used by agency inspectors to search for fuel leaks from commercial vehicles powered by hydrogen. In the context of this report, the presence of hydrogen detected in a concentration greater than 25 percent of the lower flammable limit (LFL) of hydrogen in the air would be considered a leak. Such a search would most likely be done in the context of a roadside vehicle inspection conducted in accordance with the North American Standard Inspection Procedures. In accordance with current inspection procedures, a fuel leak would be grounds to declare a vehicle out of service for a safety violation. Given that hydrogen is a colorless, odorless gas, it is unlikely that any vehicle inspector could identify a small leak (as defined above) from a hydrogen fuel system without the aid of detection equipment.