Hydrogen leakage detection

Hydrogen has a very broad flammability range – 4-74% concentration in air. Leakage detection technologies are thus critical to guarantee safety, as well as to mitigate any possible impacts on climate change (the GWP₁₀₀ is 11 and GWP₂₀ is 33, respectively ¹⁵ (Ocko and Hamburg, 2022). Despite both safety and environmental effects, sensor technologies are not at the maturity level that a hydrogen economy would require. New generations of leak detection sensors should be developed and researchers would do well to explore solutions based on acoustic, laser scanning, optical fibre sensors, infrared if a natural gas/hydrogen (NG/H₂) mix considered, odourised molecules or strain gauge. Innovations should also focus on improving the existing solution regarding measuring range, tolerance, temperature and pressure ranges or response times.

Effective monitoring and control of possible hydrogen leakages across the entire value chain will, in the first place, lower the cost of hydrogen served at consumption hubs. Equally important, it will raise user confidence. Last, growing the knowledge on leakages and hydrogen losses will also help improve equipment like pipes, valves, compression units and so on.