CESAR Supports Experimental Research on High-Pressure Hydrogen Storage
From 30 August to 3 September 2026, researchers from the Faculty of Safety Engineering, VSB – Technical University of Ostrava carried out a series of experimental tests in the military training area Hradiště. The experimental campaign focused on the behaviour of high-pressure hydrogen storage vessels under fire exposure, mechanical damage, and other critical conditions.
The research activities were also supported by the CESAR – Centre of Excellence for Safety Research project, with CESAR team members Vojtěch Jankůj and Marek Holuša participating in the experimental campaign. The measurements contribute to a better understanding of the risks associated with hydrogen storage and provide valuable experimental data for further research in hydrogen safety.
A major part of the programme focused on steel pressure vessels filled with hydrogen at pressures of up to 1,000 bar. Conducting these experiments required technically demanding on-site filling operations, made possible through cooperation with DEVIN and the use of its mobile hydrogen filling station. One of the tests investigated the resistance and behaviour of a steel pressure vessel exposed to fire, including its subsequent failure and fragmentation.
Further experiments examined composite hydrogen pressure vessels used in fuel-cell vehicles. The researchers investigated their behaviour under fire exposure both without a pressure-relief safety device and with such a device in operation. Another experiment, conducted in cooperation with the Czech Armed Forces and the Rapid Response Unit of the Police of the Czech Republic (URNA), focused on the response of a composite vessel to mechanical damage caused by gunfire.
The experimental programme also included tests of 200-bar pressure vessels filled with hydrogen and nitrogen, with particular attention paid to vessel failure and the resulting fragmentation patterns, including the characteristics and trajectories of generated fragments.
The campaign provided valuable experimental insight into the behaviour of hydrogen storage systems under severe conditions. By supporting this type of large-scale experimental research, CESAR contributes to strengthening the scientific basis for safer hydrogen technologies, improved risk assessment, and the development of effective safety measures for future hydrogen applications.
