Safety of using ammonia in for the hydrogen economy

There is a growing focus on hydrogen technologies and the role they likely to have in the development of the future low-carbon economy.

The experience accumulated with use of ammonia in industries and its transportation around the globe offers practical, cost-effective means for storage and transport of large quantities of hydrogen compared to compressed gaseous or liquid forms. Ammonia is characterised by its liquid state at ambient conditions, high volumetric and gravimetric energy density.

There is a substantial track record and experience on the inherently safer use of ammonia in the industrial environment as it is widely utilised in chemical processing, food production, as an agricultural fertiliser, etc.

Emerging of ammonia in a different capacity, i.e. as hydrogen carrier, calls for a reassessment of hazards and associated risks it presents to life, property and environment.

This PhD project aims to develop scientifically underpinned safety strategies and engineering solutions for handling large quantities of ammonia used as hydrogen carrier during transport and storage onboard and using relevant infrastructure.

The project will review hazards, including toxicity effects, existing prevention and mitigation safety strategies when dealing safely with ammonia.

New practices associated with extended use of ammonia for hydrogen economy will be investigated, scenarios of unscheduled ammonia release in enclosures and the open atmosphere will be identified and prioritised.

The research outcomes are expected in the form of recommendations for inherently safer use of ammonia for hydrogen applications and may include, e.g. requirements to ventilation in enclosures where ammonia is handled, strategy for the choice of ammonia piping and pumping pressures, a methodology to define hazard distances for different release scenarios in the open atmosphere, others.

It is envisaged that the research will rely on the use of Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) to study the propagation of ammonia cloud following its accidental discharge and evaporation, the build-up of ammonia concentration and its effect on exposed people.

The successful candidate is expected to have a strong background in one of the following disciplines, mathematics, physics, chemistry, fluid dynamics, heat and mass transfer, combustion. Any previous experience of theoretical analysis and or numerical studies is welcome. The research will be conducted at the HySAFER Centre.