Enhancing safety of liquid and vaporised hydrogen transfer technologies in public areas for mobile applications

Project Information

ELVHYS

Grant agreement ID: 101101381

DOI

10.3030/101101381

EC signature date 9 December 2022

Start date 1 January 2023

End date 30 September 2026

Funded under

• Climate, Energy and Mobility

Total cost

€ 1 433 960,00

EU contribution

€ 1 433 960,00

Coordinated by

NORGES TEKNISK-NATURVITENSKAPELIGE UNIVERSITET NTNU
Norway

Periodic Reporting for period 1 - ELVHYS (Enhancing safety of liquid and vaporised hydrogen transfer technologies in public areas for mobile applications)

Reporting period: 2023-01-01 to 2024-06-30

Summary of the context and overall objectives of the project

The ELVHYS project addresses a critical gap in international standards related to liquid and cryogenic hydrogen transferring technologies for mobile applications such as filling trucks, ships, and stationary tanks. Currently, there is limited or non-existent experience in this area, posing significant challenges for safety and efficiency in hydrogen transfer operations.
The overarching objective of ELVHYS is to develop inherently safer and more efficient liquid and cryogenic hydrogen technologies and protocols for mobile applications. This objective is pursued through innovative safety strategies and engineering solutions, including the selection of effective safety barriers and hazard zoning strategies. The project utilizes an interdisciplinary approach, combining experimental, theoretical, and numerical studies to address various aspects of liquid and cryogenic hydrogen transfer.
Key objectives of the ELVHYS project include:
• Providing a comprehensive report on the state of the art of cryogenic hydrogen transfer operations, including knowledge gaps, international standards, regulatory challenges, and safety strategies.
• Identifying hazards and incident scenarios associated with cryogenic hydrogen transferring operations and prioritizing areas with the highest risk and least knowledge.
• Conducting experimental campaigns to investigate cryogenic hydrogen transfer operations and associated phenomena, such as releases, fires, and explosions.
• Developing and validating numerical simulation models for cryogenic hydrogen transfer operations and mitigation techniques.
• Proposing innovative safety strategies and engineering solutions based on experimental and modeling results.
• Disseminating project results to the fuel cell and hydrogen community, including authorities, standard development organizations, and other stakeholders.
• Contributing to the development of international standards for cryogenic hydrogen transferring technologies.
These objectives are achievable thanks to the expertise and resources of the consortium members, who possess unique experimental facilities, theoretical and numerical research capabilities, and practical experience in hydrogen safety. The project aims to not only fill existing knowledge gaps but also to lay the groundwork for sustainable impact through continued collaboration and dissemination beyond the project duration. By addressing these objectives, ELVHYS seeks to significantly enhance the safety and efficiency of cryogenic hydrogen transferring technologies on a global scale.

Work performed from the beginning of the project to the end of the period covered by the report and main results achieved so far

The ELVHYS project has achieved significant progress in advancing the technical and scientific aspects related to cryogenic and liquid hydrogen (LH2) transfer technologies. Below are the activities performed and main achievements based on the milestones and submitted deliverables:
1. Operational data collection and best practices in LH2 transfer: Extensive data collection efforts were undertaken to gather operational data and identify best practices in LH2 transfer operations. This included analyzing existing facilities and protocols to establish a baseline understanding of current practices.
2. LH2 transfer ecosystem, infrastructures, and applications: A comprehensive overview of the LH2 transfer ecosystem, including infrastructures and applications, was provided to establish a baseline understanding.
3. Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams (P&IDs) of the LH2 transferring installations and list of existing safety devices: Detailed P&IDs were developed for LH2 transferring installations, outlining the layout and components of the transfer systems. Additionally, a comprehensive list of existing safety devices was compiled to assess the current safety measures in place.
4. Refined research programme on safety of LH2 transfer system: A refined research program was developed to focus specifically on the safety aspects of LH2 transfer systems. This included identifying key research areas and defining objectives to address safety challenges.
5. Review of methodologies, preliminary risk analysis and gaps identification: Methodologies for conducting risk analysis were reviewed, and a preliminary risk analysis of specific scenarios during LH2 transfer operations was conducted to identify gaps and areas for further investigation.
6. List of relevant/existing Regulations, Codes and Standards (RCS) and bodies: A comprehensive list of relevant RCS and regulatory bodies was compiled to ensure alignment with industry regulations and standards for LH2 transfer operations.
7. Support of LH2 fire & explosion tests via modelling: Computational models were selected to support LH2 fire and explosion tests to provide valuable insights into potential hazards and mitigation strategies. These models will be used to simulate various scenarios and assess their impact on safety.
8. Experiment setup and test readiness review on fire and Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapor Explosion (BLEVE) tests on LH2 hose tests: Experimental setups were designed and reviewed for conducting fire and BLEVE tests on LH2 hoses. Test readiness was assessed to ensure safety and effectiveness before conducting the experiments.
9. Hazard identification for LH2 transfer operations: Detailed hazard identification was carried out for LH2 transfer operations, highlighting potential risks and proposing strategies for mitigation to enhance safety.
Overall, these achievements represent significant progress towards enhancing the safety and efficiency of LH2 transfer operations, contributing to the objectives of the ELVHYS project.

Progress beyond the state of the art and expected potential impact (including the socio-economic impact and the wider societal implications of the project so far)

The ELVHYS project aims to provide a supportive regulatory and standardisation framework. Additional results will be updated at a later stage.