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Clean Hydrogen Partnership

Explosion in an ammonia plant

Event

Event ID
610
Quality
Description
Hydrogen embrittlement caused a fracture in a weld, from which hydrogen was released.

[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?
Pipe (Weld)
How was it involved?
Leak & Formation Of A Flammable H2-Air Mixture
Root causes
Unknown (No additional details provided)

Facility

Application
Chemical Industry
Sub-application
Ammonia production
Hydrogen supply chain stage
Location type
Open
Location description
Unknown
Operational condition
Unknown (No additional details provided)

Emergency & Consequences

Number of injured persons
0
Number of fatalities
0
Currency
US$
Property loss (onsite)
3250000

Event Nature

Ignition delay
Auto-ignition

References

Reference & weblink

Table II - Industrial Incidetns 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