TY - CONF A1 - Scarponi, G. T1 - Modelling the response of LH2 tanks equipment with Multi Layer Insulation to fire exposure N2 - Hydrogen is among the most promising candidates to replace fossil fuels in the energy transition. Hydrogen-powered vehicles are already a reality, and their number is foreseen to increase considerably in the next decade. Among the possible solutions to store hydrogen in such vehicles, cryogenic tanks equipped with multi-layer insulation (MLI) appear to be one of the most effective to ensure high volumetric energy density. A potential loss of integrity of this kind of storage equipment might lead to severe consequences due to high flammability of hydrogen. This might occur, for instance, as a consequence of the exposure to an external source of heat such as a fire following a car accident. Real scale fire test results suggest that the super insulating performance of MLI systems may undergo severe degradation when this is subjected to high temperature, leaving the tank almost unprotected and leading to failure in a relatively short time. Characterizing this kind of accident scenario is crucial to ensure a safe design of storage tanks for Hydrogen-powered vehicles. This presentation provides an overview of the ongoing research work on modelling MLI LH2 tanks exposed to fire. Lumped and computational fluid dynamic based models are presented, highlighting current gaps. The relevance of taking MLI degradation into account when simulating the pressure increase due to external fire exposure is here demonstrated through the analysis case studies. T2 - H2-Kolloquium CY - Online meeting DA - 21.06.2023 KW - LH2 KW - Cold KW - MLI PY - 2023 AN - OPUS4-57878 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Eberwein, Robert A1 - Heßmann, Jennifer A1 - Werner, Jan A1 - Scarponi, Giordano Emrys A1 - Cozzani, Valerio A1 - Otremba, Frank T1 - Investigation of realistic fire scenarios involving cryogenic storage tanks N2 - The number of vehicles using or transporting cryogenic fuels such as Liquefied Hydrogen (LH2) or Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) increases fast in the land transportation sector. Does this also entail new risks for instance from a BLEVE? A key to answer this question is to research representative fires by its characterization and its effect on the insulation. At BAM’s technical test side in Germany, a test series was started to answer this question among others. This paper presents results on a pool fire under a colorimeter, that simulates a tank. The investigation points out, that the full fire characterization approach allows to represent the fire. The findings are relevant for the investigation of a representative design fire that is applicable for the approval and improvement of tanks as well as to research accident scenarios and their consequences. T2 - 18th EFCE International Symposium on Loss Prevention and Safety Promotion in the Process Industries CY - Bologna, Italy DA - 08.06.2025 KW - LH2 KW - Insulation KW - Fire KW - Liquefied Natural Gas KW - Safety PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-63425 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Otremba, Frank T1 - Systems with Cryogenic Liquefied Gases in Fire Incidents N2 - Liquefied Hydrogen (LH2) or Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) establish themselves as important energy carriers in the transport sector. Its storage requires tanks with Thermal Super Insulations (TSI) to keep the transported fluid cold. TSI has proven itself in various applications over a long time, but not in the land transport sector, where accidents involving collisions, fires, and their combination are to be expected. The focus of this study is to investigate the behavior of different types of TSI when exposed to a heat source that represents a fire. Therefore, a High- Temperature Thermal Vacuum Chamber (HTTVC) was used that allows the thermal loading of thermal insulation material in a vacuum and measuring the heat flow through the TSI in parallel. Within this study, 5 samples were tested regarding 3 different types of MLI, rock wool, and perlites. The thermal exposure caused different effects on the samples. In practice, this can be connected to the rapid release of flammable gases as well as a Boiling Liquid Expanding Vapour Explosion (BLEVE). These results are relevant for the evaluation of accident scenarios, the improvement of TSI, and the development of emergency measures. T2 - IMECE 2023 CY - New Orleans, Louisiana, USA DA - 29.10.2023 KW - LH2 KW - LNG KW - Fire PY - 2023 AN - OPUS4-58769 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Eberwein, Robert T1 - Energy Transportation and Storage with Liquid Hydrogen N2 - Hydrogen is seen as a potential energy source that enables us to achieve our climate targets. Hydrogen can be well integrated into the electrical energy infrastructure, and its production and use is free of direct GHG emissions. However, tanks are needed for worldwide storage and transportation, which require further development and upscaling. In the EU-funded NICOLHy project, novel insulation concepts based on Vacuum Insulation Panels (VIP) are being investigated. These aim to enable the safe, cost- and energy-efficient storage of large quantities of LH₂. Such large-scale LH₂ storage technology is necessary to build transport and stationary tanks with capacities ranging from 40,000 m³ to more than 200,000 m³ of LH₂, similar to current LNG applications. However, new design concepts are needed, as the technologies currently used for small and medium-sized storage are not suitable for upscaling. The main disadvantages of the current state of the art in terms of upscaling are long production times due to complex process chains, low failure tolerance, and the spherical shape of the tanks, which reduces payload in technical applications by up to 50% compared to other geometries. The novel concept aims to overcome these limitations by being modular, open-form, energy-efficient, time- and cost-efficient in production, operation, and maintenance, safe while being multi-failure tolerant, and suitable for both transport and stationary applications. To achieve these ambitious objectives, experts from all over Europe in the fields of thermodynamics, cryogenics, marine, chemistry, process, and safety engineering are working hand in hand. Within the NICOLHy project, several insulation concepts have been developed and will be benchmarked using a set of key performance indicators aligned with the overall project goals. During the development process, refined and detailed research questions were formulated, which are being addressed through ongoing theoretical and experimental studies. In this context, small to large-scale test rigs are being built to evaluate and quantify insulation materials and concepts. The presentation will showcase the NICOLHy project and its progress. NICOLHy will contribute to accelerating the integration of hydrogen into the European energy economy and industry—supporting the European Green Deal and fostering public trust in both policy and technology. T2 - Hydrogen Research and Innovation Days CY - Brussels, Belgium DA - 24.11.2025 KW - LH2 KW - Insulation PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-64829 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Eberwein, Robert A1 - Ustolin, Federico A1 - Zervaki, Anna A1 - Okpeke, Bright A1 - Harwege, Finn A1 - Tugnoli, Alessandro T1 - NICOLHy - 3rd Stakeholder Advisory Board meeting N2 - The NICOLHy project aims to develop a novel insulation concept based on Vacuum Insulation Panels (VIP) that enables the safe, cost- and energy efficient storage of large quantities of LH2. Such large scale LH2 storage technology is necessary for establishing a hydrogen economy with dimensions between 40.000 m³ and more than 200.000 m³ of LH2. However, new design concepts are needed because the currently available technologies used in small and medium storages today are not suitable for up-scaling. The main problems prohibiting the up-scaling are the long production time due to the process chain, the low failure tolerance and the spherical shape, which reduces the payload in technical applications by up to 50% compared to other shapes. The novel concept will change these conditions by a system which is modular, open-form, time-and cost efficient while production, operation and service, multi-failure tolerant and applicable for onshore and offshore applications. The presentations shows details to the concept and presents several safety concerns the project has to deal with. T2 - NICOLHy 3rd Stakeholder Meeting CY - Online meeting DA - 27.06.2025 KW - LH2 KW - Insulation KW - Tanks PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-63730 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Askar, Enis T1 - Stand der Kenntnisse und Technik bzgl. Wasserstoffsicherheit N2 - In dem Vortrag werden die aktuellen Herausforderungen für die Sicherheit von Wasserstofftechnologien skizziert, die sicherheitstechnischen Eigenschaften und physikalischen Eigenschaften von Wasserstoff im Vergleich zu anderen Energieträgern vorgestellt sowie Gefahren spezifisch im Zusammenhang mit Flüssigwasserstoff aufgezeigt. Im zweiten Teil wird ein kurzer Überblick über Regelwerke gegeben und typische Unfallszenarien anhand eines Fallbeispiels illustriert. Abschließend werden die von nationalen und internationalen Expertengruppen