Systems Thinking for explosion safety management

Abstract

The increasing prominence of hydrogen and its mixture with methane needs a comprehensive understanding of the complex interactions linked with industrial explosion risks and mitigation strategies. Systems Thinking and system dynamics approaches are used to deal with complex systems This research explores the application of a Systems Thinking approach in the context of explosion management, specifically focusing on safety considerations associated with hydrogen, methane, and their mixtures. A Causal Loop Diagram is proposed for providing a holistic view of the complex interdependencies linked to the hydrogen enrichment implementation. A System Dynamics-based model is developed for computing the effects of hydrogen addition on the explosion risk and considering the dynamic behaviour of the interdependencies involving storage conditions, infrastructure design, and emergency response protocols. Furthermore, by adopting this holistic perspective, this research aims to identify leverage points and potential vulnerabilities in the explosion safety management associated with each gas and its mixtures. Using the developed models, it is possible to quantify and compare the risk profiles associated with H₂ and CH₄/H₂ mixture handling, providing valuable insights for designing effective explosion management strategies. By using the Systems Thinking approach, this work contributes to a better understanding of the multiple challenges in explosion management, leading to informed decision-making and advancements in safety practices.