Comparative safety analysis of engine room fires with different marine fuels of MGO, LPG and H2

Nechyporenko, Vadym and Jeong, Byongug (2023) Comparative safety analysis of engine room fires with different marine fuels of MGO, LPG and H2. Journal of International Maritime Safety, Environmental Affairs, and Shipping, 7 (4). 2269346. ISSN 2572-5084 (https://doi.org/10.1080/25725084.2023.2269346)

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Abstract

This research project is designed to investigate the behaviour of fires resulting from hydrogen leakage in engine rooms and evaluate the associated fire risks, aiming to compare these risks with those posed by traditional fuels which can be used in the shipping industry today. The study employs a model of the engine room constructed according to the original dimensions of the vessel under study. The primary objective of this research was to determine if the fire risk associated with hydrogen would be higher or lower than that of traditional fuels. To achieve this, a series of simulation scenarios were meticulously executed and subsequently analysed. The outcomes of the simulations indicate that hydrogen fires do not present a higher threat when compared to fires fuelled by marine gas oil or liquefied petroleum gas. Notably, hydrogen exhibits superior fire behaviour, characterized by the absence of smoke development and relatively less harm to machinery and crew, thus outperforming conventional fuel fires. This finding suggests that hydrogen-related fire risks can be brought under control and highlights its potential as a comparatively safe fuel choice in the maritime domain.

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