From the Symposium Papers of the
"Hydrogen for Energy Distribution"
July 24-28, 1978
Article "How safe is Hydrogen?" by J. Hord:
pp 615:
H2 Safety Research Needs:
- Provide analyses and experimental data to determine vapor cloud dispersion characteristics (near-field and far-field) resulting from large liquid spills.
- Fires: Assess thermal radiation effects and the effects of water vapor absorption.
- Evaluate existing fire control techniques: dry chemicals, foams, etc. as found useful in controlling LNG fires.
- Experimentally determine vaporization rates for large pools of liquid hydrogen (surface and material effects).
- Correlate analytical studies with experimental studies to determine liquid spreading rates, resulting from large liquid spills.
- Determine practical lower flammable limit for the propagation of open air explosions (8%+ H2-in-air?).
- Experimentally verify detonation in open air detonable clouds. (Evaluate strong initiator and the possibility of transition from deflagration to detonation in the absence of turbulence inducers).
- Confinement: (What constitutes sufficient confinement to sustain a detonation or higher order explosion?). Determine the effects of weak walls, elastic curtains, etc. on the transition to detionation, relief of deflagrations, etc.
- Model and study the effects of piping complex and turbulence-inducing appurtenances, for example, subdivisions, trees, buildings, etc. on transition to detonation
- Evaluate the effects of various liquid spill quantities, spill-and-surrounding configurations, atmospheric conditions, ignition energy, and ignition time delays on resultant blast hazards.
- Perform systematic studies of the ignition energy of potential ignition sources in order to classify practical ignition sources as weak or strong initiators.
- Establish appropriate flame-arrester criteria and design/develop reliable flame-arresters
- Evaluate odorants and illuminants for improved leakage and flame detection
- Systematically evaluate and catalog the hydrogen embrittlement (material compatibility) characteristics of practical containment materials.
