California Fuel Cell Partnership Emergency Response Guide Fuel Cell Vehicles and Hydrogen Fueling Stations Published August 2004 Version 2.0 CaFCP ER Guide 2.0 2 August 2004 table of contents Overview Preface 9 About CaFCP 11 Section 1 – Essential Information How Fuel Cells Work 1-3 Hydrogen Information 1-6 How to Identify a Fuel Cell Vehicle 1-10 Section 2 – Light Duty Fuel Cell Vehicles Light Duty Fuel Cell Vehicles in California 2-3 Low and High Voltage System Information 2-4 Onboard Vehicular Hydrogen Storage Systems 2-5 Vehicle Safety Systems 2-8 Passenger Rescue / Extrication 2-9 Responding to Accidents 2-11 Vehicle Identification 2-12 Hydrogen Release Indicators 2-13 Equipment Recommendations for FCV Accident 2-14 Standard Equipment Recommendations 2-14 Special Equipment Recommendations 2-14 Detecting Hydrogen Fires 2-14 Detecting Hydrogen Leaks 2-15 Section 3 – Fuel Cell Transit Buses Fuel Cell Transit Buses in California 3-3 Low and High Voltage System 3-5 Onboard Vehicular Hydrogen Storage Systems 3-9 Bus Safety Systems 3-11 Vehicle Identification 3-16 Responding to Fuel Cell Bus Incidents 3-17 Recommended Equipment 3-19 CaFCP ER Guide 2.0 3 August 2004 Section 4 – Hydrogen Fueling Stations Section 5 – References Bibliography 5-3 Fuel Cell Vehicle Technical Terminology 5-5 Emergency Response Guide Change Record 5-12 Material Safety Data Sheet – Hydrogen, Refrigerated Liquid 5-15 Material Safety Data Sheet – Hydrogen, Compressed 5-21 Section 6 – Vehicle Diagrams Common ER Diagram Format and Color Key 6-3 Light Duty Vehicles and Transit Buses 6-5 CaFCP ER Guide 2.0 4 August 2004 disclaimer Emergency Response Guide For Fuel Cell Vehicles The California Fuel Cell Partnership is a collaboration in which several companies and government entities are independent participants. It is not a joint venture, legal partnership, or unincorporated association. More information about the CaFCP can be found on the website: http://www.cafcp.org. DISCLAIMER – IMPORTANT INFORMATION This Emergency Response Guide is intended for use by emergency response personnel who have extensive training in responding to emergencies. Members of the public should not attempt to respond to an emergency involving a fuel cell vehicle but instead should contact emergency response personnel. The California Fuel Cell Partnership provides the attached Emergency Response Guide For Fuel Cell Vehicles document for the purpose of sharing information about responding to emergency situations involving fuel cell-powered light-duty vehicles and transit buses, and hydrogen fueling stations. This document is made available on an “as is” basis for “informational purposes” only. The information contained herein may change without notice. The CaFCP and its individual members, collectively and individually, disclaim any liability for injuries resulting from actions expressed or implied in this document. This guide provides general background information and should not be used as a substitute for any detailed information that may be available from the manufacturer with respect to each vehicle’s design and safety features. The Emergency Response Guide For Fuel Cell Vehicles is not intended to replace or supercede the Emergency Response Guidebook prepared by the United States Department of Transportation. Updates to this document will be made available online at http://www.cafcp.org. Questions pertaining to the information within this document should be directed to: [email protected]. CaFCP ER Guide 2.0 5 August 2004 CaFCP ER Guide 2.0 6 August 2004 overview CaFCP ER Guide 2.0 7 August 2004 CaFCP ER Guide 2.0 8 August 2004 preface Background Since the advent of the automobile in the late 1800s, steady progress has been achieved in automotive technology. These advancements—from engine performance to power-to- weight ratio—have made the internal combustion (IC) engine a reliable source of power for this means of transportation. In addition to these advances, a great deal of safety engineering has been developed for protecting vehicle passengers. Emergency response personnel have established proven ways of safely extracting a passenger from these vehicles in the event of an accident. Today, new and cleaner vehicle technologies are gaining attention as a means of reducing or eliminating air pollution from the automobile. These include electric, battery-powered vehicles, which produce no direct emissions. While battery-powered electric vehicles still face significant challenges to consumer acceptance, emergency response and safety methods have been developed in recent years. Illustrated