Lab containers for hydrogen & batteries – ATEX, IPCEI-capable
Hydrogen testing to ATEX 2014/34/EU + EN 60079, battery-abuse containers with thermal-runaway protection to ISO 6469 and UN-ECE R100/R136, cell-manufacturing climate rooms ±0.5 °C, dry room −40 °C dew point, eligible for IPCEI Hy2 + IPCEI EuBatIn funding. For research consortia and industry in the hydrogen and battery value chain.
Pilot-plant containers instead of a building application for research halls.
Planexus Engineering Team
Content is owned by the Planexus engineering team — civil engineers, process engineers and laboratory planners with specialised experience in modular laboratory construction. Planexus GmbH is part of Wesemann Holding GmbH and delivers BSL-2, BSL-3, GMP and ATEX containers for pharma, biotech, research and crisis units across DACH.
Why H₂ and battery research needs modular containers
H₂ tests and battery abuse are highly hazardous and require separated, explosion-protected environments. Converting conventional research halls for this costs 18–36 months and €3–8 million. Container pilot plants deliver the same, safely, quickly and funding-eligible.
Standards, directives and funding programmes
| Standard / programme | Application | Delivery |
|---|---|---|
| ATEX 2014/34/EU + EN 60079 | Ex protection Zone 1/2 for H₂ | EX lighting, earthing, H₂ detector |
| DIN EN 60079-29-2 | Gas-detector maintenance | Annual function test |
| ISO 6469 | Battery safety requirements | Fire wall, bursting disc, N₂ flooding |
| UN-ECE R100 / R136 | Battery-abuse test, passenger cars/L-category | Test container to the duty profile |
| SIL-2 to IEC 61508 | Safety chain, H₂ emergency shut-off | Redundant sensing, solenoid valve |
| DGUV V3 + DIN VDE 0100-720 | High-current DC up to 1,500 V | Arc protection, Type B RCD |
| DGUV Information 213-093 | Safe working with hydrogen | Documentation template, training |
| IPCEI Hy2 (Tech / Use / Infra) | EU state aid for the H₂ value chain | Funding-relevant documentation annex |
| IPCEI EuBatIn | EU state aid for the battery value chain | Cell-manufacturing containers eligible |
Eight application containers for hydrogen & batteries
Stack test up to 100 kW, ATEX Zone 2, H₂ MFC, O₂/air supply, climate control ±2 K.
PEM or alkaline electrolysis 5–100 kW, DC up to 1,500 V, ATEX Zone 1, bursting disc.
Hydrogen embrittlement, permeation measurement, pressurised-hydrogen tests up to 700 bar.
Thermal runaway, nail penetration, crush test, F90 fire wall, N₂ flooding, activated-carbon extract.
64–256 cycler channels in parallel, climate-controlled ±0.5 °C, climate-cabinet connection, MES link.
Dew point −40 °C, ISO 8 cleanroom, cell-assembly glove box, inert-gas airlock.
Contacting fixture, high-current cycler, climate stress −30 / +60 °C, EMC-capable measuring box.
PV generator, power conditioning, electrolyser, storage, fuel cell, load-profile simulation.
Six engineering details for H₂ and battery containers
SIL-2 to IEC 61508
Redundant H₂ detectors with 2-out-of-3 voting, solenoid emergency shut-off at 25 % LEL, safety-ventilation ramp-up, acoustic + optical alarm, emergency-call link-out.
F90/F120 fire wall with N₂ flooding
Separation of test chamber / control station with an F120 wall, viewing window of multi-layer laminated safety glass, automatic N₂ flooding at 30 kg/min, activated-carbon extract for HF/CO/olefins.
Dew point −40 °C, reproducible
Adsorption drying with dual-tower regeneration, 24/7 operation, ISO 8 cleanroom, personnel airlock with dry suit, material airlock with lock climate.
Up to 1,500 V / 300 A for electrolysers
Arc-tested switchgear, Type B RCD universal-current-sensitive, insulation-monitored, earth-fault detection, separate transformer station or works connection.
Combined climate and vibration cabinet
Climate chamber with temperature and humidity programming, vibration table, shock profiles to UN 38.3 and IEC 62133, programmable profiles in 1 K steps.
High-frequency DAQ with MES connection
Measurement cards 100 kS/s per channel, parallel capture of voltage/current/temperature/pressure/gas, MES connection via OPC UA, audit trail to 21 CFR Part 11 for GMP-capable test data.
ATEX zoning for hydrogen test containers: decision tree
ATEX zoning for H₂ containers follows EN 60079-10-1. Decisive factors are leakage rate, ventilation performance and operating mode. Fuel-cell stack tests with a closed loop and controlled ventilation ≥10 air changes: Zone 2 (2G) is sufficient – H₂ detector warns at 10 % LEL (0.4 vol-%), emergency shut-off at 25 % LEL (1.0 vol-%). Electrolyser pilot plants with leaking H₂ release, pressure relief or storage tests up to 700 bar: Zone 1 (1G) with ventilation ≥30 air changes, intrinsically safe measuring equipment Ex i, bursting disc with defined opening pressure 50–150 mbar.
