Joint industry project on the safety of liquid hydrogen launched by global expert

Professor Jennifer Wen from the University of Surrey, an internationally renowned expert in hydrogen safety, is leading HySOON (Improving Liquid Hydrogen Safety for Mobile Applications), a joint industry project sponsored by Shell, Total Energies OneTech, Air Products and Chart Industries.

The project aims to address specific safety issues associated with bunkering of liquid hydrogen to inform future standardization and safety regulations.

Launching the first phase of HySOON is a significant step towards improving liquid hydrogen safety. While its use in industrial and space settings is well understood, adapting this technology for everyday environments presents unique challenges. Our goal is to address critical knowledge gaps and establish the foundation for global safety standards. For hydrogen technologies to reach their full potential, they must scale safely and sustainably – and that is precisely what this project aims to contribute to. Professor Jennifer Wen, Professor in Energy Resilience, Head of Fire and Explosion Modelling Group (FMEG), Programme Lead for Energy and Environment at Institute for Sustainability

Phase 1 of HySOON will involve large-scale experiments at DNV's Spadeadam Facility to study the impact of fire attacks on liquid hydrogen tanks. These tests will use both newly constructed and repurposed liquid hydrogen tanks. Additionally, small-scale tests will be conducted by INERIS in France, with theoretical and numerical analysis to be carried out by researchers at Surrey.

Alongside HySOON, Professor Wen’s team is also tackling safety related to ammonia spills at sea, in a bay or port. Ammonia is a promising cleaner marine fuel and hydrogen carrier, but it is highly toxic. With funding from the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC) through the UK-HyRES Hub, Professor Wen’s team, working with BP and Lloyd’s Register of Shipping, will use both computational fluid dynamics and finite element techniques to analyze the consequences of potential ammonia spill due to ship collision, grounding or bunkering accidents; and evaluate the effectiveness of mitigation measures to control the hazardous impact of ammonia releases.

Currently, 20 million tonnes of ammonia is transported by sea annually – a figure that will only rise over the coming years. And the reality is that new bunkering facilities at ports, including those in populated areas, bring heightened risks. Our Ammonia Release Safety Modelling will look to help industry and regulators define hazardous zones around ammonia bunkering facilities and inform the development of safety standards and codes. Professor Jennifer Wen

To learn more about Professor Wen's project, please contact mediarelations@surrey.ac.uk