IEC 62282-2:2012

IEC 62282-2 ®
Edition 2.0 2012-03
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
colourcolour
insinsiidede
Fuel cell technologies –
Part 2: Fuel cell modules
Technologies des piles à combustible –
Partie 2: Modules à piles à combustible

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IEC 62282-2 ®
Edition 2.0 2012-03
INTERNATIONAL
STANDARD
NORME
INTERNATIONALE
colour
inside
Fuel cell technologies –
Part 2: Fuel cell modules
Technologies des piles à combustible –

Partie 2: Modules à piles à combustible

INTERNATIONAL
ELECTROTECHNICAL
COMMISSION
COMMISSION
ELECTROTECHNIQUE
PRICE CODE
INTERNATIONALE
X
CODE PRIX
ICS 27.070 ISBN 978-2-8322-0041-4

– 2 – 62282-2 © IEC:2012
CONTENTS
FOREWORD . 4

INTRODUCTION . 6

1 Scope . 7

2 Normative references . 8

3 Terms and definitions . 9

4 Requirements . 12

4.1 General safety strategy . 12

4.2 Design requirements . 14
4.2.1 General . 14
4.2.2 Behaviour at normal and abnormal operating conditions . 14
4.2.3 Leakage . 14
4.2.4 Pressurized operation . 14
4.2.5 Fire and ignition. 15
4.2.6 Safeguarding . 16
4.2.7 Piping and fittings . 16
4.2.8 Electrical components . 17
4.2.9 Terminals and electrical connections . 17
4.2.10 Live parts . 18
4.2.11 Insulating materials, dielectric strength . 18
4.2.12 Bonding . 18
4.2.13 Shock and vibration . 18
5 Type tests . 19
5.1 General . 19
5.2 Shock and vibration test . 19
5.3 Gas leakage test . 19
5.4 Normal operation . 20
5.5 Allowable working pressure test . 21
5.6 Pressure withstanding test of cooling system . 21
5.7 Continuous and short-time electrical rating . 21
5.8 Overpressure test . 21
5.9 Dielectric strength test . 22
5.10 Differential pressure test . 23

5.11 Gas leakage test (repeat) . 24
5.12 Normal operation (repeat) . 24
5.13 Flammable concentration test . 24
5.14 Tests of abnormal conditions . 24
5.14.1 General . 24
5.14.2 Fuel starvation test . 25
5.14.3 Oxygen/oxidant starvation test . 25
5.14.4 Short-circuit test . 25
5.14.5 Lack of cooling/impaired cooling test . 25
5.14.6 Crossover monitoring system test . 26
5.14.7 Freeze/thaw cycle tests . 26
6 Routine tests . 26
6.1 General . 26
6.2 Gas-tightness test . 26

62282-2 © IEC:2012 – 3 –
6.3 Dielectric strength withstand test . 27

7 Markings and instructions . 27

7.1 Nameplate . 27

7.2 Marking . 27

7.3 Warning label . 27

7.4 Documentation . 27

7.4.1 General . 27

7.4.2 Installation manual . 29

7.4.3 Installation diagram . 29

7.4.4 Operation manual . 30
7.4.5 Maintenance manual . 30
7.4.6 Parts list . 30
Annex A (informative) Additional information for the performance and evaluation of the
tests . 32
Annex B (informative) List of notes concerning particular conditions in certain
countries . 38
Bibliography . 39

Figure 1 – Fuel cell system components and scope of standard . 8

Table 1 – Dielectric strength test voltages (derived from EN 50178) . 23
Table A.1 – Viscosity of gases at one atmosphere . 35

