Safety analysis of natural gas vehicles transiting highway tunnel
A safety analysis was performed to assess the relative hazard of compressed natural gas (CNG) fueled vehicles traveling on various tunnels and bridges in New York City. The study considered those hazards arising from the release of fuel from CNG vehicles ranging in size from a passenger sedan to a full size 53 passenger bus. The approach used was to compare the fuel hazard of CNG vehicles to the fuel hazard of gasoline vehicles. The risk was assessed by estimating the frequency of occurrence and the severity of the hazard. The methodology was a combination of analyzing accident data, performing a diffusion analysis of the gas released in the tunnel and determining the consequences of ignition. Diffusion analysis was performed using the TEMPEST code for various accident scenarios resulting in CNG release inside the Holland Tunnel. The study concluded that the overall hazard of CNG vehicles transiting a ventilated tunnel is less than the hazard from a comparable gasoline fueled vehicle. 134 refs., 23 figs., 24 tabs.
- Research Organization:
- Ebasco Services, Inc., New York, NY (USA)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- NYSERDA
- OSTI ID:
- 7247526
- Report Number(s):
- NYSERDA-90-2; ON: TI90008593
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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03 NATURAL GAS
37 INORGANIC
ORGANIC
PHYSICAL AND ANALYTICAL CHEMISTRY
FUELS
SAFETY
NATURAL GAS
ACCIDENTS
BUSES
CARBON MONOXIDE
CHEMICAL ANALYSIS
COMBUSTION KINETICS
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COMPRESSED GASES
DIFFUSION
ENGINEERED SAFETY SYSTEMS
ENGINES
EXPLOSIONS
HAZARDS
IGNITION
LEAKS
MAINTENANCE
MEASURING METHODS
NEW YORK
PRESSURE EFFECTS
REGULATIONS
RISK ASSESSMENT
ROADS
STANDARDS
TUNNELS
VAPORS
VEHICLES
VENTILATION SYSTEMS
CARBON COMPOUNDS
CARBON OXIDES
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMICAL REACTION KINETICS
ENERGY SOURCES
FEDERAL REGION II
FLUIDS
FOSSIL FUELS
FUEL GAS
GAS FUELS
GASES
KINETICS
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OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
REACTION KINETICS
TRANSPORTATION SYSTEMS
UNDERGROUND FACILITIES
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330800* - Emission Control- Alternative Fuels
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Pyrolysis
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