| dc.description.abstract | Determining safety techniques in hydrogen production is important in creating a hydrogen
economy. Choosing the safe technology is challenging task given evolving nature of the technology and public expectation of higher safety and sustainability. Additionally, process upsets in such highly hazardous process sensitive operation can cause catastrophic events. Releasing hydrogen is dangerous because of its high combustibility and thermodynamically unsafe properties. Therefore, accounting for root causes and diagnosing the effects of extreme process deviations during the design process is paramount in avoiding disasters.
This thesis consists of two objectives: addressing the hydrogen production decision-making
process and creating a diagnosis tool for finding hydrogen production. Using the Multi-Criteria
Decision-Making (MCDM) approach, the decision-making process is streamlined towards determining the best suited hydrogen production process. The criterion for this study considers efficiency, safety, and infrastructure and considers qualitative and quantitative parameters of interest.
The second objective is addressed by using a heuristic-based approach and creating the novel
Process Risk Index (PRI). This framework integrates the PRI with a risk map to consider possible
operating risks. The risk map captures process deviations and is benchmarked with a well-established safety index. Creating this risk identification tool allows decision-makers to revisit the system safety after implementing safety recommendations for deviations. | |
