Investigation of Hydrogen Dispersion Characteristics with Liquid Helium Spills

Abstract

Liquid hydrogen is an important way for hydrogen energy storage and transportation in the future. However, the safety issue should be a concern because it will quickly form a low- temperature, flammable and explosive vapor cloud when liquid hydrogen leaks. A new liquid helium spill experiment method was used to predict the dispersion characteristics of liquid hydrogen in confined space at this work. The concentration cloud and the infrared cloud images near the liquid helium pool were obtained at the same time. Results show it is a safe and reliable way to study the leakage and diffusion characteristics of liquid hydrogen instead of liquid helium. After the liquid helium leaks and diffuses, a white cloud cluster will quickly form, and the vapor cloud cluster has a clear temperature boundary observed by infrared thermal imaging equipment. The concentration decay rate of the helium concentration near the leakage port along the vertical height is less than the concentration decay rate of the horizontal distance, which are 0.098%/mm and 0.118%/mm, respectively. The research results have certain technical guidance for the application and safety protection of liquid hydrogen.