Numerical simulation of air wall protection performance during liquid hydrogen leakage and analysis of key influencing factors

Abstract

Liquid hydrogen is often the most suitable choice for both storage and transportation in various situations. However, once a leak occurs, liquid hydrogen will rapidly evaporate into gaseous hydrogen, causing significant potential hazards. Therefore, it is crucial to study measures to improve the safety of liquid hydrogen use. This paper proposes a method called “air wall.” A comparison between the traditional bund wall system and the air wall show that the air wall offers more effective protection. Analysis of the airflow speed of the air wall reveals that higher airflow speeds enhance protective effects. By adjusting the activation time of the air wall, it was found that there is no need for continuous operation; activating the air wall before the arrival of hydrogen can also provide effective protection. The size of the air wall was also studied, and it was found that at the same air flow velocity, smaller air walls provide poorer protection. Finally, the impact of various atmospheric wind speeds on the air wall was analyzed, and it was found that the higher wind speed, the greater air wall speed for effective protection. This protective method is expected to be widely implemented in liquid hydrogen storage areas.