Risk Based Safety Distances for Hydrogen Refuelling Stations

This paper introduces a risk-based methodology for hydrogen refuelling stations. Momentarily, four stations are present in the Netherlands. This number is expected to increase to around twenty in the next years. For these stations, a quantitative risk analysis (QRA) must be carried out to account for spatial planning. The presented method identifies the loss of containment scenarios and failure frequencies. Additionally, the results of this study may be used in legislative context in the form of fixed generic safety distances. Using the risk analysis tool Safeti-NL safety distances are determined for three different kinds of hydrogen refuelling stations, distinguished by the supply method of the hydrogen. For the hydrogen refuelling stations, a maximum safety distance of 35 m is calculated. However, despite the relatively small safety distances, the maximum effect distances (distance to 1% lethality) can be very large, especially for stations with a supply and storage of liquid hydrogen. The research was overseen by an advisory committee, which also provided technical information on the refuelling stations.