Risk-informed separation distances for hydrogen refueling stations

As part of the US Department of Energy Hydrogen, Fuel Cells & Infrastructure Technologies Program, Sandia National Laboratories is developing the technical basis for assessing the safety of hydrogen-based systems for use in the development/modification of relevant codes and standards. This work includes quantitative risk assessments (QRA) of hydrogen facilities. The QRAs are used to identify and quantify scenarios for the unintended release of hydrogen and thus help identify the code requirements that would reduce the risk at hydrogen facilities to acceptable levels. This paper describes an application of QRA methods to help establish one key code requirement: the minimum separation distances between a hydrogen refueling station and other facilities and the public at large. An example application of the risk-informed approach has been performed to illustrate its utility and to identify key parameters that can influence the resulting selection of separation distances. (C) 2009 International Association for Hydrogen Energy. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.