Risk Assessment Method Combining Independent Protection Layers (IPL) of Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA) and RISKCURVES Software: Case Study of Hydrogen Refueling Stations in Urban Areas

Byoungjik Park, Yangkyun Kim, Kwanwoo Lee, Shinwon Paik and Chankyu Kang
Additional contact information
Byoungjik Park: Fire Research Institute, Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology, Goyang-si 18544, Gyeonggi-do, Korea
Yangkyun Kim: Fire Research Institute, Korea Institute of Civil Engineering and Building Technology, Goyang-si 18544, Gyeonggi-do, Korea
Kwanwoo Lee: School of Social Safety System Engineering, Hankyong National University, Anseong 17579, Gyeonggi-do, Korea
Shinwon Paik: School of Social Safety System Engineering, Hankyong National University, Anseong 17579, Gyeonggi-do, Korea
Chankyu Kang: School of Social Safety System Engineering, Hankyong National University, Anseong 17579, Gyeonggi-do, Korea

Energies, 2021, vol. 14, issue 13, 1-13

Abstract: The commercialization of eco-friendly hydrogen vehicles has elicited attempts to expand hydrogen refueling stations in urban areas; however, safety measures to reduce the risk of jet fires have not been established. The RISKCURVES software was used to evaluate the individual and societal risks of hydrogen refueling stations in urban areas, and the F–N (Frequency–Number of fatalities) curve was used to compare whether the safety measures satisfied international standards. From the results of the analysis, it was found that there is a risk of explosion in the expansion of hydrogen refueling stations in urban areas, and safety measures should be considered. To lower the risk of hydrogen refueling stations, this study applied the passive and active independent protection layers (IPLs) of LOPA (Layer of Protection Analysis) and confirmed that these measures significantly reduced societal risk as well as individual risk and met international standards. In particular, such measures could effectively reduce the impact of jet fire in dispensers and tube trailers that had a high risk. Measures employing both IPL types were efficient in meeting international standard criteria; however, passive IPLs were found to have a greater risk reduction effect than active IPLs. The combination of RISKCURVES and LOPA is an appropriate risk assessment method that can reduce work time and mitigate risks through protective measures compared to existing risk assessment methods. This method can be applied to risk assessment and risk mitigation not only for hydrogen facilities, but also for hazardous materials with high fire or explosion risk.

Keywords: hydrogen; individual risk; societal risk; F–N curve; IPLs (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q Q0 Q4 Q40 Q41 Q42 Q43 Q47 Q48 Q49 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/13/4043/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/14/13/4043/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jeners:v:14:y:2021:i:13:p:4043-:d:588629

Access Statistics for this article

Energies is currently edited by Ms. Agatha Cao

More articles in Energies from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().