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This data is from the European Hydrogen Incidents and Accidents database HIAD 2.1, European Commission, Joint Research Centre.

Fire in a in a Fertilizer Manufacturing Plant
The incident took place on the reforming furnace unit of the plant. Around 23:30 pm, during a normal inspection tour, an operator detected a fire on a section of a steam line. He immediately informed the control room. A reduction in the rate of the unit is was not worsening. Steam hoses were used in the direction of the flame and the identified hot spots. The next morning at around 6:00 am, the unit was progressively shut down and the fire extinguished.The reforming furnace unit consisted of 198 tubes containing a catalyst. Each furnace contained 11 headers on which 18 reforming tubes were welded. Each header was enclosed in a box and fed the transfer line to the secondary reforming. The fire occurred in one of the boxes containing the header and had no impact on the surrounding area or equipment. An investigation of the causes, carried out after the removal of the affected vessel, showed a leak on a gasket, caused by a weakened flange. The gasket was intact, no trace of leakage was detected.
Event Date
April 21, 2019
Record Quality Indicator
Region / Country
Event Initiating System
Classification of the Physical Effects
Nature of the Consequences
Cause Comments
The only mentioned (immediate) cause is the leakage of gas from a gasket. From ARIA database : "An investigation of the causes, carried out after the removal of the affected vessel, showed a leak on a gasket, caused by a weakened flange. The gasket was intact, no trace of leakage was detected."
Facility Information
Application Type
Specific Application Supply Chain Stage
Components Involved
reformer unit, gasket
Storage/Process Medium
Location Type
Location description
Industrial Area
Consequences
Number of Injured Persons
3
Currency
Lessons Learned
Lessons Learned
As a corrective measure, all the gaskets and bolts of the manifold (18 flanges) were replaced. A nitrogen pressure test at 6 bar validated the operation and the restart of the unit 6 days after the incident.
Event Nature
Emergency Action
The operator reduced the flow of the unit and monitored the process parameters to ensure that the situation was not worsening. Steam hoses were used in the direction of the flame and the identified hot spots. Approximately 7 hours alter the unit was progressively shut down and the fire extinguished.
Detonation
No
Deflagration
No
High Pressure Explosion
No
High Voltage Explosion
No
Source Category
References
References

Event description no 53561 in the French database ARIA (accessed October 2021)

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