Navigating ammonia risks: Improved modelling for a decarbonized future

Ammonia, as a hydrogen carrier or as a marine fuel, will be a key material in the decarbonization of the energy sector. Although ammonia production and transport are mature industries, new applications and greatly increased volumes will pose challenges for risk management. Ammonia is toxic and flammable – unlike most fuels it is toxic at very low concentrations, but reactive with water.

During the webinar, our experts looked at how Phast and Safeti can be used to model the risks associated with an ammonia feed pipeline rupture and an explosion of stored ammonium nitrate.

The webinar covered the following topics:

• Ammonia release: flammable and toxic effects
• Pipeline release modelling: including significant recent improvements relevant to ammonia
• Dispersion modelling: ammonia validation for pressure liquified and refrigerated ammonia. The effect of surface roughness, averaging time, ammonia dissolution and reaction with water
• Solid explosion models: a new addition in Phast and Safeti 9.1, this is used to model the explosion of stored ammonium nitrate
• Risk: new IRPA and FN/km measures, as well as conventional individual and societal risk measures
• Advanced ammonia effect modelling: overview of KFX capabilities and the use of Phast CFD add-on results to enhance risk analysis in Safeti

Presenters:

• Michael Harper, Senior Principal Mathematical Modeller, Digital Solutions at DNV
• Ade Oke, Senior Principal Mathematical Modeller, Digital Solutions at DNV
• Jan Stene, Principal Mathematical Modeller, Digital Solutions at DNV