A massive explosion occurred at a refinery after a catastrophic pipe rupture on 4th November 2009. Some details are given in http://www.ksl.com/?nid=148&sid=8559722&autostart=y .
Video Courtesy of KSL.com
One person killed by H2 vessel explosion
One balloon seller killed and 5 persons seriously injured by an hydrogen vessel explosion on 1st of November in Thailand. The related news is http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2009-11/01/content_12368738.htm
Hindenburg – old stories … old beer
Beer from Hindenburg available in an auction (see http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/8352032.stm)
The details are not quite correct. However, may be not appropriate to react on old beer?
Safety roadblocks
Costly safety testing requirements and safety concerns about 700 bar seem to be an obstacle in Japan. For details read http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2251306/japanese-laws-pose-roadblocks
Report on the Networks’ of Excellence effectiveness presented on 14th of October
Mr Schmidtchen found an interesting report of the European Court of Auditors on the effectiveness of NoE’s (and IP’s) under FP6. See http://eca.europa.eu/portal/pls/portal/docs/1/3074294.PDF and the recommendation 2 including the EC answer at the end.
NoE results disseminated in Manchester
Stuart Hawksworth, HSE, will present the NoE HySafe achievements at the Hazards XXI conference November 10th 2009 in Manchester. For the full program see http://www.icheme.org/hazardsxxi/.
Three incidents in North America
Some recent minor leaks in US:
At US Boston University: http://www.dailyfreepress.com/second-hydrogen-alarm-sounds-in-a-week-1.1945071.
At US Washington refuelling station: http://www.wavy.com/dpp/news/virginia/va_ap_leak_closes_dc_hydrogen_fuel_station_20091006
For your entertainment, this is what may happen with hydrogen researchers: http://www.thestar.com/news/gta/article/707234–why-a-towed-away-van-led-to-scarborough-evacuation
Joint undertaking implicitely safe?
Regarding the EC activities there is (surprisingly?) not a word on safety on the next FCH JU General Assembly 26/27 October 2009 in Brussels; see http://ec.europa.eu/research/fch/pdf//stakeholders_general_assembly_2009_programme.pdf#view=fit&pagemode=none
Besides there is the research grouping assembly on Wednesday 28th October 2009. Let’s make sure HySafe is duly represented!
New members
HySafe welcomes the 7 new members:
- Air Liquide, France
- Andrei Tchouvelev and Associates, Canada
- Danish Technical University, Denmark
- Kingston University, United Kingdom
- Russian Research Center Kurchatov Institute, Russia
- Sandia National Laboratory, United States of America
- Universite de Quebec de Trois Rivieres, Canada
Additionally, the Russian Energy Technologies awaits the approval of the General Assembly.
Safely starting the hydrogen economy
From 16th to 18th of September more than 200 world leading experts for hydrogen safety and interested stakeholders meet in Ajaccio (Palais des Congres), Corsica, France. For the third time the worldwide unique International Conference for Hydrogen Safety ICHS is organised by the International Association for Hydrogen Safety – HySafe, for the first time in cooperation with the International Energy Agency IEA. All aspects from basic science to insurance of technologies will help the demonstrations currently kicked-off worldwide, the Joint Technology Initiative for Fuel Cells and Hydrogen of Europe for example.
With a considerable financial support the Corse government demonstrates its interest in modern and distributed energy technologies and the related scientific efforts.
The international commitment to introduce hydrogen as an energy carrier is underpinned by several events organised in conjunction with this conference: an ISO and an IEA HIA Task 19 expert group meeting, the summer school for hydrogen safety with more than 80 students, the EC project NATURALHY final meeting and the IA HySafe general assembly. As in the previous conferences 2005 in Pisa, Italy, and 2007 in San Sebastian, Spain, the International Partnership for Hydrogen Economy IPHE integrated its workshop on regulations and standards at this event.
For more information please visit the special conference website