The Application of CFD Software for Modelling the Dispersion of Hydrogen Gas at Renewable Energy Fueling Stations

Hydrogen as a fuel can replace non-renewable fossil fuels, however, its explosive properties make it a more dangerous substance than petrol or diesel. This research aims to develop a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) method to model hydrogen gas release at fueling stations. Ansys Fluent software is being used to investigate the formation, dispersion and distribution of explosive atmospheres and gas concentrations. The extent of hazardous atmospheres depends on the operating pressure, the temperature, the size of the leak, the physical properties of the hydrogen and the characteristics of the wind. The model can be useful for the scientific study of leaks and dispersion at the growing number of hydrogen fueling stations. What is more, it can be studied how it can endanger people in these areas. All this can be achieved without any human exposure to the extremely hazardous environment during the simulation.