Hydrogen is an ideal energy source and plays an important role in increasingly global energy issues and environmental problems. Liquid hydrogen (LH2) has many advantages over other storage methods, especially in terms of energy density. However, it may cause enormous harm once it leaks accidently. LH2 leakage is a complex multiphase process involving evaporation, condensation, transfer of mass and heat, and dispersion. In order to study LH2 transportation and storage systems safety, a research project has been carried out to develop a 3D numerical model using an open-source CFD code, OpenFoam, for investigating LH2 accidental release scenarios. Since the release of LH2 is a very complex process, our strategy is to study it step by step. Therefore, in this paper we present our research work at the first stage, a dispersion process of room-temperature gaseous hydrogen without multiphase flow. A small-scale hydrogen release conducted by Sandia National Laboratories is simulated. In this experiment, room-temperature gaseous hydrogen is injected upwards into the air from a small hole with a 1.91 mm diameter. The situations of Froude (Fr) number = 99, 152, and 268 are studied, respectively. The behavior of hydrogen at different Fr numbers is discussed. When high-speed hydrogen enters the air, the speed and concentration of hydrogen decrease rapidly. In addition, the greater the speed, the faster it decays. The result shows a close range of hydrogen reach. Details about the numerical model are introduced. The simulation results are used to verify the validity of the developing numerical model for dispersion and mixing of multi-species. The simulated concentrations and velocity distribution are analyzed and compared with experimental data. The simulation shows a good agreement with the data of Sandia National Laboratories. The agreement between experiments and simulations is measured using the Pearson correlation coefficient (>0.98), which indicates excellent consistency. In the next step, we will integrate the multiphase flow and phase change into the current model. The phase change of liquid hydrogen and air will be simulated to study the release of liquid hydrogen. •Using the open-source CFD code OpenFOAM for simulation of hydrogen jet.•A good agreement between the simulations results and experimental data has been found in this paper.•When high-speed hydrogen is injected into the air, both velocity and concentration drop rapidly.•Final concentration is not sensitive to different injection velocity.