Skip to main content
Clean Hydrogen Partnership

Explosion at the off-gas system of a nuclear power plant

Event

Event ID
652
Quality
Description
A manhole to sump was being removed, when excessive hydrogen mixed with air and ignited. The hydrogen buildup had been caused by an unauthorized change of wiring of a valve.

[Zalosh and Short, 1978]
Event Initiating system
Classification of the physical effects
Hydrogen Release and Ignition
Nature of the consequences
Macro-region
North America
Country
United States
Date
Main component involved?
Off-Gas System (Valve)
Initiating cause
Wrong Operation
Root causes

Facility

Application
Power Plant
Sub-application
Nuclear power plant - BWR
Hydrogen supply chain stage
Location type
Confined
Location description
Industrial Area
Operational condition

Emergency & Consequences

Number of injured persons
3
Number of fatalities
0
Currency
US$

Event Nature

Release type
gas
Involved substances (% vol)
H2 100%
Ignition delay
Not reported

References

Reference & weblink

Table II - Industrial Incidents of Appendix A of Zalosh and Short<br />
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF HYDROGEN FIRE AND EXPLOSION INCIDENTS<br />
Quarterly Report No. 2 for Period December 1, 1977 - February 28, 1978<br />
https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6566131<br />
(accessed September 2020)

JRC assessment