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Title: Adapted tube cleaning practices to reduce particulate contamination at hydrogen fueling stations

Abstract

The higher rate of component failure and downtime during initial operation in hydrogen stations is not well understood. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has been collecting failed components from retail and research hydrogen fueling stations in California and Colorado and analyzing them using an optical zoom and scanning electron microscope. The results show stainless steel metal particulate contamination. While it is difficult to definitively know the origin of the contaminants, a possible source of the metal particulates is improper tube cleaning practices. To understand the impact of different cleaning procedures, NREL performed an experiment to quantify the particulates introduced from newly cut tubes. The process of tube cutting, threading and beveling, which is performed most often during station fabrication, is shown to introduce metal contaminants and thus is an area that could benefit from improved cleaning practices. This paper shows how these particulates can be reduced, which could prevent station downtime and costly repair. These results are from the initial phase of a project in which NREL intends to further investigate the sources of particulate contamination in hydrogen stations.

Authors:
 [1];  [1];  [1];  [1]
  1. National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Publication Date:
Research Org.:
National Renewable Energy Lab. (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)
Sponsoring Org.:
USDOE Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy (EERE), Sustainable Transportation Office. Hydrogen Fuel Cell Technologies Office
OSTI Identifier:
1466188
Alternate Identifier(s):
OSTI ID: 1693474
Report Number(s):
NREL/JA-5400-71787
Journal ID: ISSN 0360-3199
Grant/Contract Number:  
AC36-08GO28308
Resource Type:
Accepted Manuscript
Journal Name:
International Journal of Hydrogen Energy
Additional Journal Information:
Journal Volume: 44; Journal Issue: 17; Journal ID: ISSN 0360-3199
Publisher:
Elsevier
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English
Subject:
30 DIRECT ENERGY CONVERSION; particulate; contamination; tubing; construction; failure

Citation Formats

Terlip, D., Hartmann, K., Martin, J., and Rivkin, Carl. Adapted tube cleaning practices to reduce particulate contamination at hydrogen fueling stations. United States: N. p., 2018. Web. doi:10.1016/j.ijhydene.2018.06.190.
Terlip, D., Hartmann, K., Martin, J., & Rivkin, Carl. Adapted tube cleaning practices to reduce particulate contamination at hydrogen fueling stations. United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2018.06.190
Terlip, D., Hartmann, K., Martin, J., and Rivkin, Carl. Wed . "Adapted tube cleaning practices to reduce particulate contamination at hydrogen fueling stations". United States. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2018.06.190. https://www.osti.gov/servlets/purl/1466188.
@article{osti_1466188,
title = {Adapted tube cleaning practices to reduce particulate contamination at hydrogen fueling stations},
author = {Terlip, D. and Hartmann, K. and Martin, J. and Rivkin, Carl},
abstractNote = {The higher rate of component failure and downtime during initial operation in hydrogen stations is not well understood. The National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) has been collecting failed components from retail and research hydrogen fueling stations in California and Colorado and analyzing them using an optical zoom and scanning electron microscope. The results show stainless steel metal particulate contamination. While it is difficult to definitively know the origin of the contaminants, a possible source of the metal particulates is improper tube cleaning practices. To understand the impact of different cleaning procedures, NREL performed an experiment to quantify the particulates introduced from newly cut tubes. The process of tube cutting, threading and beveling, which is performed most often during station fabrication, is shown to introduce metal contaminants and thus is an area that could benefit from improved cleaning practices. This paper shows how these particulates can be reduced, which could prevent station downtime and costly repair. These results are from the initial phase of a project in which NREL intends to further investigate the sources of particulate contamination in hydrogen stations.},
doi = {10.1016/j.ijhydene.2018.06.190},
journal = {International Journal of Hydrogen Energy},
number = 17,
volume = 44,
place = {United States},
year = {Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 2018},
month = {Wed Aug 01 00:00:00 EDT 2018}
}

Journal Article:

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Cited by: 1 work
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