Hydrogen Release from a Liquid Hydrogen Truck
The truck was carrying 25 m3 of liquid hydrogen and was parked in the parking lot of a road restaurant. The hydrogen escaped through the safety devices of the tank and then dispersed (the weather was wet and there is fog). Technicians from the charter company degassed the tank until the leak stopped, then escorted the truck to a technical centre. A crack in the inner tank causing a pressure build-up could be the cause of the accident.
Event Date
March 14, 2008
Record Quality Indicator
Region / Country
Event Initiating System
Classification of the Physical Effects
Nature of the Consequences
Causes
Cause Comments
According to the ARIA report (see references), a crack in the inner tank was the probable initiating cause. The hydrogen leaking from the crack may have caused a pressure build-up in the space between the inner and outer tank triggering the over-pressure safeguard.
Facility Information
Application Type
Application
Specific Application Supply Chain Stage
Components Involved
liquid hydrogen road carrier, safety relief valve
Storage/Process Medium
Storage/Process Quantity
25000
Location Type
Location description
Countryside Road Or Highway
Currency
Lessons Learned
Lessons Learned
Unknown
Event Nature
Emergency Action
The event happened at 23:30. Rescue services interrupted road traffic, established a safety perimeter 400 m on either side of the truck, installed 2 protective hoses and evacuated 78 people to a gymnasium.Technicians from the charter company operated to degas the tank until the leak stopped, then escorted the truck to a technical centre. At about 07:00, the emergency services carried out explosimetry measurements in the neighbouring buildings and allowed the residents to return to their homes.
Release Type
Release Substance
Hydrogen Release Concentration (%)
100.00
Release Amount (kg)
1770.00
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/34348/
(accessed October 2020)