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

Rainwater-Induced Flange Failure Causes Hydrogen and Oil Mist Fire
The event occurred at the flanges on the outlet of a desulfurization reactor, which was working under about 300 degrees C The flanges and bolts were cooled down by a large amount of rainwater which had got into the rain-cover around the flanges. This caused the material to shrink and made the flanges too tight, putting too much stress on the ring gaskets which deformed and damaged. As a result, hydrogen gas and light oil mist leaked out and ignited spontaneously, causing damage to pressure gauges and insulation of pipes.
Event Date
July 30, 1998
Record Quality Indicator
Region / Country
Event Initiating System
Classification of the Physical Effects
Nature of the Consequences
Cause Comments
Immediate cause was a too high thermo-mechanical stress on flange of a reactor, due thermal gradient induced by rain water.Possible root causes could be an inadequate risk assessment or safety design, and inadequate operative processes, which failed to protect the installation from rain.
Facility Information
Application Type
Specific Application Supply Chain Stage
Components Involved
hydro-desulfurization unit, flanges and gaskets
Storage/Process Medium
Location Type
Location description
Industrial Area
Operational Condition
Pre-event Summary
The operative condition were as usual, but there was a heavy rain several hours before the accident, and a large quantity of rainwater flowed in between the rain cover and the heat-insulating sheet metal.
Lessons Learned
Lessons Learned
LLThere are many cases where insufficient attention is paid to the specific locations of each valve, and its possible lifetime damage patterns. It is only after that an incident took place, that plant management realises the inadequacy of installations.CORRECTIVE MEASURES1. Measures to prevent rainwater from flowing around the flange shall be taken.2. Similar parts of the plant shall be checked as well, and countermeasures should be taken.3. The procedure of flange tightening force shall be reviewed.
Event Nature
Emergency Action
The fire was extinguished by company's own fire fighters.
Detonation
No
Deflagration
No
High Pressure Explosion
No
High Voltage Explosion
No
Source Category
References
References

Originally in RISCAD. Now in the JST Knowledge Failure Database:
https://www.shippai.org/fkd/en/cfen/CC1200030.html
(accessed Dec 2023)

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