comparisons for emergency response between today’s cars and electric vehicles were developed for a publication from the California State Fire Marshall: “Emergency Response to Electric Vehicles” (see Bibliography). New technologies also include the fuel cell, an electrochemical device that generates electricity by combining hydrogen and oxygen. When using hydrogen as a fuel, its only emission is water vapor. In the 1960s, NASA significantly advanced the fuel cell (first invented in 1839) as a source of power and water generation onboard spaceships. Since the 1990s, automobile manufacturers have been experimenting with this power source. In addition to producing zero or near-zero emissions, fuel cell vehicles (FCVs) could potentially provide significant public and personal benefits, including greater fuel efficiency, reduced noise due to its quiet operation, and additional onboard power for consumer use. Safety First Many of these FCVs are currently being tested on public roads at the California Fuel Cell Partnership (CaFCP) in West Sacramento, California, as well as in selected fleets throughout the state. Vehicle manufacturers, energy providers, fuel cell technology companies, the state of California, and the federal government have teamed up to demonstrate the technology and its fuels, and to explore commercialization challenges. Today, these prototype and limited production vehicles have many built-in safeguards, which make them equal to or safer than IC vehicles today (reference DOE/CE/50389- 502). But, since these vehicles use a new kind of fuel (most use compressed hydrogen carried onboard), it is important to educate both ER personnel and the public about how these vehicles react in an accident and how to safely extract passengers. CaFCP ER Guide 2.0 9 August 2004 The safe use and operation of FCVs and hydrogen refueling is one of the most important goals set by the CaFCP. Emergency response training is a key stepping-stone to achieving this goal. The Emergency Response Guide is intended to be a supplement for established emergency response guides, and to educate ER personnel on the important safety characteristics of this new and promising technology. Acknowledgements The Safety Team at CaFCP originally created a Light Duty Fuel Cell Vehicle Emergency Response Guide under the leadership of Jesse M. Schneider, Senior Mechanical Engineer, DaimlerChrysler RTNA. The team obtained approval for its publication from the CaFCP Steering Team. Collaborators also include the Office of the California State Fire Marshall as well as the West Sacramento and Richmond Fire Departments. A Heavy Duty Fuel Cell Vehicle Guide was later created by the CaFCP Bus Team, following the example set by the light duty guide and in close coordination with the Safety Team. Ken Koyama and Jennifer Allen of the California Energy Commission played particularly important roles in leading the efforts of a team of experts ranging from the California transit agencies who will be operating fuel cell buses (FCB) in California, to state and federal government employees in communication with other international FCB programs. Many thanks go out to all those who were involved. Guide Overview The Emergency Response Guide is one source of information for the Emergency Responder, now incorporating both of the aforementioned resources. It is designed to provide the emergency response community, as well as transit and fleet operators, with a safety handbook that includes the following: • Introductory information about the CaFCP, and the fuel cell and fueling technology it supports; • Detailed information about hydrogen properties as a gas and as a cryogenic liquid (relevant to both light duty vehicles and buses); • Information specific to light duty fuel cell vehicles currently being demonstrated on California roads; • Information specific to hydrogen fuel cell buses, both currently and soon to be, in use by California transit agencies; and • Detailed cut sheet diagrams of current fuel cell light duty vehicles and transit buses. Since these vehicles are not yet in volume production, and changes are likely, the CaFCP will update this Guide to reflect the changes of value to the emergency responder. Plans for future editions of this Guide include the incorporation of emergency response materials for hydrogen fueling stations. When finalized, these materials will be made available to all recipients of the ER Guide. Any comments or questions concerning this document can be directed to the CaFCP Safety Specialist at [email protected]. CaFCP ER Guide 2.0 10 August 2004