Event
- Event ID
- 105
- Quality
- Description
- A faulty rupture disc failed prematurely releasing 750 cu ft of hydrogen (0.2 kg).
[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?
- Prd (Burst Disc)
- How was it involved?
- Premature Activation
- Initiating cause
- Unknown
- Root causes
- Unknown (No additional details provided)
- Root CAUSE analysis
- The INITIATING CAUSE was the premature rupturing of the burst disk.
ROOT CAUSE unknown
Facility
- Application
- Hydrogen Transport And Distribution
- Sub-application
- LH2 tanker
- Hydrogen supply chain stage
- Hydrogen Transfer (No additional details provided)
- All components affected
- burst disc
- Location type
- Open
- Location description
- Industrial Area
- Operational condition
Emergency & Consequences
- Number of injured persons
- 0
- Number of fatalities
- 0
- Currency
- US$
- Property loss (onsite)
- 22000
- Property loss (offsite)
- 0
- Emergency action
- The LH2 was transferred and the inner vessel purged with hot N2 gas. also positive and vacuum pressures were applied. The annular space was brought up to atmospheric pressure and filled with N2 gas. The crack was then repaired.
Lesson Learnt
- Lesson Learnt
Zalosh et al (see references), concluded their analysis of hydrogen transportation accidents till 1978 with the following conclusions:
"Finally, an encouraging aspect of the transportation incident compilation is that 71% of the hydrogen releases did not lead to an ignition. ... The relatively few ignitions may be due to either to lack of ignition sources or to the rapid dispersal of hydrogen into the atmosphere. In any event, the accident data provide further incentive t o transport , transfer and store hydrogen outdoors away from occupied areas."
Event Nature
- Release type
- gas
- Involved substances (% vol)
- H2 100%
- Released amount
- 1.780815
- Presumed ignition source
- No ignition
References
- Reference & weblink
Extract from Table III 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
- Sources categories
- Zalosh
