The sensing diaphragm of a pressure transducer (PT), as supplied on an outdoor hydrogen compressor, unexpectedly ruptured and released approximately 0.1 kilograms hydrogen to atmosphere from the compressor discharge line. At time of incident, personnel nearby were alerted by a loud 'pop' and dust disturbance. Simultaneously, the facility monitoring system detected loss of the PT signal and initiated equipment shutdown. Facility personnel then closed isolation hand valves to stop the leak, locked and tagged out the equipment, and restricted the area.

A hydrogen gas detector on the ground floor of a building registered the release of a small amount of hydrogen gas and actuated automatic alarms both at the fire department and in one of its buildings. Additionally, interlocks connected to the gas detector completely shut down the experiment. Upon hearing the alarm, all occupants (about 6) promptly left the building. Fire department personnel are housed in the trailer next to a building and responded within one minute. They tested the atmosphere within the building, reset the gas detector, and secured the alarm at 9:15.

During inspection of a hydrogen make-up compressor, it was discovered that a 1/4” stainless steel screw and nut that mounted a temperature gauge to a stainless steel pipe was resting against the side of a schedule 160 high-pressure hydrogen pipe. Constant vibration of the process equipment had caused the bolt to rub a hole in the high-pressure suction piping, resulting in the release of make-up hydrogen. The pipe was out of sight, and the problem was identified by an employee who heard the whistling sound of escaping hydrogen. The compressor was taken offline and depressurized.

The valve stem for a funnel valve to a solution neutralization tank was found to be separated from the body of the valve. This valve is used for purging hydrogen gas from the vessel. The functional classification of this valve is safety-significant. The "as-found" condition of the affected valve prevented the valve from performing its intended design function.

Several workers sustained minor injuries and millions of dollars worth of equipment was damaged by an explosion after a shaft blew out of a check valve. The valve failure rapidly released a large vapor cloud of hydrogen and hydrocarbon gases which subsequently ignited.Certain types of check and butterfly valves can undergo shaft-disk separation and fail catastrophically or "blow-out," causing toxic and/or flammable gas releases, fires, and vapor cloud explosions. Such failures can occur even when the valves are operated within their design limits of pressure and temperature.

A deficiency was discovered in the application of a hydrogen sensor in the Rotary Mode Core Sampling (RMCS) portable exhauster. The sensor is installed in the flow stream of the exhauster designed to be used with a RMCS truck for core sampling of watch list tanks, and is part of the flammable gas detector system. During the previous week, a quarterly calibration of the sensor, per maintenance procedure, was attempted by Characterization Project Operations (CPO) technicians. Ambient temperatures during the sensor calibration were approximately 20 to 30 degrees F.

A routine security patrol reported a strong odor of sulfur coming from a battery charging facility. The battery charging facility is used for charging the various forklift batteries for the shipping and receiving operation. The building is approximately 450 sq. ft. and has four charging stations. Emergency response was initiated and the incident commander responded to the scene. Initial air monitoring indicated readings above the Lower Explosive Limit (LEL) for hydrogen gas. The local fire department responded and setup for the situation.

A liquid hydrogen neutron moderator developed a leak between the canister that contains liquid hydrogen and the insulating vacuum jacket.

A person working in a hydrogen lab unknowingly closed the wrong hydrogen valve and proceeded to loosen a fitting in one of the hydrogen gas lines. The pressure in the 1/4"-diameter hydrogen line was approximately 110 psig. Hydrogen escaped from the loosened fitting and the pressure release resulted in the tubing completely detaching and falling to the floor. The person noted seeing a white stream around the hydrogen jet leak. The person noted a color change and noise change as the leak ignited (this happened in a matter seconds and he did not have a chance to react).

A hydrogen explosion occurred in an Uninterruptible Power Source (UPS) battery room. The explosion blew a 400 ft2 hole in the roof, collapsed numerous walls and ceilings throughout the building, and significantly damaged a large portion of the 50,000 ft2 building. Fortunately, the computer/data center was vacant at the time and there were no injuries.