Operating parameters at hydrogen leak from a metal hydride container applied in automotive industry and pressure effects of an explosion on the environment

Abstract The present article deals with the effects of hydrogen on the environment within the context of fuels currently used in the automotive industry. The focus of the article is the storage of hydrogen in standard pressure vessels as compared to metal hydride containers. It points out the slow kinetics of hydrogen desorption during a hydrogen leak from a container when a half of the volume is released within a rather long period of time as compared to pressure vessels. Despite the thermal input of Peltier thermopiles used for heating the container, at rapid hydrogen leakage the metal hydride material cools down and this affects the self-regulation of the volume flow rate. The article describes the investigation of the container operating parameters (temperature field, pressure, flow rate, thermal input) during a rapid release of hydrogen with subsequent analysis of pressure effects on the obstacles located in the surrounding environment during an undesired hydrogen explosion. The concluding part of the article explains the mathematical relationship between the pressure of the shock wave and the distance between the obstacle and the centre of the explosion.