As part of the Obama Administration's commitment to expand access to data and develop clean, domestic energy sources, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) has launched a new app to more easily provide best practices and procedures for safely handling and using hydrogen to power fuel cells.
Developed by the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory with support from the Energy Department, the app, Hydrogen Tools, incorporates a variety of resources and web-based content focusing on the safe use and handling of hydrogen for those involved in designing, approving, or using hydrogen fuel cell systems and facilities. Primarily geared towards hydrogen installation developers and permitting officials, the app includes information on the safe ventilation of hydrogen, safe distances and pressures for storing hydrogen, and best practices and lessons learned on handling hydrogen.
Hydrogen fuel cells, which produce no harmful emissions, are increasingly being used in many early applications, such as providing reliable emergency backup power and powering material handling equipment. The DOE has supported hydrogen and fuel cell R&D and resource development for more than thirty years, with many projects resulting in the materials that are now available through the Hydrogen Tools app, in addition to being available online.
Hydrogen Tools is available for the iPhone and iPad at no cost from the Apple App Store.
