Hydrogen Release from Gas Storage in a Nuclear Power Plant
A hydrogen leak occurs at a gas cylinder storage tank park in a nuclear power plant. Employees locate the origin of the leak on a defective pressure regulator. They isolate the hydrogen release and secure the park. 10 m of gas, the equivalent of one and a half cylinders, escaped.
Event Date
June 7, 2018
Record Quality Indicator
Region / Country
Event Initiating System
Classification of the Physical Effects
Nature of the Consequences
Causes
Cause Comments
Immediate cause was the failure of a pressure controller
Facility Information
Application Type
Application
Specific Application Supply Chain Stage
Components Involved
hydrogen cylinders, pressure regulator
Storage/Process Medium
Location Type
Location description
Industrial Area
Consequences
Number of Injured Persons
1
Currency
Lessons Learned
Lessons Learned
The ARIA report does not mention the corrective actions undertaken. Nevertheless, the system preventing/mitigation system worked probably as designed. To prevent in an absolute way this type of releases, a better (more frequent) maintenance and replacement scheme is probably needed.
Event Nature
Emergency Action
Following the automatic alarm (probably given by a hydrogen detector) the hydrogen release location was isolated.
Release Type
Release Substance
Hydrogen Release Concentration (%)
100.00
Release Amount (kg)
1.00
Detonation
No
Deflagration
No
High Pressure Explosion
No
High Voltage Explosion
No
Source Category
References
References
Event description in the French database ARIA
https://www.aria.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/accident/51682/
(accessed September 2020)