Hydrogen Safety, Codes, and Standards

Sandia’s hydrogen safety, codes, and standards research program develops the technical data and scientific understanding necessary to offer science-based improvements to the codes and standards that define the safe use of hydrogen. These codes and standards are critical for the broader use and deployment of hydrogen.

Hydrogen station illustration

Our research includes the study of behaviors and characteristics of a hydrogen release, including dispersion, accumulation, ignition, flame radiation, and overpressure. The team develops models to describe these phenomena and generates high-fidelity data that can be used to validate and verify these models. These models and data are, in turn, combined with quantitative risk assessment methodologies to develop the HyRAM+ software tool that supports DOE’s larger Hydrogen Safety, Codes, and Standards Program. Our research also works to improve the understanding of hydrogen effects on materials and applies that understanding to assess design implications of hydrogen infrastructure, develop and assess test methodologies for fracture and fatigue testing of materials in hydrogen environments, and develop selection criteria and requirements for relevant codes and standards.

Brian Ehrhart

(505) 284-4906

bdehrha@sandia.gov

Gabriela Bran Anleu, Christina Felipe, Myra Blaylock, Chris LaFleur. Heat Transfer Through a Passive Fire Protective Board from an Impinging Hydrogen Flame. SAND2024-05484, May 2024.
Brian D. Ehrhart, Ethan S. Hecht, and Benjamin B. Schroeder. Technical Justifications for Liquid Hydrogen Exposure Distances. SAND2023-12548, February 2023.
Austin M. Glover, Jeffrey T. Mohr, and Austin R. Baird. Codes and Standards Assessment for Hydrogen Blends into the Natural Gas Infrastructure. SAND2021-12478, October 2021.
Austin R. Baird, Austin M. Glover, and Brian D. Ehrhart. Review of Release Behavior of Hydrogen & Natural Gas Blends from Pipelines. SAND2021-9802, August 2021.
Austin R. Baird, Brian D. Ehrhart, Austin M. Glover, and Chris B. LaFleur. Federal Oversight of Hydrogen Systems. SAND2021-2955, March 2021.
thumbail report cover Austin M. Glover, Austin R. Baird, and Chris B. LaFleur. Hydrogen Fuel Cell Vehicles in Tunnels. SAND2020-4507 R, April 2020.
report cover thumbnail Chris B. LaFleur, Austin M. Glover, Austin R. Baird, Cyrus J. Jordan, and Brian D. Ehrhart. Alternative Fuel Vehicles in Tunnels. SAND2020-5466, May 2020.
graphic thumbail Jeffrey LaChance, William Houf, Bobby Middleton, and Larry Fluer. Analyses to Support Development of Risk-Informed Separation Distances for Hydrogen Codes and Standards. SAND2009-0874, March 2009.