This project will investigate incidents that can occur following damage to a Hydrogen PE service and assess any change in risk from natural gas. The project will investigate the following:
- Fires Near Meter Box: using realistic scenario (wheely bin fire adjacent to meter box).
- Service Pipe Fires: compare the nature and visibility between natural gas and hydrogen fires.
- Gas in Ducts: investigate the potential for hydrogen gas tracking through ducts and other services and assess the difference in the risks from natural gas.
- Automatic Isolation Valves: investigate the use of Automatic Isolation Valve (AIV) systems for commercial buildings with hydrogen.
Additionally, the project will investigate the functionality of safety equipment and assess its reliability. Further risk mitigation measures may be identified.
Benefits
This project will investigate incidents that can occur following damage to a Hydrogen PE service and assess any change in risk from natural gas. The project will investigate the following:
- Fires Near Meter Box: using realistic scenario (wheely bin fire adjacent to meter box).
- Service Pipe Fires: compare the nature and visibility between natural gas and hydrogen fires.
- Gas in Ducts: investigate the potential for hydrogen gas tracking through ducts and other services and assess the difference in the risks from natural gas.
- Automatic Isolation Valves: investigate the use of Automatic Isolation Valve (AIV) systems for commercial buildings with hydrogen.
Additionally, the project will investigate the functionality of safety equipment and assess its reliability. Further risk mitigation measures may be identified.
Learnings
Outcomes
For WP1 and 2, overall the similarities between leaks with natural gas and hydrogen were observed which resulted in many of the risks investigated remaining the same. The leaks showed the expected relationship between hydrogen and methane gas in that the volume and velocity of hydrogen released increased by a factor of about 2.8 with a consequential increase in noise, but due to the increased flame speed and decreased radiant heat there was no significant difference in the risks for the leaks observed. The inclusion of an EFV in the service pipe and the use of salt aerosols to improve detection has shown to reduce the specific areas of increased risks from hydrogen gas fires highlighted in this project. With these in place overall risks from hydrogen service pipe fires upstream of the ECV is lower than the natural gas network today.
Lessons Learnt
The Fire Service’s involvement provided valuable insight into first responders view on gas fires. Their comments highlighted that the standard procedures they use for dealing with an ignited gas leak would not need to change. Equipment used by Fire Service personnel for detecting ignited gas works with hydrogen were tested and found to be effective.
Future projects should consider the involvement of emergency services were applicable.