Source Term Estimation and Consequence Analysis of Hydrogen Leakages in Hydrogen Related Industrial Processes and Community Facilities

Hydrogen plays a crucial role as both a fuel source and a component in numerous industrial sectors and community facilities. However, it is a highly flammable gas, and even minor leakages can result in fires or explosions with catastrophic consequences. While technologies exist to detect hydrogen leaks, current systems lack the capability to simultaneously and in real time identify the location and severity of leaks, predict their evolution, and assess associated risks and consequences. These advanced tasks, known as Source Term Estimation (STE) and Consequence Analysis, are essential for proactive risk management. They enable faster, more informed responses to reduce the likelihood of explosions and fires, mitigate injury and loss of life, and minimize manufacturing downtime and operational disruptions. To address this critical gap, the proposed project aims to establish long-term, international collaborations among researchers in the UK, Europe, China, and the USA. The consortium brings together experts in data and systems science, artificial intelligence (AI), computational fluid dynamics (CFD), hydrogen energy, and hydrogen safety. The project will involve cross-disciplinary and cross-sector research through structured researcher secondments and knowledge transfer activities. Novel AI-driven and data and system science-based methods will be developed to enable real-time STE and consequence analysis. Experimental and field studies will be conducted to validate these methods and demonstrate their practical relevance and industrial impact. The outcomes of this initiative are expected to overcome the limitations of existing technologies and offer scalable solutions for real-time hydrogen leakage analysis across a wide range of industrial and community applications