– 4 – 62282-2 © IEC:2012
INTERNATIONAL ELECTROTECHNICAL COMMISSION

____________
FUEL CELL TECHNOLOGIES –
Part 2: Fuel cell modules
FOREWORD
1) The International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) is a worldwide organization for standardization comprising
all national electrotechnical committees (IEC National Committees). The object of IEC is to promote
international co-operation on all questions concerning standardization in the electrical and electronic fields. To
this end and in addition to other activities, IEC publishes International Standards, Technical Specifications,
Technical Reports, Publicly Available Specifications (PAS) and Guides (hereafter referred to as “IEC
Publication(s)”). Their preparation is entrusted to technical committees; any IEC National Committee interested
in the subject dealt with may participate in this preparatory work. International, governmental and non-
governmental organizations liaising with the IEC also participate in this preparation. IEC collaborates closely
with the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) in accordance with conditions determined by
agreement between the two organizations.
2) The formal decisions or agreements of IEC on technical matters express, as nearly as possible, an international
consensus of opinion on the relevant subjects since each technical committee has representation from all
interested IEC National Committees.
3) IEC Publications have the form of recommendations for international use and are accepted by IEC National
Committees in that sense. While all reasonable efforts are made to ensure that the technical content of IEC
Publications is accurate, IEC cannot be held responsible for the way in which they are used or for any
misinterpretation by any end user.
4) In order to promote international uniformity, IEC National Committees undertake to apply IEC Publications
transparently to the maximum extent possible in their national and regional publications. Any divergence
between any IEC Publication and the corresponding national or regional publication shall be clearly indicated in
the latter.
5) IEC itself does not provide any attestation of conformity. Independent certification bodies provide conformity
assessment services and, in some areas, access to IEC marks of conformity. IEC is not responsible for any
services carried out by independent certification bodies.
6) All users should ensure that they have the latest edition of this publication.
7) No liability shall attach to IEC or its directors, employees, servants or agents including individual experts and
members of its technical committees and IEC National Committees for any personal injury, property damage or
other damage of any nature whatsoever, whether direct or indirect, or for costs (including legal fees) and
expenses arising out of the publication, use of, or reliance upon, this IEC Publication or any other IEC
Publications.
8) Attention is drawn to the Normative references cited in this publication. Use of the referenced publications is
indispensable for the correct application of this publication.
9) Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this IEC Publication may be the subject of
patent rights. IEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
International Standard IEC 62282-2 has been prepared by IEC technical committee 105: Fuel

cell technologies.
This second edition cancels and replaces the first edition, published in 2004, its amendment 1
(2007) and constitutes a technical revision.
This edition includes the following significant technical changes with respect to the previous
edition:
• inclusion of definitions for hazards and hazardous locations based on the IEC 60079
series;
• the general safety strategy is modified to reflect the needs for different application
standards. The modifications are in line with similar modifications made to
IEC 62282-3-100;
• the electrical components clause is modified to reflect the needs for different application
standards. The modifications are in line with similar modifications made to
IEC 62282-3-100;
62282-2 © IEC:2012 – 5 –
• the marking and instructions have been enlarged to provide the system integrator with the

necessary information.
The text of this standard is based on the following documents:

FDIS Report on voting
105/378/FDIS 105/389/RVD
Full information on the voting for the approval of this standard can be found in the report on

voting indicated in the above table.

This publication has been drafted in accordance with the ISO/IEC Directives, Part 2.
A list of all the parts in the IEC 62282 series, published under the general title Fuel cell
technologies, can be found on the IEC website.
The reader's attention is drawn to the fact that Annex B lists all of the “in-some-country”
clauses on differing practices of a less permanent nature relating to the subject of this
standard.
The committee has decided that the contents of this publication will remain unchanged until
the stability date indicated on the IEC web site under "http://webstore.iec.ch" in the data
related to the specific publication. At this date, the publication will be
• reconfirmed,
• withdrawn,
• replaced by a revised edition, or
• amended.
IMPORTANT – The 'colour inside' logo on the cover page of this publication indicates
that it contains colours which are considered to be useful for the correct
understanding of its contents. Users should therefore print this document using a
colour printer.
– 6 – 62282-2 © IEC:2012
INTRODUCTION
Fuel cell modules are electrochemical devices which convert continuously supplied fuel, such

as hydrogen or hydrogen rich gases, alcohols, hydrocarbons and oxidants to d.c. power, heat,

water and other by-products.
Fuel cell modules are sub-assemblies that are integrated into end-use products incorporating

one or more fuel cell stacks and, if applicable, additional components.