Mandatory Zone 2 measures: earthing ≤1 Ω to DIN EN 60079-14, antistatic flooring DIN EN 1081 (conductivity 10⁵–10⁸ Ω), explosion-protected lighting 2G EEx d/e, SIL-2 gas detector to IEC 61508 with 2-out-of-3 voting, annual function test to DIN EN 60079-29-2. Zone 1 additionally: Ex i signal paths, pressure relief, access lock during alarm, BOS link-out. ATEX certification by a notified body (for example TÜV, DEKRA): 6–10 weeks, cost €8,000–25,000 per container.
Battery-abuse containers do not fall under ATEX but under fire protection to ISO 6469 and UN-ECE R100/R136: F90/F120 fire wall, N₂ flooding 30 kg/min, bursting disc 5–50 mbar, activated-carbon extract for HF and CO. Separation of H₂ and battery containers on site: minimum distance 10 m or a shared F120 fire wall. We document both container types in separate safety data sheets for the operating permit.
IPCEI funding for container pilot plants: application documents and award logic
IPCEI Hy2Tech, Hy2Use, Hy2Infra and IPCEI EuBatIn fund R&D infrastructure including test and piloting containers. Awarding bodies: BMWK (economy), BMBF (research), Land ministries (Bavaria Hightech Agenda, BW Hydrogen Roadmap). Eligible are investment and hire costs assigned to a defined research or piloting phase – not series production. Application documents: technical specification of the container, cost-benefit comparison container versus permanent fit-out, 24–60 month use plan, decommissioning and dismantling concept, CO₂ balance.
Typical funding rates: 25–40 % of eligible costs under IPCEI, 50–100 % under BMBF research projects (project-dependent). Container costs for an H₂ test stand Zone 2: €350,000–650,000; battery-abuse container F120: €450,000–850,000; cell-manufacturing dry room −40 °C dew point: €800,000–1.5 million. Planexus supplies a plant-register template, ownership/hire structure and technical specification as an annex to the funding application. For Hy2Infra infrastructure projects, containers as decentralised test hubs at electrolyser sites are also eligible. Awarding bodies examine the dismantling plan with particular care.
Electrolyser sites in northern Germany (wind H₂) and Rhine-Ruhr industrial parks use containers as decentralised test hubs: shorter sample paths, ATEX zoning documented on site, dismantling after the pilot phase without a demolition permit. Planexus coordinates alignment with grid operators and hydrogen-infrastructure operators including H₂ guarantee-of-origin evidence under RED III.
Typical project duration from application to commissioning: 14–20 weeks including ATEX certification by a notified body and acceptance by TÜV or DEKRA before first start-up. We document reference projects as an annex to the funding application.
Hydrocarbon process, fuel QC, tank farms and turnaround do not belong on this page – for those there are lab containers for oil, gas & refining. H₂ blending into the gas grid remains the bridge; the test stand itself stays here.
Planexus services for the energy transition, H₂ & batteries
Technical laboratory planning
ATEX zoning, SIL-2 safety chain, battery-abuse engineering to ISO 6469, dry-room design −40 °C dew point for cell manufacturing.
Modular construction & manufacturing
H₂ test stands Zone 1/2, electrolyser pilot plants up to 1,500 V/300 A, F120 battery-abuse chamber, cell-cycling containers with 64–256 channels.
Consulting & permits
ATEX notified-body coordination, IPCEI/BMBF application documents, risk assessment to DGUV 213-093, decommissioning and dismantling documentation.
Further reading
Frequently asked questions on the energy transition, H₂ & batteries
Which ATEX zone applies to hydrogen test containers?
Hydrogen has a lower explosive limit (LEL) of 4 vol-% in air and a very low minimum ignition energy of 0.019 mJ. An H₂ test container falls – depending on the design – into ATEX Zone 1 (regularly or briefly explosive atmosphere) or Zone 2 (occasionally, only exceptionally). Standard for fuel-cell test stands: Zone 2 with controlled ventilation ≥10 air changes, H₂ detector with SIL-2 link-out and emergency shut-off at 25 % LEL (=1 vol-% H₂), explosion-protected lighting 2G EEx d/e, earthing <1 Ω, antistatic flooring DIN EN 1081. For electrolyser pilot plants or leaky storage tests Zone 1 with intensified ventilation ≥30 air changes, intrinsically safe measuring equipment (Ex i) and pressure relief via a bursting disc. We build both zones; ATEX certification is via a notified body.
