Hydrogen and Battery Locomotive Risk Assessment -Companion Report
- Language of the publication
- English
- Date
- 2024-11-21
- Type
- Consultant report
- Author(s)
- Stephanie Girard
- Manuel Hernandez
- Isabella Jimenez
- Publisher
- National Research Council Canada
Alternative title
Évaluation des risques liés à l'hydrogène et aux locomotives à batterie - Rapport d'accompagnement
Abstract
This report presents a comprehensive risk assessment of a reference hydrogen and battery-powered locomotive, systematically analyzing its systems, sub-systems, and components to identify and quantify potential risks. The assessment covers key areas, including the automatic safety system, fuel cell system (FCS), battery system, control units, thermal management, onboard fuel supply, and ground-based fuel dispensing equipment. By evaluating various modes of operation (e.g., accelerating, braking) and exposure to railway-specific stresses (e.g., shock, vibration), the authors identify six principal risk categories: combustible hydrogen-air mixtures, battery thermal runaway, high voltage, over-temperature, enclosed spaces, and environmental exposure. A qualitative risk analysis classifies most instances (498) as low risk, with only three identified as medium risk, primarily involving hydrogen tank rupture scenarios or thermal pressure relief device (TPRD) failures. The report recommends further rail application-specific assessments (e.g., tunnel operations, maintenance activities) and emphasizes the need for periodic updates to reflect new technologies, field failures, and evolving operational scenarios.
Description
This report presents a comprehensive risk assessment of a reference hydrogen and battery-powered locomotive, systematically analyzing its systems, sub-systems, and components to identify and quantify potential risks.
Subject
- Rail transport,
- Trains,
- Energy technology,
- Emission control technology,
- Transportation safety
Keywords
- Rail,
- Transportation,
- Battery,
- Train,
- Enclosed space,
- Hydrogen,
- Locomotive,
- Risk,
- Decarbonization,
- GHG emissions,
- Zero-emission,
- Low-carbon
Rights
Pagination
1-51
Peer review
Internal Review
Open access level
Green
Identifiers
- Government document number
- 1TJC06XY54SB-1102879366-1957
- Organization
- National Research Council Canada
- Other
- AST-2024-0033
Report
Relation
- Is related to:
- https://open-science.canada.ca/handle/123456789/3692
Citation(s)
Girard, S., Hernandez, M., Jimenez, I. (2024). Technical Report Hydrogen and Battery Locomotive Risk Assessment – Companion Report. National Research Council Canada.