62282-2 © IEC:2012 – 7 –
FUEL CELL TECHNOLOGIES –
Part 2: Fuel cell modules
1 Scope
This part of IEC 62282 provides the minimum requirements for safety and performance of fuel

cell modules and applies to fuel cell modules with the following electrolyte chemistry:
– alkaline;
– polymer electrolyte (including direct methanol fuel cells) ;
– phosphoric acid;
– molten carbonate;
– solid oxide;
– aqueous solution of salts.
Fuel cell modules can be provided with or without an enclosure and can be operated at
significant pressurization levels or close to ambient pressure.
This standard deals with conditions that can yield hazards to persons and cause damage
outside the fuel cell modules. Protection against damage inside the fuel cell modules is not
addressed in this standard, provided it does not lead to hazards outside the module.
These requirements may be superseded by other standards for equipment containing fuel cell
modules as required for particular applications.
This standard does not cover road vehicle applications.
This standard is not intended to limit or inhibit technological advancement. An appliance
employing materials or having forms of construction differing from those detailed in the
requirements of this standard may be examined and tested according to the purpose of these
requirements and, if found to be substantially equivalent, may be considered to comply with
this standard.
The fuel cell modules are components of final products. These products require evaluation to
appropriate end-product safety requirements.

———————
Also known as proton exchange membrane fuel cell.

– 8 – 62282-2 © IEC:2012
Fuel cell power system
Scope
System boundary
Power inputs
Electrical
Thermal
Thermal
Useable heat
Mechanical management
system
Waste heat
Fuel
Fuel
processing
system
Fuel Power
cell conditioning
Useable power
module system
electrical
Oxidant
mechanical
Oxidant processing
system Water Internal power
treatment needs
Condensate
Ventilation system
Inert gas Energy to
Ventilation
Exhaust gases
Water Automatic elec./mech.
system
control conversion EMI
system system noise
EMD vibration
vibration,
wind, rain,
temperature
IEC  331/12
etc.
Key
EMD electromagnetic disturbance
EMI electromagnetic interference
Figure 1 – Fuel cell system components
This standard covers only up to the d.c. output of the fuel cell module.
This standard does not apply to peripheral devices as illustrated in Figure 1.
This standard does not cover the storage and delivery of fuel and oxidant to the fuel cell
module.
2 Normative references
The following documents, in whole or in part, are normatively referenced in this document and
are indispensable for its application. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For
undated references, the latest edition of the referenced document (including any

amendments) applies.
IEC 60079 (all parts), Explosive atmospheres
IEC 60079-10 (all Parts 10), Explosive atmospheres − Part 10: Classification of areas
IEC 60204-1, Safety of machinery – Electrical equipment of machines – Part 1: General
requirements
IEC 60335-1, Household and similar electrical appliances – Safety – Part 1: General
requirements
IEC 60352 (all parts), Solderless connections
IEC 60512-15 (all parts), Connectors for electronic equipment – Tests and measurements –
Part 15: Connector tests (mechanical)

62282-2 © IEC:2012 – 9 –
IEC 60512-16 (all parts) Connectors for electronic equipment – Tests and measurements –

Part 16: Mechanical tests on contacts and terminations

IEC 60529, Degrees of protection provided by enclosures (IP Code)

IEC 60617, Graphical symbols for diagrams

IEC 60695 (all parts), Fire hazard testing

IEC 60730-1, Automatic electrical controls for household and similar use – Part 1: General

requirements
IEC 60950-1, Information technology equipment – Safety – Part 1: General requirements
IEC 61508 (all parts), Functional safety of electrical/electronic/programmable electronic
safety-related systems
IEC 62040-1, Uninterruptible power systems (UPS) – Part 1: General and safety requirements
for UPS
IEC 62061, Safety of machinery – Functional safety of safety-related electrical, electronic and
programmable electronic control systems
ISO 13849-1, Safety of machinery – Safety related parts of control systems – Part 1: General
principles for design
ISO 23550, Safety and control devices for gas burners and gas-burning appliances – General
requirements
EN 50178, Electronic equipment for use in power installations
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
3.1
acceptance test
contractual test to prove to the customer that the item meets certain conditions of its
specification
[SOURCE: IEC 60050-151:2001, 151-16-23] [1]
3.2
allowable differential working pressure
maximum pressure difference between the anode and cathode side specified by the
manufacturer which the fuel cell module can withstand without any damage or permanent loss
of functional properties
———————
References in square brackets refer to the bibliography.

