Hydrogen dispersion and safety assessment of vent mast releases on LH2 carrier in LH2CRAFT project

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Jang, Hayoung and Yang, Injun and Jeong, Byongug and Zhou, Peilin and Wang, Haibin and Mesbahi, Ana and Hwang, Insik and Park, Kyeoungmin and Gialelis, Panagiotis and Gu, Binteng and Yang, Lin and Choi, Yoon; Spyrou, Kostas J. and Themelis, Nikolaos, eds. (2025) Hydrogen dispersion and safety assessment of vent mast releases on LH2 carrier in LH2CRAFT project. In: Innovations in Sustainable Maritime Technology - IMAM 2025. Springer, GRC, pp. 175-183. ISBN 978-3-032-02102-1 (https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-032-02102-1_14)

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Abstract

The high flammability and explosion risk of hydrogen pose significant safety challenges in handling and storing liquefied hydrogen (LH2) as an alternative marine fuel. This study examines hydrogen dispersion from a vessel's vent mast to enhance safety in future LH2 carriers. Using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD), various hydrogen release scenarios were modeled on an LH2 carrier framework, considering regulatory requirements, wind conditions, and atmospheric dispersion. Due to hydrogen's low ignition energy and broad flammability range, even small leaks can escalate into severe incidents. Results showed that direct release through the vent mast could allow hydrogen to disperse toward the accommodation area, posing serious risks. These findings emphasize the need for strengthened safety protocols. As the maritime industry pursues decarbonization, addressing hydrogen safety is crucial for regulatory compliance and operational viability. Future ship designs must integrate advanced risk assessments and venting systems to ensure the safe use of hydrogen fuel in maritime operations.

ORCID iDs

Jang, Hayoung ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-9497-5076, Yang, Injun ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8535-4064, Jeong, Byongug ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8509-5824, Zhou, Peilin ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-4808-8489, Wang, Haibin ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-3520-6856, Mesbahi, Ana, Hwang, Insik ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9743-0976, Park, Kyeoungmin, Gialelis, Panagiotis, Gu, Binteng ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0007-0556-2474, Yang, Lin and Choi, Yoon ORCID logoORCID: https://orcid.org/0009-0005-4911-6631; Spyrou, Kostas J. and Themelis, Nikolaos
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