HIAD Nature of the Consequences: Explosion

A leak of a flammable mixture of hydrocarbons and hydrogen from a ruptured pipeline caused an explosion and fire, killing one person and injuring forty six. Investigations into the incident found…

In an ammonia production unit, a 350-bar leakage of synthesis gas (ammonia + hydrogen) occurred in the compressor room. The leak was the result of the failure of a weld on a line (2") at the outlet…

This accident happened on the SS66 road and involved a trailer transporting compressed hydrogen cylinders. The 50 l cylinders were in packages of 16 cylinders each. Due to the breaking of fixing…

Explosion in an open road. 6 people suffered minor burns on faces or hands.

A petroleum refinery experienced a catastrophic rupture of a heat exchanger in the catalytic reformer / naphtha hydrotreater unit (the NHT unit). The heat exchanger, catastrophically ruptured because…

Around 60 people gathered in a small theatre at a shopping centre to watch an array of scientific experiments, including a "small hydrogen explosion."Several children suffered second degree burns…

On 17 February 2000, THOR EMILIE was lost. The ship had been chartered by a Swiss company to carry about 2,000 tonnes of oxide zinc ore in bulk from Dunkerque in France to Porto Vesme on Sardinia.…

In a plant producing calcium carbide (CaO + 3C -> CaC2 + CO), a dust collector clogged, probably due to the failure of the cleaning device (nitrogen nozzles) which allowed the dust to build a…

Static electricity ignited hydrogen in a rising advertising balloon.

The event occurred just after that start-up steam was introduced into the reformer furnace inlet. At this moment an very high pressure and a single loud bang was reported by the operations personnel…

On may 23, 1984 between 8:50 and 8:55 pm, employee #1, a dye beam operator, was drawing concentrated sulfuric acid into a plastic pail. He added to this pail the contents of a "drip pail" which had…

An empty 100-m reservoir of sulfuric acid (H2SO4) exploded at 9:15 am at a chemical site. Installed directly above its retention basin at a height of several metres, this reservoir was projected and…

To repair a corroded flange on a 4500 liter sulfuric acid bowser outlet pipe, an angle grinder was being used to prepare the surface for welding. Within a few seconds of starting work there was a…

Syngas explosion at a university laboratoryThe university lab affected was investigating generation of hydrogen and methane from biomass (wooden chips). The experimental furnace was a concrete…

A 24" pipe carrying synthesis gas (Hydrogen = 43.5%, Nitrogen = 14.08%, Methane = 0.2%, Carbon Dioxide = 12.3%, Water = 29.3% by volume) ruptured. About 60 kg of hydrogen contained in the gas…

3 workers were injured in the hydrogen explosion

A vertical cylindrical hydrodesulfurisation reactor charge heater was being started up with hydrogen flow only rather than hydrogen plus oil as in normal operation. As a result of the low heat load…

Two hydrogen explosions occurred at a boiling water reactor (BWR). The first explosion occurred at 9:30 a.m. and was mostly confined to the off-gas system. Damage was relatively minor.The second…

Two hydrogen explosions occurred at a boiling water reactor (BWR). The first explosion occurred at 9:30 a.m. and was mostly confined to the off-gas system. Damage was relatively minor.The second…

Employee #2 was using a torch to cut a U-bolt on the bypass piping next to a brine surge tank that potentially contained hydrogen gas in a vapour space in the upper portion of the tank. His job was…