– 10 – 62282-2 © IEC:2012
3.3
allowable working pressure
maximum gauge pressure specified by the manufacturer which the fuel cell module can

withstand without any damage or permanent loss of functional properties

Note 1 to entry: For fuel cell modules incorporating pressure relief devices, this is normally used to define the
threshold of the set pressure.

3.4
ambient temperature
temperature of the medium surrounding a device, equipment or installation which may affect

the performance of the device, equipment or installation

3.5
conditioning
(related to cells/stacks) preliminary step that is required to properly operate a fuel cell module
(3.8) and that is realized following a protocol specified by the manufacturer
Note 1 to entry: The conditioning may include reversible and/or irreversible processes depending on the cell
technology.
3.6
fuel cell
electrochemical device that converts the chemical energy of a fuel and an oxidant to electrical
energy (DC power), heat and reaction products
Note 1 to entry: The fuel and oxidant are typically stored outside the fuel cell and transferred into the fuel cell as
they are consumed.
3.7
fuel cell stack
assembly of cells, separators, cooling plates, manifolds and a supporting structure that
electrochemically converts, typically, hydrogen rich gas and air reactants to DC power, heat
and other reaction products
[SOURCE: IEC 62282-1:2010, 3.50] [2]
3.8
fuel cell module
assembly incorporating one or more fuel cell stacks and other main and, if applicable,
additional components, which is intended to be integrated into a power system
Note 1 to entry: A fuel cell module is comprised of the following main components: one or more fuel cell stack(s),
piping system for conveying fuels, oxidants and exhausts, electrical connections for the power delivered by the
stack(s) and means for monitoring and/or control. Additionally, a fuel cell module may comprise: means for
conveying additional fluids (e.g. cooling media, inert gas), means for detecting normal and/or abnormal operating
conditions, enclosures or pressure vessels and module ventilation systems.
3.9
rated current
maximum continuous electric current as specified by the fuel cell module manufacturer at
which the fuel cell module has been designed to operate
3.10
crossover
cross leakage
leakage between the fuel side and the oxidant side, of a fuel cell, in either direction, generally
through the electrolyte
3.11
gas leakage
sum of all gases leaving the fuel cell module except the intended exhaust gases

62282-2 © IEC:2012 – 11 –
Note 1 to entry: Gas leakage may occur from

– the fuel cell stack;
– associated pressure relief devices;

– other gas ducting and flow controlling components.

3.12
hazard
potential source of harm in the form of physical injury to the health of people, property or the

environment
3.13
hazardous area
classified area
area or space where combustible dust, ignitable fibres, or flammable, volatile liquids, gases,
vapours or mixtures are or may be present in the air in quantities sufficient to produce
explosive or ignitable mixtures
3.14
heat deflection temperature
temperature at which a standard test bar deflects a specified distance under load
Note 1 to entry: It is used to determine short-term heat resistance.
3.15
lower flammability limit
LFL
minimum concentration of fuel in a fuel-air mixture where a combustion can be ignited by an
ignition source
Note 1 to entry: A fuel-air mixture is flammable when combustion can be started by an ignition source. The main
component is the proportions or composition of the fuel-air mixture. A mixture that has less than a critical amount
of fuel, known as the lower flammability limit (LFL) or more than a critical amount of fuel, known as the rich or
upper flammability limit (UFL), will not be flammable.
3.16
maximum operating pressure
maximum pressure, specified by the manufacturer of a component or system, at which it is
designed to operate continuously
Note 1 to entry: The maximum operating pressure is expressed in Pa.
Note 2 to entry: Includes all normal operation, both steady state and transient.
3.17
minimum voltage
lowest voltage that a fuel cell module is able to produce continuously at its rated power or
during its maximum permissible overload conditions, whichever voltage is lower
Note 1 to entry: The minimum voltage is expressed in V.
3.18
natural ventilation
movement of air and its replacement with fresh air due to the effects of wind and/or
temperature gradients
3.19
open-circuit voltage
voltage across the terminals of a fuel cell with fuel and oxidant present and in the absence of
external current flow
Note 1 to entry: The open-circuit voltage is expressed in V.

