2022 Center for Hydrogen Safety Americas Conference
Hydrogen Odorization – Implications, Challenges and Solutions
Author
As the world looks to decarbonize, hydrogen has emerged as a promising new energy source to help us reduce emissions in the near term.
Safely moving pure hydrogen through distribution networks will require new infrastructure and will pose new technical challenges â including the selection of novel odorant blends suited to this application. DOT guidelines like 49 CFR 192.625 dictate that âA combustible gas in a distribution line must contain a natural odorant or be odorized so that at a concentration in air of one-fifth of the lower explosive limit, the gas is readily detectable by a person with a normal sense of smell.â While traditional sulfur-based odorants are commonly used in natural gas distributions lines, those same odorants will not work in pure hydrogen distribution applications as the sulfur would poison hydrogen fuel cells downstream.
Spartan Controls and our JV Partner, Caltrol, are engaged with in the detailed examination of this application and landed on a patented blend of chemicals which meet performance criteria across multiple dimensions. This presentation will be a high-level overview of that process, and a discussion of potential next steps for industry as we work together to address this application.
Safely moving pure hydrogen through distribution networks will require new infrastructure and will pose new technical challenges â including the selection of novel odorant blends suited to this application. DOT guidelines like 49 CFR 192.625 dictate that âA combustible gas in a distribution line must contain a natural odorant or be odorized so that at a concentration in air of one-fifth of the lower explosive limit, the gas is readily detectable by a person with a normal sense of smell.â While traditional sulfur-based odorants are commonly used in natural gas distributions lines, those same odorants will not work in pure hydrogen distribution applications as the sulfur would poison hydrogen fuel cells downstream.
Spartan Controls and our JV Partner, Caltrol, are engaged with in the detailed examination of this application and landed on a patented blend of chemicals which meet performance criteria across multiple dimensions. This presentation will be a high-level overview of that process, and a discussion of potential next steps for industry as we work together to address this application.