There is no way to screw up, the pumps and cars talk to each other via infrared technology. If there is an issue the car and pump know before you do.
I was thinking about what happens if the hydrogen in the tank gets above 100C. Part of the high cost for hydrogen stations is in preventing that while also providing a quick refueling without special training. Working with anything at those pressures has degree of risk higher than with a liquid. Which was my point is saying you can't compare refueling with gas to refueling with a liquid. It took far more work and money to make refueling with hydrogen easy and safe, than it did to make auto shut off gas pumps. How far along do you think ICE cars be if they had to wait for the auto-shut off pumps before selling cars?
Auto shut off pump still can fail and spill gas everywhere. All fueling stations and chargers should be a safe as can be. Money well spent if you ask me.
The 'lighter than air' and 'dissipates instantly' are not good qualities in an enclosed space, like a garage without ventilation in the ceiling. Here's a NIST video for an example. I've always wondered what would happen if there was a hydrogen leak in an underground garage, like at a shopping mall or in a city garage. How the heck do you clear out the invisible, odorless gas while avoiding a dangerous explosion? That's if you even realize the hydrogen is there in the first place. And if the hydrogen somehow burns without exploding, the flames are nearly invisible.
I used one years ago that was seriously vandalized at a supercharger station & it still worked. LoL So much for danger. .
Actually the Supercharger did not, although the electric company's transformer did. Tesla supercharger station not responsible for fire at Wawa in New Jersey | PhillyVoice No cars were being charged, no injuries, minor damage to the transformer which was easily repaired.
If Mirai catches fire &/or explodes - it doesn't affect others from refueling .... in fact it might actually help refueling, because it's that less likely the main compressed cylinder users fuel from - may still be charged up. Otherwise you might have to wait ½hr or more while the compressor recompress - so the station has the necessary 10K PSI. If a station becomes inop, & they sometimes do, how many miles will someone have to drive to the next station. 5 miles? Lits More? All the more reason to knock a few miles off of your actual destination, to provide for such emergencies. Electric car refueling is way more ubiquitous because the electricity is pretty much everywhere people are. .
If the safety features fail on a hydrogen pump, the risk isn't just a leak or fire. It is the large tanks containing 10k psi going boom. A nonflammable gas at those pressures makes a very effective bomb. You are being naive. Hydrogen has one of the largest ranges of concentrations with air and be explosive. If it leaks in a home garage, operating a garage opener can be enough spark to ignite it. "It readily dissipates" didn't save the Hindenburg, nor the other, some deadier, zeppilins. Nor did it prevent any of the numerous hydrogen explosions at facilities. And a hydrogen station in Norway had an explosion. Many car fires start from faults in the 12 volt system. Are hydrogen cars equipped with sensors and fire suppression systems?
Scary that it is still able to function with that much damage. Should have a cut off switch when it’s damaged to that extent.