– 12 – 62282-2 © IEC:2012
3.20
routine test
conformity test made on each individual item during or after manufacture

[SOURCE: IEC 60050-151:2001, 151-16-17]

Note 1 to entry: Not to be confused with “Conformity test” [IEC 60050-151:2001, 151-16-15]: test for conformity
evaluation or “Conformity evaluation” [IEC 60050-151:2001, 151-16-14]: systematic examination of the extent to

which a product, process or service fulfils specified requirements.

3.21
standard conditions
test or operating conditions that have been predetermined to be the basis of the test in order
to have reproducible, comparable sets of test data
3.22
safeguarding
control system actions, based on process parameters, taken to avoid conditions that might be
hazardous to personnel or might result in damage to the fuel cell or its surroundings
3.23
safety extra low voltage
SELV
voltage under normal and single fault conditions that do not exceed 30 V r.m.s. or 42,4 V
peak/d.c. in dry environments or when wet contact is likely to occur, 15 V r.m.s. or 21,2 V
peak/d.c.
3.24
thermal equilibrium conditions
stable temperature conditions indicated by temperature changes of no more than 3 K (5 °F) or
1 % of the absolute operating temperature, whichever is higher between two readings 15 min
apart
3.25
thermal stability
stable temperature isothermal conditions
3.26
type test
conformity test made on one or more items representative of the production
[SOURCE: IEC 60050-151:2001, 151-16-16]

Note 1 to entry: Not be confused with “Conformity test” [IEC 60050-151:2001, 151-16-15]: test for conformity
evaluation or “Conformity evaluation” [IEC 60050-151:2001, 151-16-14]: systematic examination of the extent to
which a product, process or service fulfils specified requirements.
4 Requirements
4.1 General safety strategy
The manufacturer shall perform in written form a risk analysis to ensure that
a) all reasonably foreseeable hazards, hazardous situations and events throughout the
anticipated fuel cell power system’s lifetime have been identified (see Annex A for a listing
of typical hazards),
b) the risk for each of these hazards has been estimated from the combination of probability
of occurrence of the hazard and of its foreseeable severity,

62282-2 © IEC:2012 – 13 –
c) the two factors which determine each one of the estimated risks (probability and severity)

have been eliminated or reduced to a level not exceeding the acceptable risk level, as far

as is practically possible, through

1) inherently safe design of the construction and its methods, or

2) passive control of energy releases without endangering the surrounding environment
(for example, burst disks, release valves, thermal cut-off devices) or by safety related

control functions, and
3) for residual risks which could not have been reduced by the measures according to 1)

and 2), provision of labels, warnings or requirements of special training shall be given,
considering that such measures need to be understood by the persons which are in

the area of the hazards.
For functional safety, the required severity level, performance level or the class of control
function shall be determined and designed in accordance with e.g.:
• IEC 62061 (respectively ISO 13849-1) for applications according to IEC 60204-1;
• IEC 60730-1 for appliances according to IEC 60335-1;
• IEC 61508 (all parts) for other applications.
For failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) and fault tree analysis methods, the following
standards can be used as guidance:
• IEC 60812 [3];
• SAE J1739 [4];
• IEC 61025 [5].
The assessment shall also cover the following possible risks:
− stack temperature, and
− stack and/or cell voltage,
− pressure of pressurized parts.
Furthermore, care shall be taken to address the following:
– mechanical hazards – sharp surfaces, tripping hazards, moving masses and instability,
strength of materials, and liquids or gases under pressure;
– electrical hazards – contact of persons with live parts, short-circuits, high voltage;
– EMC hazards – malfunctions of the fuel cell module when exposed to electromagnetic
phenomena or malfunctions of other (nearby) equipment due to electromagnetic emissions
from the fuel cell module;
– thermal hazards – hot surfaces, release of high temperature liquids or gases, thermal
fatigue;
– fire and explosion hazards – flammable gases or liquids, potential for explosive mixtures
during normal or abnormal operating conditions, potential for explosive mixtures during
faulted conditions;
– malfunction hazards – unsafe operation due to failures of software, control circuit or
protective/safety components or incorrect manufacturing or misoperation;
– material and substance hazards – material deterioration, corrosion, embrittlement, toxic
releases;
– waste disposal hazards – disposal of toxic materials, recycling, disposal of flammable
liquids or gases;
– environmental hazards – unsafe operation in hot/cold environments, rain, flooding, wind,
earthquake, external fire, smoke.

