Discussion on Hydrogen Leakage in Typical Hydrogen Energy Application Scenarios

Hydrogen has been extensively utilized in the chemical industry and is now increasingly adopted as an energy carrier, leading to a wide array of applications in energy storage, transportation, metallurgy, and aerospace. Despite numerous studies on hydrogen leakage risk assessment, the focus has predominantly been on equipment failure-induced scenarios, neglecting evaluations under normal operational conditions. This limitation results in overly specific or conservative conclusions that are not directly applicable to hydrogen energy equipment in typical service settings. This paper investigates key parameters in hydrogen leakage models, including space dimensions and ventilation conditions. Focusing on typical hydrogen storage and transportation equipment—such as hydrogen pipelines, onboard cylinders, stationary hydrogen storage containers, and mobile hydrogen storage units—we analyze common installation and operational spaces and ventilation conditions. Based on existing standards and relevant research, we examine possible failure points and hydrogen leakage rates. Our research emphasizes that hydrogen safety is a product of both equipment design and environmental factors, advocating against solely relying on equipment-specific hydrogen leakage rates for assessing overall hydrogen safety. By examining specific parameters in hydrogen leakage models for various application scenarios, we scrutinize hydrogen concentration distributions under stringent conditions, providing a foundational reference model for hydrogen leakage management in diverse energy applications. Additionally, our findings inform the selection and positioning of hydrogen concentration sensors to bolster safety protocols in hydrogen energy environments.