Overview
ISO 16111:2018 specifies requirements for transportable hydrogen gas storage devices that use hydrogen absorbed in reversible metal hydride (MH) materials. The standard applies to refillable metal hydride assemblies (MH assemblies) with shells up to 150 L internal volume and a maximum developed pressure (MDP) not exceeding 25 MPa, where hydrogen is the only media transferred. It excludes fixed onboard fuel-storage systems for hydrogen‑fuelled vehicles.
Keywords: ISO 16111, hydrogen storage, metal hydride, transportable gas storage, MH assemblies, refillable hydrogen storage, hydrogen transport safety.
Key technical topics and requirements
ISO 16111 covers the full lifecycle of transportable MH assemblies, focusing on safety, design and verification:
- Service conditions
- Definitions of MDP (maximum developed pressure), rated charging pressure (RCP), rated capacity, operating and service temperature ranges, environmental conditions and service life.
- Design considerations
- Material selection and external surface compatibility with hydrogen service.
- Shell design requirements (including distinctions for very small volumes) and design strength.
- Overpressure and fire protection, with pressure relief device (PRD) considerations.
- Loading of hydrogen‑absorbing alloys, valves (integral and removable shut‑off), particulate containment and options for actively cooled assemblies.
- Inspection and testing
- Type/qualification tests such as fire tests, drop/impact tests, leak tests, hydrogen cycling and strain measurement, thermal cycling, and burst tests for small-volume assemblies.
- Batch and routine tests including burst testing, MDP checks for hydride batches and certification paperwork.
- Marking, labelling and documentation
- Product marking, hazard labelling (including temperature warnings), safety data sheets and user/operating manuals with initial fill and refill procedures.
- Annexes
- Material compatibility, environmental tests and model certificates are provided as informative and normative annexes.
Practical applications and users
ISO 16111 is intended for organizations developing, manufacturing, testing, certifying or procuring transportable hydride‑based hydrogen storage devices, including:
- Hydrogen cartridge and fuel cell cartridge manufacturers
- Suppliers of refillable hydrogen storage cylinders and portable hydrogen supplies
- Test laboratories and conformity assessment bodies performing type and batch testing
- Safety engineers, system integrators and procurement teams in hydrogen supply chains
Use of ISO 16111 helps ensure safe, consistent and certified performance of metal hydride hydrogen containers for portable and refillable applications.
Related standards
- ISO 11119 series (referenced for shell design guidance)
- Other ISO/TC 197 hydrogen technologies standards are relevant for system-level integration and hydrogen quality requirements.
Adopting ISO 16111 supports compliance with international best practice for transportable metal hydride hydrogen storage and improves safety, traceability and market acceptance.
