ulster.ac.uk

Towards the development of the

European hydrogen safety platform for

first responders

Svetlana Tretsiakova-McNally,

Eric Maranne, Franck Verbecke, Sebastien Bertau, Adrien Zanoto, Zhiyong Li, Dmitriy Makarov, Sergii Kashkarov, Vladimir Molkov, Ahmed Essam Aly, Randy

Dey, Marc Lopez

Contents

• HyResponse project: overview

• European Hydrogen Safety Training Platform (EHSTP)

• Development of emergency scenarios and first response strategies

• Development of educational training for First Responders

• International Curriculum on Hydrogen Safety training

• Educational materials

• Operational training: exercises and hydrogen training facility

• Virtual reality training: programming and exercises

• Planned pilot training sessions

• HyResponse workshop

• HyResponse website

• Project commenced in June 2013, 3 years duration.

• Partners: ENSOSP – coordinator (France), Ulster University (UK), CRISE (France), CCS Global (UK), Areva (France), FAST (Italy), Air Liquide (France)

3

HyResponse project

Overall aim of the project

Development a tool-box that will be used by First

Responders when assessing an incident/accident scene

status and making decisions.

Background Why training of First Responders needed in Europe?

• Fuel Cell and Hydrogen (FCH) applications, both in transport and energy

sectors, arrive to the market today.

• Fire authorities and First Responders (FRs) have limited knowledge with

regards to the hydrogen specifics, new FCH technologies and applications.

First educational programme

dedicated to FRs was developed in

the US under the DoE funding. This

web-based awareness-level course

was reinforced later with operational

training [1]. There is no similar

programme in Europe at the

moment.

[1] http://www.hydrogen.energy.gov/firstresponders.html

HyResponse audience Who are First Responders?

First Responders (FRs):

Fire-fighters (from field operators to high level

incident commanders)

Police force

Emergency medical personnel

Hazmat officers

Site operators

Vehicle recovery operators

Other potential users/interested stakeholders:

Authorities

Policy makers,

Car manufacturers,

Scientific community,

The general public

Etc.

Source: Google Images, 2014

European Hydrogen Safety Training

Platform (EHSTP)

EHSTP is a comprehensive standardised hydrogen safety training

programme for emergency response personnel.

Key elements of EHSTP:

Educational training (lectures).

Operational-level training (practical exercises on mock-up, real scale

transport and stationary FCH installations).

Innovative virtual reality training (exercises in virtual reality, which

reproduce in detail the entire incident/accident scenario including

correct/incorrect intervention techniques carried out by FRs).

Steps in the development of EHSTP

Emergency scenarios and

first response strategies

Selection, analysis and

description of the FCH

applications, their safety

concept and safety features

Typical detailed scenarios

and evaluation of the

associated consequences

Operational emergency

response strategies and

tactic

Educational training

International Curriculum on

hydrogen safety training for FRs

Basics on hydrogen safety

training for FRs

RCS requirements to FCH

systems relevant to FRs

Intervention strategy and tactics

Operational hydrogen training

Multi-level operational training

exercises

Design and technical

specifications of the operational

training facility

Realisation, installation and

commissioning of the operational

hydrogen training facility

Virtual reality training

Programming of VR training

Definition of the 3D VR serious

games exercises

Hydrogen phenomena input for

virtual training exercises

Pilot EHSTP training sessions

A database of FRs involved in

European hydrogen projects

Pilot training sessions

European Emergency response

guide

Recommendations and

dissemination strategy

HyResponse website and online

training course

Recommendations for RCS to the

international standardization

bodies

Recommendations for future

research topics to be addressed

Workshop in hydrogen safety

training for FRs

FCH applications and emergency scenarios

• Hazards and risks related to FCH applications/installations

• FCH applications: safety concepts and features

• Typical scenarios and consequences (leaks, fires, explosions, projectiles)/

• Over 100 scenarios considered in different environments and of a different complexity

Source: AirLiquide, 2014

Source: AirLiquide, 2014

Source: AREVA, ENSOSP, 2015

Source: AirLiquide, 2014

First response strategies and tactics

Source: ENSOSP, 2014 Source: CRISE, 2015

Source: CRISE, 2015 Source: SDIS 44, 2014

Educational training

• The overall aim of the educational training is to provide FRs with a fundamental knowledge of hydrogen safety prior to operational and virtual reality training.

