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Clean Hydrogen Partnership

Release of hydrogen in an ammonia plant

Event

Event ID
112
Quality
Description
Compressed hydrogen escaped from reactor due to faulty gasket

[Zalosh and Short, 1978]
Event Initiating system
Classification of the physical effects
Unignited Hydrogen Release
Nature of the consequences
Leak No Ignition (No additional details provided)
Macro-region
North America
Country
United States
Date
Main component involved?
Flange (Gasket)
How was it involved?
Rupture
Initiating cause
Material Degradation (Generic)
Root causes
Unknown (No additional details provided)
Root CAUSE analysis
The INITIATING CAUSE was the loss of containment due to a failing gasket (of a joint/valve).
ROOT CAUSE unknown.

Facility

Application
Chemical Industry
Sub-application
Ammonia production
Hydrogen supply chain stage
All components affected
gasket, joint
Location type
Unknown
Location description
Industrial Area
Operational condition
Unknown (No additional details provided)

Emergency & Consequences

Number of injured persons
0
Number of fatalities
0
Environmental damage
0
Currency
US$
Property loss (onsite)
50000
Property loss (offsite)
0
Emergency action
Ship captain went into the water, but was the only one to save himself in a life raft, from which he was rescued the same evening to the ship Verdi, at a position 15 nautical miles east of the sinking site.

Event Nature

Release type
gas
Involved substances (% vol)
H2 100%
Release duration
unknown
Hole shape
Crack
Presumed ignition source
No ignition
Deflagration
Y
High pressure explosion
N
High voltage explosion
N

References

Reference & weblink

Extract from Table II 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