Severity
Incident
Was Hydrogen Released?
Yes
Was There Ignition?
Yes
Incident Date
Dec 31, 1969
Setting
Equipment
- Hydrogen Production/Use Systems
- Water Electrolysis System
Damage and Injuries
Probable Cause
Contributing Factors
When Incident Was Discovered
Lessons Learned
The investigative report noted that the explosion could have been prevented by (among other things) a continuous gas analyzer test of oxygen and hydrogen product purity. The continuous analyzer should be interlocked to shut the electrolyzer down when product purity falls below some nominally critical values. This incident, illustrates the need for more widespread use of hydrogen analyzers, and the inverse relationship between hydrogen accidents and regular maintenance.