A technical review on quantitative risk analysis for hydrogen infrastructure

Abstract

This paper outlines the challenges and opportunities involved in developing a safe and sustainable hydrogen infrastructure. The growing global energy demand and environmental impacts of fossil fuels have sparked interest in alternative energy sources. Hydrogen, as an environmentally friendly and sustainable energy carrier, offers a promising solution. However, the widespread adoption of hydrogen technologies faces significant safety and data reliability challenges. This paper reviews existing literature on hydrogen safety, encompassing hydrogen leak diffusion, fire and explosion, hydrogen deflagration to detonation transition (DDT), risk assessments, and mitigation techniques associated with different hydrogen facilities. Multiple approaches, including probabilistic risk analysis, computational fluid dynamics (CFD), experimental measurements, and machine learning algorithms (MLAs), to ensure hydrogen safety are also explored. Existing hydrogen-related accidents are also extensively analysed. Despite the progress in hydrogen safety research, challenges and limitations still exist. These include a lack of reliable data, limited AI applications due to data availability issues, the need for safe and economic hydrogen storage, and the importance of providing personnel with adequate safety awareness and knowledge. Moreover, the article identifies future research opportunities in investigating auto-ignition mechanisms, collecting more experimental data, integrating AI and CFD to investigate hydrogen dispersion behaviour, exploring the sensor's technology, developing inherently safer designs, and studying the integrated impacts of evolving accident scenarios. In conclusion, the paper emphasises the importance of addressing safety challenges to establish a secure and dependable hydrogen infrastructure. It highlights the need for further research to enhance safety protocols, establish robust standards, and support the long-term sustainability goals of the hydrogen industry. The insights provided in this study can contribute to identifying research areas, improving safety measures, and developing future hydrogen infrastructure.

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