Main steps include:

• Development of the International Curriculum in Hydrogen Safety training for FRs.

• Development of teaching materials for FRs:

• Basics of hydrogen safety

• Regulations, Codes and Standards requirements to FCH systems

• Intervention strategy and tactics

• Materials will be evaluated during face-to-face training.

• In the final form will be available online.

Pedagogic scope and concepts

Andragogy is an educational concept based on the adult

learning theory.

• Focused on a self-directed learner.

• Less didactic and more hands-on approaches with real

life applications and based on previous and acquired

experiences

As per Knowles [2], training objectives should be

‘SMART’:

Specific: clear and easy to understand

Measurable: able to be quantified

Achievable: able to be attained

Realistic: true to life

Task-oriented

[2] Knowles, M.S., et al., Andragogy in Action. Applying modern principles of adult education, 1984, Jossey Bass, San Francisco.

International Curriculum on Hydrogen Safety Training for First Responders

A foundation for the development of educational materials.

A critical review of state-of-the-art in hydrogen safety

science and engineering

Three core sections:

Basics of Hydrogen Safety for FRs – 9 modules

Regulations, Codes and Standards for FRs - 1 module

Intervention Strategies and Tactic for FRs – 1 module

A glossary, essential and further reading lists included

Can be used by interested parties to design their own

courses

Draft available on the project website:

http://www.hyresponse.eu/curriculum.php

HyResponse teaching materials Topics

Introduction to FCH applications and hydrogen safety principles

Hydrogen properties relevant to safety

Safety of hydrogen storage

Harm criteria for people and the built environment

Unignited hydrogen releases, their prevention and mitigation

Ignition sources and prevention of ignition

Separation from hydrogen fires and firefighting

Dealing with hydrogen explosions

Hazards of hydrogen use indoors and relevant mitigation techniques

Regulations, Codes and Standards (RCS) for first responders

Intervention strategies and tactics for first responders

Educational materials for assessing accident scene status and decision

making Comparison of jet fires: hydrogen, CNG, LPG

Flame length

Thermal radiation

H2 at 200 bar, Ø: 3.1 mm flame: 5.5 m

CNG at 200 bar, Ø: 3.1 mm flame:8 m

LPG at 10 bar (liquid phase)

H2 at 200 bar CNG at 200 bar LPG at 10 bar

Atomic and molecular hydrogen

The most abundant isotope (more than 99.98%)

is protium 11H

Its atom consists of 1 proton and 1 electron

Hydrogen is the lightest known element

It is not present in a free state in the atmosphere

of the Earth; it is present in a free state in the

sun and stars

Hydrogen gas: stable molecules made of two

hydrogen atoms H2

The lightest gas, it is about 14 times lighter than

air: the vapour density of hydrogen is 1; the

vapour density of air is 14.

Please watch the video about hydrogen

characteristics.

3Sources: [1] - Introduction to Hydrogen for Code Officials, U.S. Department of Energy, Washington DC.

Google: free images

Hydrogen storage tank: 700 bar, 101 L, 4.2 mm TPRD diameter

Pressure reduced to 1.9 bar (0.19 MPa) in about 58 s

Pressure reduced to atmospheric in about 75 s

The change in hydrogen mass flow rate and velocity due to the adiabatic expansion

evaluated with the blowdown tool available within the H2FC Cyber Laboratory:

www.h2fc.eu/cyber-laboratory

Numerical simulation of an incident involving

an FC vehicle

Visualisation of hydrogen phenomena Ignited hydrogen release from a TPRD

A release directed vertically downwards

1300 oC hydrogen flame

(70 MPa, TPRD Ø: 4.2 mm)

Free jet fire: 13.8 m

The longest flame of ~ 8.5 m observed @ approx. 1.4 s

Blast wave decay: deterministic

separation distances Harm to humans

10 100 1000 1000030 300 3000

Tank volume, litres

21

18

15

12

9

6

3

450

400

350

300

250

200

150

100

50

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

Inju

ry d

ista

nce, m

Fa

talit

y d

ista

nce, m

100 MP

a70 M

Pa

35 MPa

20 MPa

No

harm

dis

tance, m

10000

Separation for humans (stand-alone tank)

