Hydrogen release from a high pressure gaseous hydrogen reservoir in case of a small leak

The dynamic blow-down process of a high pressure gaseous hydrogen (GH2) reservoir in case of a small leak is a complex process involving a chain of distinct flow regimes and gas states. This paper presents models to predict the hydrogen concentration and velocity field in the vicinity of a postulated small leak. An isentropic expansion model with a real gas equation of state for normal hydrogen is used to calculate the time dependent gas state in the reservoir and at the leak. The subsequent gas expansion to 0.1 MPa is predicted with a zero-dimensional model. The gas conditions after expansion serve as input to a newly developed integral model for a round free turbulent H2-jet into ambient air. Predictions are made for the blow-down of hydrogen reservoirs with 10, 30 and 100 MPa initial pressure. A normalized hydrogen concentration field in the free jet is presented which allows for a given leak scenario the prediction of the axial and radial range of flammable H2–air mixtures.