Energy Competence Center H2Safety@BAM for safe hydrogen technologies

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Analytics, sensor technology and certified reference materials for the hydrogen economy

BAM's expertise in this field of competence lies in answering questions on gas analysis, gas properties and gas purity. The aim is to assess the quality of hydrogen gases, to recognise and quantify impurities, e. g. from other gases or moisture, and to detect leaks as part of quality assurance and safety monitoring along the entire hydrogen value chain. BAM also develops test methods to determine sensor suitability under realistic conditions at ambient pressure and operating pressures - and produces certified reference materials for sensory and analytical measurement technology.

Specific topics include:

• Development and dissemination of national standards for gas analysis, in particular for automotive exhaust and energy gases in legal metrology
• Provision of high-precision reference gases for the improvement of gas equations
• Determination of performance parameters (including service life, metrological application range, response behaviour and accuracy) of hydrogen sensors and sensor systems through laboratory tests under realistic conditions
• Further development and establishment of measurement and test procedures for the characterisation of measuring equipment
• Synthesis and properties of metal-organic frameworks (MOF) as hydrogen storage and derived electrocatalysts for environmentally friendly hydrogen production by water splitting

Measuring and testing methods for hydrogen technologies and metal-organic frameworks

Suitable sensors are required to control systems in the hydrogen economy and for hydrogen detection for the safety monitoring of systems or buildings. Sensors are used in fuel cells to monitor the gas composition in the gas flow. The sensor systems transmit measurement data for process control. Hydrogen sensors and sensor systems are also used to detect leaks in order to recognise and avoid potentially dangerous situations in good time. The development and qualification of new, even more powerful sensors is a key task for ensuring and further increasing plant safety and reliability, e.g. of fuel cells, hydrogen refuelling stations and Power-to-X applications.

In order to validate newly developed sensors and qualify them for commercial use, BAM is dedicated to the development of needs-based measurement and testing procedures and the associated regulation. BAM is also driving forward the development of new hydrogen sensors and sensor systems.
Recently, various materials such as metal hydrides and cryogenic adsorption have been investigated for the storage of hydrogen in order to achieve high storage densities. For a circular hydrogen economy, especially for fuel cells, storage methods for solids that can be reversed are crucial. It is crucial to understand the adsorption capacity of metal hydrides and porous materials under different pressure, temperature and thermal parameters. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) are of great interest due to their high surface area and storage capacity. Our database contains details of 3600 MOF structures to facilitate selection. Electrochemical water splitting (EWS) is a promising approach for the production of high-purity hydrogen using renewable energy sources. However, the use of catalysts is required to improve reaction rates. MOF and carbon catalysts could prove to be cost-effective alternatives.

Further development of scientific devices and processes for chemical analysis using both selective, case-specific sensors and broadly applicable, non-specific solutions. The new instruments are already being designed for integration into networked systems. The applications of the developed instrumentation lie both in the determination of hydrogen or the purity of hydrogen and in the characterisation of new hydrogen applications such as direct reduction for the production of metals.

Analytics and certified reference materials

The classic task of the competence field Gas Analysis at BAM is the development and dissemination of the national standards of gas analysis, in particular for automotive and energy gases in legal metrology, which is realised via certified reference materials and interlaboratory comparisons. In accordance with an administrative agreement with PTB, BAM acts as a designated institute (DI) within the framework of the Metre Convention and is active in CCQM and EURAMET.

Climate change and the associated energy policy, exacerbated by unforeseen geopolitical developments, pose new challenges for Gas Analysis, such as the use of hydrogen, hydrogen-containing alternative gaseous fuels (NH3 etc.), the use of alternative methane-based energy gases (LNG, LPG, biogas etc.) or decarbonisation by means of CCSU. In all topics, the quality, i.e. the actual chemical composition of the gases, naturally plays a decisive role. BAM is meeting this strategic importance with the further development of hydrogen analytics and is continuing to develop the methods used in order to support the German economy and research landscape as quickly as possible with traceability, reference materials and analytical procedures.

Precise knowledge of the thermodynamic properties of natural gases and hydrogen-enriched natural gases is of indispensable importance for the fundamental design and implementation of technical processes and their engineering. For the continuous improvement of the reference equations of state as a basis for the precise determination of the calorific values of energy gases, BAM provides highly accurate gas mixtures.

Our fields of competence

Material properties and compatibility for hydrogen technologies

Component testing, component safety and approval

Analytics, sensor technology and certified reference materials

Process and plant safety

Illustration: BAM's fields of competence in hydrogen technologies — BAM's fields of competence in hydrogen technologies

Source: BAM

Detailed information on our activities and already completed hydrogen projects as well as on our test facilities and test technology can be found in our brochure "Hydrogen: Our contribution to safety" (PDF) .