10 10030

Tank volume, litres

3

2.8

2.6

2.4

2.2

2

1.8

1.6

1.4

1.2

1

0.8

140

120

100

80

60

40

20

24

22

20

18

16

14

12

10

8

6

Inju

ry d

ista

nce, m

Fa

talit

y d

ista

nce, m

100 MPa

70 MPa

35 MPa

20 MPa

No

harm

dis

tance, m

200

Separation for humans (under-vehicle tank)

Stand- alone hydrogen tank Under-vehicle hydrogen tank

Blast wave decay: deterministic

separation distances Damage to buildings

10 100 1000 1000030 300 3000

Tank volume, litres

48

44

40

36

32

28

24

20

16

12

8

4

175

150

125

100

75

50

25

130

120

110

100

90

80

70

60

50

40

30

20

10

100 MPa

70 MPa

35 MPa

20 MPa

10000

Separation for buildings (stand-alone tank)

Part

ial dem

olit

ion d

ista

nce, m

Alm

ost to

tal d

estr

uction

dis

tan

ce, m

Min

or

dam

age d

ista

nce, m

10 10030

Tank volume, litres

13

12

11

10

9

8

7

6

5

4

3

50

45

40

35

30

25

20

15

35

30

25

20

15

10

100 MPa

70 MPa

35 MPa

20 MPa

Min

or

dam

age d

ista

nce, m

200

Alm

ost to

tal destr

uction

dis

tance, m

Part

ial dem

olit

ion d

ista

nce, m

Separation for buildings (under-vehicle tank)

Stand- alone hydrogen tank Under-vehicle hydrogen tank

Hydrogen storage at a refuelling station: 10 m3, 100 MPa

20

470 m78 m23 m190 m 136 m 49 m

• Damage to buildings • Harm to humans

Molkov, V., S. Kashkarov. Blast wave from a high-pressure gas tank rupture in a fire: Stand-alone and under-vehicle hydrogen tanks.

International Journal of Hydrogen Energy, 2015, Vol. 40, 12581-12603.

Operational training Operational training facility

Leak zones:

Gaseous hydrogen (H2)

Gaseous methane (CH4)

Liquefied petroleum gas (LPG)

Explosion zone:

Different concentrations for an

explosion, a mock barrel (H2, CH4)

Dismantled hydrogen trailer:

Dismantled long cigars, a mock trailer

FC car:

An FC car fire (on the roof and at the

bottom, hydrogen release through a

TPRD)

A multi-energy (hybrid) car:

Variable release modes (H2, CH4,

LPG)

A refuelling station:

Hydrogen leak

An on-wheels trailer:

Leak of H2 and CH4

A stationary FC installation:

H2 and CH4 leak due to a technical

failure

Three levels: Discovery, Advanced and Expert

Virtual Reality Training Environments and tactics

HyResponse pilot training sessions

Three pilot training sessions will be organised in 2016 at

ENSOSP, Aix-en-Provence, France:

14-18 of March 2016

9-13 of May 2016

6-10 of June 2016

Each training session – 1 week duration.

Educational classes in the morning.

Operational and virtual reality classes in the afternoon.

50 First Responders in face-to-face mode.

Developed educational materials will be evaluated by

trainees using a feedback form.

HyResponse workshop

For more details go to: http://www.hyresponse.eu/workshop.php

First Workshop on Hydrogen Safety Training for First Responders (3-4 Sep 2014, over

70 participants)

VIDEO: exercises

involving real fire

drills at the

ENSOSP

technical platform

HyResponse website Online training

• HyResponse web-page: http://www.hyresponse.eu/

Free access to:

• Teaching materials and quizzes

• Videos of demonstrations, experiments or operational exercises

• Emergency Response Guide

• Virtual reality animation films

• News reports

• Photos, images, schemes, etc.

• Links to relevant websites and other sources

• Materials will be available for translation to other languages

• To be available by the end of the project, in 2016

Source: Google Images, 2014

Acknowledgements

Fuel Cells and Hydrogen Joint Undertaking

(FCH JU)

for funding the HyResponse project,

grant agreement number 325348

Thank You!