11/17/2015

GBHome

CalculateIndustrialBatteryHydrogenGasEmissionGBIndustrialBattery

EmailTechSupport

CalculateHydrogenGasEmissionsIndustrialBatteries

Whendesigningabatteryroom,ventilation
requirementsneedtobetakeninto
consideration.Leadacidmotivepowerbatteries
giveoffhydrogengasandotherfumeswhen
rechargingandforaperiodafterthechargeis
complete.
Properventilationinthebatterychargingareais
extremelyimportant.
Ahydrogeninairmixtureof4%orgreater
substantiallyincreasestheriskofanexplosion.
Theconcentrationofhydrogenshouldbekept
below1%toprovideasafetyfactor.
Hydrogengasiscolorlessandodorless.Itis
alsolighterthanairandwilldispersetothetop
ofabuilding.

CalculatingHydrogen
Concentration

CalculatingRoomVolume

DeterminingVentilation
Requirement

DeterminingFan
Requirement

DoYouNeedForced
Ventilation

HydrogenGasDetector
(HGD1)

Theinformationbelowisprovidedforreferenceonly.Stateandlocalcodesmayapplythatsupersedethese
guidelines.Thefollowingisforgeneralunderstandingonly,andGBIndustrialBatterytakesnoresponsibilityfor
theseguidelines.

Step1:CalculatingHydrogenConcentration
Atypicalleadacidmotivepowerbatterywilldevelopapproximately.01474cubicfeetofhydrogenpercellat
standardtemperatureandpressure.
H=(CxOxGxA)R
100
(H)=Volumeofhydrogenproducedduringrecharge.
(C)=Numberofcellsinbattery.
(O)=Percentageofoverchargeassumedduringarecharge,use20%.
(G)=Volumeofhydrogenproducedbyoneamperehourofcharge.Use.01474togetcubicfeet.
(A)=6hourratedcapacityofthebatteryinamperehours.
(R)=Assumegasisreleasedduringthelast(4)hoursofan8hourcharge.
Example:Numbercellsperbattery=24
Amperesizeofbattery=450A.H.
(H)=(24x20x.01474x450)4
http://giantbatteryco.com/GLOSSARY/Calculate.Industrial.Battery.Hydrogen.Gas.Emission.html#ForcedVentilation

1/5

11/17/2015

CalculateIndustrialBatteryHydrogenGasEmissionGBIndustrialBattery

100
H=7.9596cubicfeetperbatteryperhour
top

Step2:CalculatingRoomVolume
ForaroomwithaflatroofvolumeiscalculatedWxLxHlessthevolumeofchargersandotherfixedobjectsin
thebatteryroom.
W=Width
L=Length
H=Height
Example:Roomsize80feetlong,60feetwideand30feettall.
V=60x80x30
V=144,000cu.ft.
top

Step3:DeterminingVentilationRequirement
Assume75batteriesstored.
7.9596x75=596.97cubicfeetperhour(7.9596calculatedinStep1)
Batteryroom144,000cu.ft.fromexampleinStep2
V=RxPHx60minutes
(V)=Ventilationrequired
(R)=Roomcu.ft.
(P)=Maximumpercentageofhydrogengasallowed
(H)=Totalhydrogenproducedperhour
V=144,000x.01%596.97x60
V=144.73ortheairshouldbeexchangedevery144.73minutes(2hours24minutes)
top

Step4:DeterminingFanRequirement
FanSize=Rx60minutesV
(R)=Roomcu.ft.
(V)=Ventilationrequired
144,000x60144.73=59697.36cu.ft.perhouror995CFM.
Theventilationsystemshouldbecapableofextracting59,697.36cu.ft.perhouror995CFM.
top

