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Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Handling O2 and H2
Date: October 18, 2012 2:34:11 PM EDT
Author: Des Richardson 		Next by Date:
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Handling O2 and H2
Date: October 18, 2012 3:51:59 PM EDT
Author: Laurence Doemeny

From: "Kennedy, Sheila" <s1kennedy**At_Symbol_Here**UCSD.EDU>
Subject: Re: [DCHAS-L] Handling O2 and H2
Date: October 18, 2012 2:50:47 PM EDT
Reply-To: DCHAS-L <DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU>
Message-ID: <CAPEgXxze-0Ce1d=B_rAZQG=pMOcbVUVT1gpVebD8cUD7wy1x5A**At_Symbol_Here**mail.gmail.com>

I'd be curious if anyone has made this kind of thing work in a department spread out over multiple buildings, as we are.

Sheila Kennedy, CHO
Safety Coordinator | Teaching Laboratories
UCSD Chemistry & Biochemistry
s1kennedy**At_Symbol_Here**ucsd.edu | http://www-chem.ucsd.edu

-----Original Message-----
From: Neal Langerman [neal**At_Symbol_Here**CHEMICAL-SAFETY.COM]
Sent: Thursday, October 18, 2012 06:07 AM Eastern Standard Time
To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**MED.CORNELL.EDU
Subject: [DCHAS-L] Handling O2 and H2
Labs tend to have cylinders of H2 and O2 which pose risks that can be easily mitigated by reducing the quantity of gas. For the researcher, all that is needed is a reliable gas source of sufficient volume and pressure to do the job. For the risk managers, the issue adds reducing the risk along with meeting the research needs. One proven way to do this is to generate O2 and/or H2 locally via the electrolysis of water.

I am looking at a resource that will deliver either or both gases at a pressure of about 1500 psi (100 bar) and a volume of 1 liter per minute (that is a lot!).

It is locally generated and a simple power interruption removes the hazards associated with each gas.

So, my questions to the list are simple -

Is this of interest to you?

Is $25k USD reasonable to replace all of the H2 (or O2) cylinders in the chemistry department?

The big downside of this is having a single source within a department. Major research departments will likely want several. A look at the demurrage costs of cylinders will easily make the $25k ( and low annual maintenance) seem reasonable.

I look forward to your comments and questions.

Incidentally, I do not have any financial involvement with the above; it was presented to me as a solution to a problem I have worked on for years - too damn many cylinders in labs..

Neal

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