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Clean Hydrogen Partnership

Fire in a ammonia production plant

Event

Event ID
909
Quality
Description
The accident starts with a leak of a hydrogen-nitrogen mixture at the suction
flange of a compressor. The mixture ignites on contact with air and the fire spreads to an oil bath




Event Initiating system
Classification of the physical effects
Hydrogen Release and Ignition
Nature of the consequences
Fire (No additional details provided)
Macro-region
Europe
Country
France
Date
Main component involved?
Compressor / Booster / Pump (Flange)
How was it involved?
Leak & Formation Of A Flammable H2-Air Mixture
Initiating cause
Unknown
Root causes
Unknown (No additional details provided)
Root CAUSE analysis
INITIATING cause is the failure of valve on a hydrogen compressor.

Facility

Application
Chemical Industry
Sub-application
Ammonia production
Hydrogen supply chain stage
All components affected
hydrogen compressor, suction flange
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
Post-event summary
The damage is limited to the compressor building.

Event Nature

Release type
gas mixture
Involved substances (% vol)
H2,
N2
Presumed ignition source
Not reported
Flame type
Jet flame

References

Reference & weblink

Event description in French database ARIA<br />
https://www.aria.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/accident/3001/<br />
(accessed September 2020)

JRC assessment