Hydrogen Fire in a Refinery
A hydrogen leak occurred on the hydrogen line of a hydro-desulfurization unit, followed by ignition . The failure was located on a supply manifold of the unit at a support beam. The unit was shut down.The accident was caused by external corrosion which had developed at a support point, under the pipe insulation. A regular thinning of the piping was observed over a length of 450 mm on the lower semi-circumference. The maximum thickness loss was 6.5 mm. The mechanical analysis concluded that the operating pressure was sufficient to cause this initial failure in the weakened area. Its propagation resulted from the dynamic load applied to the line.
Event Date
October 1, 2007
Record Quality Indicator
Region / Country
Event Initiating System
Classification of the Physical Effects
Nature of the Consequences
Cause Comments
Immediate/initiating cause was the thinning of the pipe wall caused by external, not further specified corrosion. The ARIA report (see references) does not mention any maintenance/inspection aspects which may have contributed to the incident.
Facility Information
Application Type
Application
Specific Application Supply Chain Stage
Components Involved
hydrogen pipeline, manifold
Storage/Process Medium
Location Type
Location description
Industrial Area
Number of Fatalities
3
Currency
Event Nature
Emergency Action
Unknown
Release Type
Release Substance
Ignition Source
Detonation
No
Deflagration
No
High Pressure Explosion
No
High Voltage Explosion
No
Flame Type
Source Category
References
References
Event description in the French database ARIA
https://www.aria.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/accident/52695/
(accessed October 2020)