– 14 – 62282-2 © IEC:2012
4.2 Design requirements
4.2.1 General
The fuel cell module shall be designed in accordance with a risk assessment performed by
the fuel cell module manufacturer. All parts shall be

a) suitable for the range of temperatures, pressures, flow rates, voltages and currents to

which they are subjected during intended usage, and

b) resistant to the reactions, processes and other conditions to which they are exposed

during intended usage.
c) The quality and thickness of the materials used in the fuel cell module, their fitting
elements and terminals and the method of assembling the various parts, shall be such that
the constructional and operational characteristics are not significantly altered during a
reasonable lifetime and under normal conditions of installation and use. All parts of the
fuel cell module shall withstand the mechanical, chemical and thermal conditions to which
they may be subjected when the end user product is used normally.
Fuel cell module enclosures shall comply with the requirements given by IEC 60529 to fit into
the application system. The fuel cell module shall carry the IP-Code accordingly.
NOTE An IP00 rating indicating non-protected may be appropriate when the end use equipment has a protective
enclosure.
4.2.2 Behaviour at normal and abnormal operating conditions
The fuel cell module shall be designed in such a way that it withstands all normal operating
conditions as defined by the manufacturer’s specification without any damage. Abnormal
operating conditions shall be covered according to 4.1.
4.2.3 Leakage
Depending on the design, leakage of combustible gases or liquids may occur (test see 5.3).
The gas leakage rate shall be included in the specification document, so that the integrator of
the fuel cell system can determine the minimum capacity of the required ventilation system
(see 7.4.1, r), purging and ventilation flow rate requirements.
The fault mode "crossover" shall be part of the risk assessment according to 4.1. Measures
e. g. "cell voltage monitors" shall be designed according to the relevant standard given in 4.1.
When crossover protection is not included in the fuel cell module, the product documentation
shall describe any protective devices or operating procedures that have to be provided by the
system integrator.
NOTE For classification of hazardous areas, consider IEC 60079-10.
4.2.4 Pressurized operation
If fuel cell modules include gas-tight and pressurized enclosures, those enclosures shall
comply with national regulations.
Pressure operation conditions that could generate hazardous conditions outside of the module
shall be identified (see 4.1) and the information conveyed to the system integrator
NOTE The following modules present particular properties:
PEFC modules
Pressure is not a significant design factor for the design of a PEFC (polymer electrolyte fuel cell stack). The
dimensioning, choice of material and manufacturing rules of a PEFC stack are based primarily on requirements for
sufficient strength, rigidity and stability to meet the static, dynamic, and/or other operational characteristics. For
example, a design using coaxial force compression hardware leaks before it breaks.

62282-2 © IEC:2012 – 15 –
PAFC modules
The PAFC (phosphoric acid fuel cell) module usually operates under atmospheric pressure.

MCFC modules
For a pressurized operation of a MCFC (molten carbonate fuel cell), the MCFC module is integrated into an MCFC
system. This MCFC system provides the housing of the MCFC module and is designed according to the applicable

national and international codes and standards for pressurized systems.

A hazard due to pressure associated with an MCFC module can be excluded due to the housing, which is in
accordance with the regulations mentioned.

