Because the bottle was located outside at the time of the event, and the hydrogen did not find a source of ignition while venting through the relief valve, nothing serious happened. The failed regulator was replaced and operations continued.…

Lessons Learned
Construction errors are difficult to detect once construction is complete. It is important to develop and use a systematic oversight process for minimizing construction errors during the construction process.

…

Investigation determined that internal galling has caused the failure rendering the needle valve unusable. The galling was caused by a stainless steel stem acting against a stainless steel seat. This failure mode had been observed before and the…

Excessive venting of hydrogen from the tank due to lower facility consumption, in combination with extreme temperature conditions, placed thermal stress on the gland nut, causing a leak. The low consumption of hydrogen resulted from the shutdown…

The following corrective actions have been taken:

• The non-return valve was dismantled, cleaned, and tested. Following positive testing, the system was restarted and pressurized without any further malfunctioning.
• The hydrogen…

The packing in the flow control valve should be replaced periodically. A planned investigation will determine the optimum time period for packing replacement.

• Valve packing on ammonia tanks should be checked on a regular basis.
• If an ammonia smell becomes noticeable, the tank should be returned to the supplier.

This occurrence underscores the importance of appropriate design, equipment selection, and design review; the potential drawbacks of sharing utilities with other facilities; and the need to simplify [in this case, glove box atmosphere…

• Equipment that is designed to provide a safety barrier must be stringently tested upon installation.
• A procedure requiring annual testing of both excess flow valves, which includes proper seating for closure and proper flow, has…

This occurrence demonstrated the use of data by engineering to evaluate equipment problems. As the data changed, highlighting a problem with one-half inch PVC ball valves, the facility redesigned the valve extension and valve handle to prevent…

Installation

1. Fittings need to be visually inspected to insure ferules are in place and correctly positioned prior to swageing.
2. Research staff are responsible for communicating system specifications [gas type,…

Hazard assessment is critical during the design, fabrication, and installation of system modifications to ensure hazards and potential hazards are addressed prior to system start-up and operation.

Diligence needs to be practiced when performing assigned work tasks. To guard against complacency, it is necessary to emphasize adherence to established procedures, including appropriate reviews of preventive maintenance instructions (PMI) and…

The lessons of this event fall into five categories: (1) proper in-plant communications during events, (2) proper valve application for use with hydrogen, (3) excess flow check valve set point, (4) heating and ventilation and air conditioning (…

1. Ensure that equipment and materials exposed to hydrogen are compatible with a hydrogen environment (even hydrogen-service-rated equipment).

2. Equipment designs in a hydrogen environment that use the fracture toughness for 17-4…

1. Maintenance work scopes must be adhered to. If added work is approved, it must be tracked and reviewed to ensure that the equipment is inspected by operations personnel. Scheduled work and extra work should be listed and checked off for…

Included inspection on monthly preventive maintenance plan and evaluated alternate materials for better cold-weather performance.

Personnel were focused on the AGES system test and results, not the compatibility of the test equipment. The manual valve was needed to successfully test the system, however the fact that this particular valve could not accommodate the full…