Texaco Ovonic Hydrogen Systems LLC (TOHS, Rochester Hills, MI) announced that the US Department of Transportation (DOT) has approved the transport of hydrogen in metal-hydride storage systems developed by TOHS for portable applications. The approval represents an early step to the advancement of the hydrogen economy as it now enables customers across the US to receive shipments of hydrogen fuel products ready to be plugged into a growing array of hydrogen-fueled devices.
Although the DOT has granted previous shipping exemptions for specific metal-hydride products, the new exemption is unique in several ways. It authorizes the manufacture, mark, sale and use of metal-hydride hydrogen storage systems applicable to the family of portable canisters currently under development at TOHS, allowing hydrogen storage capacity up to 1,300 standard liters. The exemption also authorizes re-qualification by ultrasonic inspection, effectively extending the service life of a metal-hydride canister well beyond the five-year limit of previous exemptions. Additionally, the exemption authorizes use of the internationally recognized, UN3468 identification number for “Hydrogen in a Metal-Hydride Storage System.”
