Numerical investigation on evaluation of leakage and explosion overpressure at liquid hydrogen receiving terminal

Abstract

Liquid hydrogen receiving terminal (LHRT) is exposed to great hydrogen-leakage threat due to the frequent operation and complex components. The evaluation of the consequences resulting from a potential liquid hydrogen (LH2) leakage is therefore essential. Numerical simulation of LH2 leakage based on a pseudo-source model was conducted at the operational Kobe LHRT in Japan. The consequences of leakage duration and rate under the current station structure were assessed in terms of both dispersion and explosive overpressure hazards. The results show that considering the prevailing northerly winds in the city of Kobe, leakage from a downwind jet was expected to produce the most serious hazard, with the hazard of leakage and the risk of explosion overpressure increasing sharply in the first 100 s after leakage and stabilising thereafter. It is also discovered that leakage rate has a bigger influence on accidents than leakage duration. Furthermore, the global maximum explosion pressure exceeds 0.3447 bar. The administrative buildings will be substantially affected if the leaking diameter exceeds 15 mm and the duration exceeds 100 s.