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Clean Hydrogen Partnership

Release and fire from a hydrogen line of a hydrotreater

Event

Event ID
583
Quality
Description
The bonnet of a 2-inch valve on a hydrogen quench line of a lube oil hydrotreater began to leak.
12 minutes later ignition occurred with fire engulfing the upper portion of the unit.
The operative conditions were 3000 psi and 730 degrees F (ca. 200 bar and ca. 390 C).
The gas could not be blocked in and the fire burned for over 2 days.
Event Initiating system
Classification of the physical effects
Hydrogen Release and Ignition
Nature of the consequences
Fire (No additional details provided)
Macro-region
North America
Country
Canada
Date
Main component involved?
Valve (Generic)
How was it involved?
Leak & Formation Of A Flammable H2-Air Mixture
Initiating cause
Unknown
Root causes
Unknown (No additional details provided)

Facility

Application
Petrochemical Industry
Sub-application
hydro-treatment
Hydrogen supply chain stage
All components affected
Valve of a hydrogen quench line, lube oil hydrotreater
Location type
Unknown
Location description
Industrial Area
Operational condition

Emergency & Consequences

Number of injured persons
0
Number of fatalities
0

Event Nature

Release type
gas
Involved substances (% vol)
H2 100%
Actual pressure (MPa)
20
Design pressure (MPa)
20
Presumed ignition source
Not reported
Ignition delay
7000

References

Reference & weblink

Original source lost

JRC assessment