Step5:DoYouNeedForcedVentilation
Intheorythe596.97cu.ft./hr.onlyrepresents.004%whichis<1%.Thereforeforcedventilationwouldnotbe
requiredforthisexample.
However,thefollowingshouldbeconsideredbeforerulingoutforcedventilation:
Isthebatteryroomclosedinoropen?Ifclosedinnonaturalventilation
maybepossible.
Sincehydrogengasrisesarethereareasintheceilingwheregasmay
collectingreaterconcentrations.
http://giantbatteryco.com/GLOSSARY/Calculate.Industrial.Battery.Hydrogen.Gas.Emission.html#ForcedVentilation

2/5

11/17/2015

CalculateIndustrialBatteryHydrogenGasEmissionGBIndustrialBattery

Theabovecalculationrepresentsworsecasescenarioassumingall
batteriesaregassingatthesametime.Thisishighlyimprobable.
Ifnaturalventilationissufficientinanopenareaforcedventilationshouldnotberequired.
Ifyourcalculationsdetermineapercentage<1%hydrogenconcentration,werecommendaHydrogenGasDetector
forsafemeasure,partnumberHGD1.
top

HydrogenGasDetector(HGD1)
Operation
Shouldtheconcentrationofhydrogengasintheairsurroundingthesensorreach1%byvolume,the"1%caution"
yellowLEDwilllightandthe1%internalrelaywillclose.Shouldthehydrogengasconcentrationreach2%by
volume,the"2%warning"redLEDwillflashandan80dbalarmwillsoundthe1%relaywillremainclosedand,if
aDualRelaymodel,the2%internalrelaywillclose.Eitherrelaycanactivatearemoteexhaustfanand/oralarm.
Location
Hydrogen,colorlessandodorless,isthelightestofallgasesandthusrises.Thedetector,therefore,shouldbe
installedatthehighest,draftfreelocationinthebatterycompartmentorroomwherehydrogengaswould
accumulate.
Thesizeoftheareaonedetectorwillprotectdependsuponbatterycompartmentroom.Thedetectormeasuresthe
hydrogengasintheairimmediatelysurroundingthesensor.Ifhydrogengasmightaccumulateinseveral,
unconnectedareasinthecompartmentorroom,individualdetectorsshouldbeplacedateachlocation.
OptionalAccessories:steeljunctionboxmountingonwallorceilingmodularjack(withduplicateLEDstestbutton
andbuzzerifneeded)forremoteplacementtelephonetypecableforconnectingthemodularjacktothedetector.
AddedBenefits
Inadditiontoprotectingyouremployeesandyourproperty,thedetectoralsomayreducethefollowing
costs:ElectricityHeatingAirConditioning.Insteadofcontinuouslyrunninganexhaustfantopreventhydrogen
gasaccumulation,usethedetectortoactivatethefanonlyiftheconcentrationreaches1%.Insurance.Installation
ofadetectorinareaswherebatteriesarechargedmayresultinapremiumreduction.

Backtotop

Havequestions?ContactTECHSUPPORT:

techsupport@giantbatteryco.com

Corporate|AboutUs|SiteMap|Services|Clients|GlobalPresence|Email:Parts&Service|BatteryCare
Privacy|TermsofUse|Ethics|Legal

Poweredby:SunMicrosystems

CopyrightGBIndustrialBatteryAllrightsreserved.

LastUpdated:Monday,December03,20075:57AMEasternTime.

http://giantbatteryco.com/GLOSSARY/Calculate.Industrial.Battery.Hydrogen.Gas.Emission.html#ForcedVentilation

3/5

11/17/2015

CalculateIndustrialBatteryHydrogenGasEmissionGBIndustrialBattery

http://giantbatteryco.com/GLOSSARY/Calculate.Industrial.Battery.Hydrogen.Gas.Emission.html#ForcedVentilation

4/5

11/17/2015

CalculateIndustrialBatteryHydrogenGasEmissionGBIndustrialBattery

http://giantbatteryco.com/GLOSSARY/Calculate.Industrial.Battery.Hydrogen.Gas.Emission.html#ForcedVentilation

5/5