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Clean Hydrogen Partnership

Release from a pipe in a ammonia production plant

Event

Event ID
25
Quality
Description
Furnace tube leak caused excessive heat on H2 tube causing rupture

[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?
Pipe
How was it involved?
Rupture & Formation Of A Flammable H2-Air Mixture
Initiating cause
Over-Heating (Conventional Fire)
Root causes
Unknown (No additional details provided)
Root CAUSE analysis
The INITIATING CAUSE is unclear. A non specified tube leaked causing a hydrogen tube to fail due to over-heating. was the loss of containment due to a failing gasket (of a joint or valve).
ROOT CAUSE unknown.

Facility

Application
Chemical Industry
Sub-application
Ammonia production
Hydrogen supply chain stage
All components affected
hydrogen piping, ammonia reactor
Location type
Unknown
Location description
Industrial Area
Operational condition

Emergency & Consequences

Number of injured persons
0
Number of fatalities
0
Currency
US
Property loss (onsite)
5000

Event Nature

Release type
gas
Involved substances (% vol)
H2 100%
Presumed ignition source
No ignition

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