SOFC modules
If pressurized operation of a SOFC (solid oxide fuel cell) is foreseen, the SOFC module is integrated into the SOFC
power system. For that application, the SOFC module is enclosed within a pressure vessel designed, manufactured
and equipped according to applicable national and international codes and standards for pressurized systems.
4.2.5 Fire and ignition
4.2.5.1 General
The fuel cell module shall be protected by means (for example, ventilation, gas detectors,
controlled oxidation, operating temperatures higher than the auto-ignition temperature, etc.)
such that leaking gases from, or inside, the fuel cell module cannot form explosive
concentrations.
The design criteria for such means (for example required ventilation rate) shall be provided by
the fuel cell module manufacturer. The means shall be provided either by the fuel cell module
manufacturer or by the fuel cell system manufacturer. If the fuel cell manufacturer does not
provided such means, then he shall provide the design and test criteria for such means (for
example required ventilation rate).
Components and materials inside the classified gas flammable atmospheres shall be
constructed or shall make use of such materials that propagation of fire and ignition is
mitigated. The material flammability shall be such that a sustained fire will not be supported
after electrical power and the fuel and oxidant supply have been terminated. This may be
demonstrated through the selection of materials meeting V 0, V 1 or V 2 in accordance with
the IEC 60695 series.
NOTE The auto-ignition temperatures commonly listed in standards such as IEC 60079-20-1[6] are the minimum
temperatures at which a flammable gas mixture may ignite. The actual auto-ignition temperatures can be well
above these values depending on the surface geometry, material and the actual gas mixtures. This requirement
refers to an auto-ignition temperature that will ignite a flammable gas under all conditions for the chosen materials
and geometry.
The requirements of the application standard as given in 4.1 shall be considered concerning

"Resistance to heat and fire".
4.2.5.2 Exemptions
Membranes, or other materials within the fuel cell stack volume which comprise less than
10 % of the total fuel cell module mass, are considered to be of limited quantity and are
permissible without flame spread ratings. If such material is used, this should be part of the
product specification so that the system integrator can take care on it.
If the actual temperature in any location of the fuel cell module, where a flammable mixture
may occur, is higher than the auto-ignition temperature, leakage of fuel gas into the oxidant or
vice versa results in immediate oxidation of the flammable gas. Thus, it is obvious that no
major concentrations of explosive gases can accumulate.
Whenever this temperature of such high-temperature fuel cells is lower than the auto-ignition
temperature, the fuel cell module shall be transferred into a safe state (for example, by
purging).
– 16 – 62282-2 © IEC:2012
4.2.6 Safeguarding
The failure of a component within a safety control system (see 4.1 c) shall cause the fuel cell

module to initiate a controlled shut-down. To ensure the required level of safeguarding (SIL-

Level, performance level or class of control function) the safety relevant design shall comply

with the relevant standards given in 4.1.

NOTE The controlled shut-down may include a time delay, or allow for the completion of an operational cycle,
when immediate shut-down would result in a higher risk. An example may be the failure of a gas detector in a fuel

cell module used as an emergency power supply.

4.2.7 Piping and fittings
4.2.7.1 General
Threaded connections of combustible gases conveying piping and fittings shall comply with
ISO 23550. All other joints shall be welded, or at least have fitting connections with a defined
sealing area as specified by the manufacturer. Unions, when used in fuel gas or oxygen lines,
shall be of the ground-joint type or the flanged-joint type or the compression-joint type having
packing resistant to the action of fuel gases.
The internal surfaces of piping shall be thoroughly cleaned to remove loose particles and the
ends of piping shall be carefully reamed to remove obstructions and burrs.
Flexible piping and associated fittings, when used for conveying gas, shall be suitable for the
application. Special consideration shall be given to hydrogen pipes, such as aging behaviour,
embrittlement, porosity, etc.
NOTE Information on compliance with various requirements can be found in the following standards: ISO 37,
ISO 188, ISO 1307, ISO 1402, ISO 1436 and ISO 4672 [7] to [12].
4.2.7.2 Non-metallic piping systems
Polymeric and elastomeric piping, tubing and components shall be permitted under the
following conditions.
Materials shall be demonstrated to be suitable over lifetime for the combined maximum
operating temperatures and pressures and compatible with other materials and chemicals
they will come in
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