What is thermal runaway and how does the container protect against it?
Thermal runaway is the exothermic self-decomposition of a lithium-ion battery cell under thermal, mechanical or electrical abuse. A single 18650 cell (3 Ah) releases 30–50 kJ of heat in runaway and emits toxic gases (HF, CO, olefins, lithium salts). In battery packs of hundreds of cells the fire and pressure development is dramatic. A battery-abuse container must therefore: (1) have an F90/F120 fire-wall classification between test chamber and control station, (2) have pressure relief with a defined burst threshold of 5–50 mbar, (3) be able to trigger inert-gas flooding with N₂ or CO₂ within seconds, (4) have extract with an activated-carbon + HEPA stage for the toxic gases, (5) offer an external fire-fighting option (hydrant, water curtain). We build battery-abuse containers to ISO 6469 and UN-ECE R100 / R136.
Are our H₂/battery containers eligible for IPCEI funding?
Yes. IPCEI (Important Project of Common European Interest) is the EU state-aid form for strategic large-scale projects. The German IPCEI Hy2 lines (IPCEI Hy2Tech, Hy2Use, Hy2Infra) and IPCEI EuBatIn (batteries) fund, among other things, R&D infrastructure in the form of test plants and piloting containers. Awarding bodies are, depending on the Land, VDI/VDE-IT, Projektträger Jülich or similar. Container solutions are eligible provided they are assigned to a research or piloting phase and do not serve series production alone. We supply the funding-relevant evidence as an annex: technical specification, cost-benefit comparison, plant-register template, ownership/hire structure. BMBF (research), BMWK (economy) and Land programmes (for example Bavaria Hightech Agenda H₂, Baden-Württemberg Hydrogen Roadmap) also accept container structures.
How are the containers adapted to typical H₂ and battery R&D users?
Typical H₂ and battery R&D users have standardised interface expectations. For fuel-cell stack and electrolyser component tests, containers must represent stack-test voltage profiles and H₂ mass-flow-controller interfaces. For battery cell manufacturing and cell testing, containers need climate-controlled formation/ageing rooms ±0.5 °C, 64–256 parallel cycler channels, gas-purge glove-box interfaces and a dry room with a −40 °C dew point. For PV+H₂ hybrid research, containers need a DC high-current connection up to 1,500 V/300 A for electrolyser piloting. For powertrain tests with H₂ in mobility we supply an ATEX test stand with exhaust analytics. We build specifically for all of these profiles.
What emergency ventilation and safety engineering is standard?
Standard for H₂ test containers Zone 2: mechanical ventilation ≥10 air changes in normal operation, automatic ramp-up to ≥30 air changes on H₂ detection >10 % LEL, emergency shut-off of the H₂ supply at 25 % LEL with solenoid-valve closure, emergency pressure relief via bursting disc or pressure-relief damper, acoustic and optical alarm inside and outside, access locked during alarm. H₂ detector redundant (two independent sensor paths, annual maintenance to DIN EN 60079-29-2). In addition fire detection with IR sensors (H₂ flame is almost invisible), emergency button with BOS link-out, automatic handover to the works/plant safety station.
How can a pilot plant be dismantled after the trial ends?
Container pilot plants are designed exactly for trial life cycles: assembly for a 24–60 month research/piloting phase, then dismantling without building remnants. We supply the container in a dismantling concept: removal of trial set-ups by the client or Planexus, inerting of H₂/gas lines with N₂ purge, disposal of consumables (activated-carbon filters, HEPA filters, anode materials) by a certified contractor under the Waste Framework Directive and KrWG, cleaning of the container interior, demobilisation of the installation area (remove point bearings, restore ground sealing). For IPCEI- or BMBF-financed containers, dismantling must be considered in the award opinion – we supply the decommissioning documentation.
What cluster connection do we offer for H₂ value chains?
German H₂ value creation is organised via regional H₂ clusters: northern Germany (Bremen–Hamburg–Lower Saxony, offshore-wind H₂), Ruhr area (Hydrogen Hub Rhine-Ruhr), central Germany (Leuna refinery region), southern Germany (BW Hydrogen Roadmap; Bavaria Hy Agenda), Saxony (Smart Hydrogen Region). In Austria: H₂ Initiative Styria, H₂ Cluster Linz with H₂ direct reduction in the steel industry. In Switzerland: hydrogen-mobility initiatives around St. Gallen. We build containers that know this cluster architecture – interfaces, safety requirements and IPCEI funding logic documented.
H₂ and battery containers for your pilot plant
Outline the trial objective, rating, safety class and funding programme. We reply within one working day with an ATEX zoning concept and an IPCEI-capable investment model.
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Lab containers for your industry
We supply pharma, research, industry, education, public health, the energy transition, and oil, gas and refining — each with the relevant standards, containment classes and qualification documents.