Hydrogen is safe
Hynion has 20 years' experience with hydrogen, and safety has determined every part of the business, and the construction of the company's stations.
Hydrogen is as safe as any other fuel, but has different qualities, and must therefore be handled differently from fuels such as petrol and diesel.
All types of fuel contain a lot of energy - which is exactly why we want to exploit it. Because of the amount of energy, all fuels are potentially dangerous, but we have learned to handle them in such a way that we can use them safely and efficiently.
This is how Hynion works with security
With long industrial experience, university collaboration and smart technical solutions, Hynion makes hydrogen a safe alternative to petrol, diesel and batteries.
- Safety is paramount, says technical manager Pål Midtbøen at Hynion.
As a manager in a hydrogen company, he is well used to talking about the safety work that underlies the fuel revolution that is being worked on.
20 years of experience
- When Hynion works with security, twenty years of experience from the industry is worth its weight in gold. We are used to thinking about safety all the way, says Pål Midtbøen.
The technical manager says that considerations of safety have the highest priority in the company's stations. In addition to the detection systems, safety at the station is ensured by good and durable high-pressure-proof screwed connections. It's about creating secure connections.
- These mean that there are almost no leaks, and they stay tight for years, says Midtbøen.
All the parts of the station are also constructed in steel. There are thus no gaskets or any rubber that can become weaker over time – all the high-pressure parts in Hynion's stations consist of steel connected to steel.
Cooperation with professionals
Although much of the security work at Hynion is based on routine and technical experience, Hynion is always seeking new knowledge. Therefore, in recent years the company has had an ongoing collaboration with the University of South-Eastern Norway. Through the university, they have access to a strong professional environment with good expertise in hydrogen. The same research environment has previously worked with both Hydro and Equinor. The collaboration ensures that Hynion always bases its security work on up-to-date and rock-solid knowledge.
- At the university, they have been researching hydrogen explosions and fires for a long time, so they are therefore a natural partner for us when it comes to safety, says Midtbøen.
Crash-proof tanks
When you have filled the car with hydrogen, it can be nice to know that it is stored in tanks made of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic, which can withstand a great deal of mechanical impact. According to Teknisk Ukeblad, a Mercedes hydrogen car was badly damaged when a lorry ran into it from the side, but the hydrogen tank held. In the development of such tanks, these are tested, among other things, by firing with sharp shots to make holes in them. These tanks are so solid that even a full magazine from an automatic rifle is unable to get a hole - and thus there is no leakage, even under strong mechanical impact.
Simply summarized: Hydrogen is as safe as other fuels, and the hydrogen cars are designed to be as safe as other modern cars today. Always with a strong focus on safety.