identifizierten Forschungslücken zusammengefasst und es wird auf relevante Datenbanken und Portale zur Wasserstoffsicherheit verwiesen. T2 - DVGW-Kongress H₂ Sicherheit CY - Online meeting DA - 26.11.2025 KW - Explosionsschutz KW - LH2 KW - Regelwerke KW - Unfallszenarien KW - Forschungsbedarfe PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-64865 LA - deu AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Askar, Enis A1 - Holtappels, Kai T1 - Fire and explosion safety for hydrogen technologies N2 - The presentation gives an overview about the research and testing activities of H2Safety@bam in the field of process and plant safety. T2 - HYDROGENIUS BAM Joint Hydrogen Symposium CY - Online meeting DA - 06.07.2021 KW - Explosion protection KW - LH2 KW - Jet-fires KW - Test area PY - 2021 AN - OPUS4-53720 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Eberwein, Robert A1 - Ustolin, Federico A1 - Zervaki, Anna A1 - Okpeke, Bright A1 - Harwege, Finn A1 - Tugnoli, Alessandro T1 - NICOLHy - 4th Stakeholder Advisory Board Meeting N2 - The NICOLHy project aims to develop a novel insulation concept based on Vacuum Insulation Panels (VIP) that enables the safe, cost- and energy efficient storage of large quantities of LH2. Such large scale LH2 storage technology is necessary for establishing a hydrogen economy with dimensions between 40.000 m³ and more than 200.000 m³ of LH2. However, new design concepts are needed because the currently available technologies used in small and medium storages today are not suitable for up-scaling. The main problems prohibiting the up-scaling are the long production time due to the process chain, the low failure tolerance and the spherical shape, which reduces the payload in technical applications by up to 50% compared to other shapes. The novel concept will change these conditions by a system which is modular, open-form, time-and cost efficient while production, operation and service, multi-failure tolerant and applicable for onshore and offshore applications. The presentations shows details to the concept and presents several safety concerns the project has to deal with. T2 - NICOLHy 4th Stakeholder Advisory Board Meeting CY - Hamburg, Germany DA - 23.01.2026 KW - LH2 KW - Insulation KW - Life cycle assessment KW - Tank PY - 2026 AN - OPUS4-65437 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Eberwein, Robert T1 - NICHOLHy - Novel insulation concepts for liquefied hydrogen storage tanks N2 - Liquefied Hydrogen is a promising energy carrier for the flexible import of energy to Europe. But, tanks in the relevant scale of 40 000 to 200 000 m³ do not exist yet. The upscaling of liquid hydrogen (LH2) storage tanks from the current largest tank of 4700 m³ requires a new concept for thermal insulation. NICOLHy studies novel concepts based on multiple layers of vacuum insulation panels (VIPs). Current LH2 tanks rely on the intactness of a single vacuum layer that covers the whole tank. The multilayered VIP systems offer redundancy and improve manufacturability. The Article describes the progress within the project. KW - LH2 KW - Insulation KW - Tanks PY - 2026 UR - https://www.europeanenergyinnovation.eu/content/files/2025/12/EEI-Magazine---Winter-2025-Digital-Version-Spreads-2.pdf SN - 3049-5431 VL - 2026/1 SP - 33 EP - 33 PB - Pantograf Media Ltd. CY - London AN - OPUS4-65481 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Schiaroli, Alice A1 - Camplese, Davide A1 - Scarponi, Giordano Emrys A1 - Eberwein, Robert A1 - Ustolin, Federico A1 - Cozzani, Valerio T1 - Modelling the behaviour of cryogenic liquid hydrogen tanks engulfed in fire N2 - The safe use of liquid hydrogen as a clean fuel requires a deep understanding of its behaviour in accident scenarios. Among other scenarios, the possible involvement of cryogenic liquid hydrogen tanks in engulfing fires is of particular concern, due to the potentially severe consequences. This study proposes a computational fluid dynamic model suitable to simulate the behaviour of liquid hydrogen tanks equipped with multi-layer insulation (MLI) engulfed in fire. An original approach has been developed to assess the progressive degradation of the performance of the thermal insulation, that is crucial in determining the tank pressurization and failure. The model is validated against full-scale experimental fire tests. The outcomes of the model reproduce the progressive pressurization and the opening time of the pressure relief valve within 2 % error. The results demonstrate the importance of accounting for the dynamic evolution of the progressive degradation of the insulation when evaluating tank pressurization, and they highlight the limitations of empirical, simplified state-of-the-art