NHA Participates in Development Of Hydrogen Codes and Standards

• Two versions of the conference brochure will be produced—one in English (8,000 copies) and one in French (2,000 copies).
• Sponsorship levels will be (in Canadian dollars): $100,000 Platinum, $50,000 Gold, $30,000 Silver, $20,000 Bronze, $10,000 Entry Level. Sponsorship will include exhibition space.
• A Hydrogen and Technology Job Fair for students and others to be interviewed by attending companies will be organized. The program structure was outlined during the meeting, and includes three afternoon sessions with an NHA focus. The sessions are U.S. Hydrogen Policy, Hydrogen Issues, and U.S. Hydrogen Codes and Standards. In addition, there will be two NHA Board Meetings and a Membership meeting.

Robert Mauro recently attended two one-day American National Standards Institute courses in New York. The first, “Strengthening the U.S. Voice in International Standards,” focused on how to represent U.S. interests at international meetings in order to be a more effective U.S. Technical Advisory Group (TAG) member. The second, “Taking the Secret Out of Secretariat: ISO Secretariat Operations,” provided insight into effective International Standards Organization committee management, the roles and responsibilities of committee officers, and ISO operations.

• Strengthening the U.S. Voice in International Standards. In six units, the course covered: (1) development and implementation of standardization and the importance to the U.S. of international activities; (2) the role and structure of international standards and standards-making, including the cardinal principles of the consensus process; (3) responsibilities of the U.S. TAG, procedures for the TAG, functions of ANSI oversight, functions of the TAG Administrator, voting in a TAG, and Open Meeting requirements; (4) rules for ISO/International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards development and the six steps in developing a standard; (5) participating effectively in an ISO plenary meeting as U.S. Delegate; and (6) designation and numbering of documents throughout the six-step standards development process.
• Taking the Secret Out of Secretariat: ISO Secretariat Operations. This course reiterated some of the basic information covered in the first, but went on to include information on the founding, the purpose, and the organization structure of IEC, ISO, and ITU (International Telecommunications Union). The role and responsibilities of International Committee Officers in Technical Committees (TC) were discussed, as were the qualifications and skills required to be successful members of committees and work groups.

Mauro reported that the courses were effective in driving home the importance of good standards and how difficult they are to write. The smaller group in the second course, consisting mainly of U.S. TAG committee chairmen and TAG Administrators, focused on specific operations of TCs, and discussed solutions to common problems.
 

The first full meeting of the U.S. TAG members of IEC TC 105 was held 13 March 2001 in Lake Buena Vista, Florida. After adopting ANSI operating procedures, the group approved the appointments of Kelvin Hecht, formerly of IFC, as Technical Advisor Chairman, and David Conover as Deputy Technical Advisor. The following work item proposals under consideration by IEC TC 105 were discussed:

• #105/10/NP: Terminology – Fuel Cell Technologies. Project Leader: Kelvin Hecht, U.S.A. This proposed work item takes the Fuel Cell Glossary developed by the U.S. Fuel Cell Council, adds the Japanese Standards Association Glossary of Terms for Fuel Cell Power Plants, TR C 0001, and builds an international terminology document for future IEC TC 105 work items.
• #105-11/NP: Fuel Cell Modules. Project Leader: Dr. Gerhard Filip, Germany. The scope of this document is Safety, EMC, quality assurance, and environmental aspects of fuel cell modules in all applications.
• #105/9/NP: Stationary Fuel Cell Power Plants – Safety. Project Leader: Kelvin Hecht, U.S.A. The scope of this proposed work item is performance-based requirements for the design, construction, testing, and making of packaged fuel cell power plants. The purpose is to harmonize requirements from the European Union, Japan, and U.S.A. using European Directives, MITI requirements, and ANSI Z21.83.
• #105/6/NP: Fuel Cell: Testing Methods for Performance of Fuel Cell Power Facility. Project Leader: Tosiro Terayama, Japan. This standard is intended to cover the test methods for: (1) raw fuel consumption, (2) temperature and quantity of heat recovered from fuel cell power facilities, (3) electrical efficiency, (4) overall thermal energy efficiency, (5) load following and output power change, (6) start-up and shut-down times, (7) cell stack voltage and current, and (8) reactive power.

A new work item proposal, not yet numbered, will be submitted to IEC TC 105 to address Stationary Fuel Cell Power Plants – Installation. The proposed project leader will be Andrew Skok, U.S.A.

Karen Miller volunteered to participate on any item that requires a hydrogen-safety review or coordination with other U.S. activities where the NHA is participating.
 

A meeting of the International Code Council Ad Hoc Committee (AHC) on Hydrogen was held in conjunction with the 2001 ICC Code Development Public Hearings 17-31 March 2001. Prior to the code hearings, Guy Tomberlin, Chair of the AHC, explained that the requested changes to the International Mechanical Code and the International Fuel Gas Code constituted the definitions of stationary and portable fuel cell power systems.

During the code hearings, the two changes to the International Mechanical Code were accepted unanimously as submitted. The next step is a public comment period, and a final ICC membership approval in September.

Similar code changes to the International Fuel Gas Code were presented. The definition of “portable Fuel Cell Appliance” was rejected by the committee, and the rejection was challenged by the members. NHA staff will keep members apprised of the final outcome.

The following day, Tomberlin suggested that, in the future, members of the group should consider having supporting statements prepared in advance, covering a variety of technical and market considerations. The group suggested that the NHA should consider providing prepared supporting statements, as well as the manufacturers and users of the technology.

Bradford Bates, formerly of Ford Motor Company, gave a presentation on Manufactured Hydrogen Systems and Infrastructure. Jim Hansel of Air Products and Chemicals supported the scenario. The purpose was to help the AHC understand the technical issues surrounding design and engineering for hydrogen refueling stations.

The AHC discussed a recent decision by the National Fuel Gas Code to exclude hydrogen from their scope, due to lack of expertise, and decided to offer hydrogen expertise to enable the IFCG to reconsider.

More detailed information on these and other Codes and Standards activities that are supported by the NHA can be found on the Members’ Only page of the NHA website. Please contact Lara Neer for information on access to this page. ©2001. All Rights Reserved. A Publication of the National Hydrogen Association.
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