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Quantitative Risk Assessment Methodology for Hydrogen Tank Rupture in a Tunnel Fire

Abstract

This study presents a methodology of a quantitative risk assessment for the scenario of an onboard hydrogen storage tank rupture and tunnel fire incident. The application of the methodology is demonstrated on a road tunnel. The consequence analysis is carried out for the rupture of a 70 MPa, 62.4-litre hydrogen storage tank in a fire, that has a thermally activated pressure relief device (TPRD) failed or blocked during an incident. Scenarios with two states of charge (SoC) of the tank, i.e., SoC = 99% and SoC = 59%, are investigated. The risks in terms of fatalities per vehicle per year and the cost per incident are assessed. It is found that for the reduction in the risk with the hydrogen-powered vehicle in a road tunnel fire incident to the acceptable level of 10−5 fatality/vehicle/year, the fireresistance rating (FRR) of the hydrogen storage tank should exceed 84 min. The FRR increase to this level reduces the societal risk to an acceptable level. The increase in the FRR to 91 min reduces the risk in terms of the cost of the incident to GBP 300, following the threshold cost of minor injury published by the UK Health and Safety Executive. The Frequency–Number (F–N) of the fatalities curve is developed to demonstrate the effect of mitigation measures on the risk reduction to socially acceptable levels. The performed sensitivity study confirms that with the broad range of input parameters, including the fire brigade response time, the risk of rupture of standard hydrogen tank-TPRD systems inside the road tunnel is unacceptable. One of the solutions enabling an inherently safer use of hydrogen-powered vehicles in tunnels is the implementation of breakthrough safety technology—the explosion free in a fire self-venting (TPRD-less) tanks.

Funding source: This research was funded by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) of the UK for funding through the EPSRC Centre for Doctoral Training in Sustainable Hydrogen “SusHy”, grant number EP/S023909/1; SUPERGEN Hydrogen and Fuel Cell Hub project grant number EP/P024807/1; Fuel Cells and Hydrogen 2 Joint Undertaking (now Clean Hydrogen Joint Undertaking) for funding this research through the HyTunnel-CS project “Pre-normative research for safety of hydrogen driven vehicles and transport through tunnels and similar confined spaces”, grant number No.826193; SH2APED project “Storage of hydrogen: alternative pressure enclosure development” grant number No.101007182. This Joint Undertaking receives support from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme, Hydrogen Europe, and Hydrogen Europe Research.
Related subjects: Safety
Countries: United Kingdom
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/content/journal4206
2022-12-02
2024-10-14
/content/journal4206
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