approaches. Furthermore, the analysis evidences the key role of the fire temperature in governing tank response, stressing the need for proper fire characterization to support reliable modelling of fire scenarios and the development of emergency planning and mitigation strategies ensuring the structural integrity of liquid hydrogen tanks during fire attacks. KW - LH2 KW - LNG KW - Fire KW - Tank PY - 2026 UR - https://nbn-resolving.org/urn:nbn:de:kobv:b43-652920 DO - https://doi.org/10.1016/j.psep.2025.108319 SN - 0957-5820 VL - 206 SP - 1 EP - 14 PB - Elsevier Ltd. AN - OPUS4-65292 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Eberwein, Robert T1 - Systems With Cryogenic Liquefied Gases In Fire-Incidents N2 - The volumetric energy density of a gas can be increased by liquefaction, which occurs when the gas is cooled below the saturation point. Liquefied gases of great importance to the energy transition are Liquefied Hydrogen (LH2) and Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG), which can be liquefied at temperatures below 160°C. Systems for storing these gases typically must be overpressure resistant and require thermal super insulations (TSI) to hold cryogenic conditions and minimize boil-off losses from evaporation. TSI with vacuum and MLI or perlites are suitable for many applications involving LNG and LH2. Such systems are typically double-walled structures where the inner wall is in contact with the cryogenic liquefied gas. MLI or perlites are located in the gap between the inner and the outer wall, that is kept under vacuum conditions. This combination of insulations strongly reduces the heat transfer between the environment and the cryogenic liquefied gas. From an economic point of view the systems are well sophisticated. However, knowledge of the behavior of this kind of systems in a typical event such as a fire is limited, but necessary to evaluate the safety of the increasing number of applications. The objective of the research is to determine how TSI behaves at different fire temperatures during fire exposure and afterwards. Special attention is paid to changes in the heat flux, the material properties and vacuum state over time. For this purpose, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) studies have been carried out. In addition, a test rig was developed that allows testing of TSI at temperatures up to 1000°C under realistic integration conditions and subsequent analysis of the TSI samples. In the test rig the double-wall with vacuum and MLI or perlites inside is simulated. The fire conditions are simulated on one side of the double-wall by adjustable electrical heating elements. This process allows the implementation of repeatable heat flows of up to 100 kW/m². On the other side of the double-wall, cold or cryogenic conditions are simulated with a heat exchanger through which water or the vapor of liquid nitrogen (approx. -196°C) flows. The heat exchanger is also used to determine the heat flux through the double-wall. Thus, the test rig allows thermal loading and performance analysis of TSI samples at the same time. Compared to tests with real cryogenic systems, tests with this experimental setup have the advantage that, first, the instrumentation is easier to realize, and a higher repeatability is ensured. Second, the local heat flow can be determined over time, and the sample of a TSI can be taken non-destructively and thus analyzed. Third, the tests are less risky as well as time+ and material intensive, so that more tests and variants can be investigated with the same budget. Preliminary results obtained considering several types of MLI under vacuum show that all observed typs of MLI can be damaged under strong thermal loading. The damages observed were outgassing, melting, shrinkage, cracking, lump formation, and concomitant local loss of the MLI's function as a radiation shield. However, the study also shows that a damage does not always have an extreme effect on the insulating performance. T2 - IMECE2022 CY - Columbus, Ohio, USA DA - 30.10.2022 KW - LH2 KW - LNG KW - Safety KW - Insulation KW - Tank PY - 2022 AN - OPUS4-56445 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Holtappels, Kai T1 - Safety Aspects for Hydrogen Technologies - H2Safety@BAM N2 - Hydrogen is a central component of the energy transition and the European Green Deal for a climate-neutral Europe. To be able to achieve the targets defined by 2045, the EU and the German government have drafted a framework for action and are making long-term investments in research, development and the rapid implementation of innovative hydrogen technologies. The conditions for a successful energy transition and the economic use of green