Analysis of the performance of cryogenic hydrogen storage equipment exposed to fire

Hydrogen has recently attracted attention as one of the most promising carbon-free alternatives to hydrocarbon-based fuels. However, safety concerns on its utilization, primarily due to its high flammability, make the development of the hydrogen economy challenging. As part of the PhD research, safety-related aspects relevant for the hydrogen supply chain were investigated. First, a risk-based comparison of hydrogen storage alternatives with technologies in use for conventional fossil fuels was performed to identify the inherently safer solution. Building on the best option, the following research focused on cryogenic liquid hydrogen. The state-of-the-art of the technology, along with the existing knowledge gaps and bottlenecks, was defined through a literature review. In addition, a quantitative consequence assessment was performed to evaluate the impact of accidents involving large-scale liquid hydrogen facilities. Well-established and validated tools were employed throughout the research as a foundation for further developments. Building upon this existing framework, the PhD research systematically adapted and specialised established methodologies to hydrogen storage applications, capturing key safety- and performance-relevant aspects specific to these cases. In parallel, it introduced novel assessment approaches that enhance the quality, robustness, and versatility of the available tools, ensuring that evaluations are not limited to conventional methods. The newly proposed approaches were validated against experimental data, demonstrating their predictive capabilities and accuracy. By integrating these adapted and newly developed approaches within a structured, multidisciplinary framework, the research advances the state-of the-art of mathematical modelling for hydrogen technologies and enables robust evaluation of hydrogen systems in the context of a renewable-driven energy transition. Overall, this PhD work fills existing knowledge gaps in hydrogen safety while providing scientifically grounded, engineering-relevant tools to support informed decision-making in the development and deployment of hydrogen-based technologies.