hydrogen as a clean energy carrier are Hydrogen readiness and a rapid market ramp-up, as well as the establishment of the necessary value chains in the national and European framework. Reliable quality and safety standards are the prerequisite for ensuring safety of supply and environmental compatibility and for creating trust in these technologies. BAM has bundled its expertise in the field of hydrogen technologies into a competence center H2Safety@BAM to create confidence in the technology and to support the hydrogen strategies of the German government and the EU. The topic of hydrogen has been current at BAM for more than one hundred years and is also currently the focus of numerous research and cooperation activities. The competence centre H2Safety@BAM and its vision of “We build trust in hydrogen technologies” will be presented with its many safety-related topics, which can be found throughout the entire hydrogen value chain. Two deep dives will present the results on projects dealing with the design-to-cost issue of classical pressurized gas storage containments and the consequences of the release of liquid hydrogen, which will be roughly compared to the release of ammonia. T2 - 25. Kalorimetrietage CY - Braunschweig, Germany DA - 31.05.2023 KW - H2Safety@BAM KW - Safety KW - Hydrogen KW - Gas cylinders KW - DELFIN KW - LH2 KW - Hydrogen release KW - Rapid phase transition KW - Consequences KW - Cyro storage tanks PY - 2023 AN - OPUS4-57629 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - CONF A1 - Camplese, Davide T1 - Safety assessment of MLI super-insulation systems for cryogenic liquid-hydrogen tanks in fire scenarios N2 - In the context of green energy transition, cryogenic tanks featuring MLI systems are emerging as a leading solution to store hydrogen in heavy-duty vehicles. However, the integrity of such tanks can be jeopardized by fire. In such a scenario, MLI materials degradation can occur, leaving the tank unprotected from the fire heat flux, with consequent rapid pressurization and a high risk of failure. This study presents an assessment of aluminum-based MLI for liquid hydrogen cryogenic tanks under fire exposure based on the estimation of the time to mechanical failure of the equipment. This is calculated through an innovative model that simulates the thermomechanical response of the tank, including the MLI thermal degradation and the pressure-relief valve (PRV) operation. The application to several case studies that consider a typical LH2 tank featuring a wide range of MLI configurations demonstrated the likelihood of failure in case of exposure to a hydrocarbon pool fire, providing also comprehensive insights into the impact of the insulation characteristics and operating conditions on the time to failure. T2 - 18th EFCE International Symposium on Loss Prevention and Safety Promotion in the Process Industries CY - Bologna, Italy DA - 08.06.2025 KW - LH2 KW - Insulation KW - Tanks KW - Fire KW - LNG PY - 2025 AN - OPUS4-63427 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER - TY - JOUR A1 - Camplese, Davide A1 - Scarponi, Giordano Emrys A1 - Eberwein, Robert A1 - Hajhariri, Aliasghar A1 - Otremba, Frank A1 - Cozzani, Valerio T1 - Modelling Fire Response of Cryogenic Liquid Hydrogen Tanks Equipped with Multilayer Insulation (MLI) Systems N2 - In the context of the growing global interest in hydrogen-based green energy, cryogenic tanks equipped with multi-layer insulation (MLI) are emerging as a leading solution for storing hydrogen in vehicles. The integrity of these systems might be threatened during fire exposure. This can trigger the degradation of the MLI materials and induce rapid pressurization of the tank with a high risk of catastrophic failure. In this work, a novel lumped model to simulate the thermal response of MLI-equipped cryogenic liquid hydrogen tanks is presented. The model integrates the accurate database “Coolprop” for hydrogen thermodynamic properties and sub-models for detailed simulation of MLI degradation, providing a realistic simulation of the experimental data obtained under normal operating conditions. The application of the model to several case studies considering different numbers of MLI layers and tank geometries demonstrates that aluminum-based MLI offers scarce protection in case of exposure to a hydrocarbon poolfire. T2 - CISAP 11 CY - Neapel, Italy DA - 15.09.2024 KW - LH2 KW - LNG KW - Cryogenic storage tank KW - Insulation KW - MLI PY - 2024 DO - https://doi.org/10.3303/CET24111076 SN - 2283-9216 VL - 111 SP - 451 EP - 456 PB - AIDIC The Italian Association of Chemical Engineering AN - OPUS4-61384 LA - eng AD - Bundesanstalt fuer Materialforschung und -pruefung (BAM), Berlin, Germany ER -