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Fire at a Desulfurization Unit (735)

Hydrogen gas leaking from drain pipes in a hydrodesulfurization plant: There was a hydrodesulfurisation plant which had a recycle hydrogen compressor fitted with a suction rectifier. Hydrogen gas gushed out through a hole made by corrosion at the drain pipe on the suction rectifier. The process condition (45C and 3.7Mpa) made atmosphere causing hydrogen sulfide-ammonia corrosion in the drain pipe which consisted of about 10m horizontal parts and an upward outlet. This upward outlet made it impossible to drain out completely. Furthermore, steam insulation also contributed to the corrosion.

Fire at a Waste Liquid Storage Tank (734)

When waste alkali solution was taken out of dumper trucks into a waste liquid storage tank, a reaction occurred in the tank. As a result, the solution in the tank foamed over it, and reached an incinerator burning waste wood, when all the waste solution got in flames. The cause of the incident was the waste alkali solution with heavier specific gravity than water, which sank in a mass and came into contact with aluminum powder that had accumulated at the bottom the tank. This resulted in generation of hydrogen gas, which was ignited by fire at the incinerator.

Rainwater-Induced Flange Failure Causes Hydrogen and Oil Mist Fire (730)

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.

Piping Failure at a Nuclear Power Plant Due to Radiolysis (728)

The nuclear plant was a boiling-water reactor with an output of 0.54 million kW. The component affected was a steam piping (inside diameter: 15 cm; thickness: 1.1 cm) of a heat exchanger used for removing residual heat from the reactor. The piping was broken during a test of a high pressure core injection system for cooling water provided for an emergency core cooling system. The incident resulted in a leakage of radioactive gases. The part of the piping broken was located on the 2nd floor of the building, but there were no workers there.

Explosion at a Acetylene Hydrogenation Process (650)

The event occurred at an ethylene production plant. The plant was shutdown at the time as the supply of compressed air to the gauges had inadvertently been switched off. This failure of the air supply was not immediately recognised because of the low pressure alarm was installed before the isolation valve. Shortly after the plant was restarted an unusually high temperature was observed in an acetylene hydrogenation column.

Fire on an Octafiner Reactor (648)

A weld on a 1 inch diameter instrument tapping from a Octafiner reactor overhead line fractured, resulting in a small but intense fire, lasting about 50 minutes until the unit was nitrogen purged.The fire was always under control and the fire fighting effort was directed solely to cooling the surrounding metal with fire steam lances. Plant Inspection reported that the failure was due to hydrogen embrittlement of the heat affected zone of the tapping and probably resulted from improper or no stress relieving of the connection during construction.

Explosion in an Oil Refinery (647)

The vent occurred at the hydrogen manufacturing unit: a pipe of this unit burst, followed by an explosion. The fire was extinguished in about 15 minutes. One employee nearby had a consequence from a burn in the face for two weeks. According to the police, the explosion occurred while checking the temperature in the hydrogen manufacturing device after pouring liquefied butane gas as fuel in the device.

Syngas Explosion in University Laboratory Injures Nine (646)

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 cylindrical furnace of the diameter of 4 m and the height of 5 m. A fire jet occurred together with the explosion, and sparks fell on the professor in charge and students nearby. Nine persons were burned in face and hands and feet, and carried to the hospital by ambulances. They were only slightly injured.

Vapor Explosion and Fire at Titanium Sponge Manufacturing Plant (644)

Fire following vapour explosion at a plant making titanium sponge due to design errors: A vapour explosion, followed by a fire, occurred at a drier in a plant making titanium sponge. When titanium containing water was put into the drier, it came to contact with the edge of the protecting tube of the inside thermometer, generating sparks which ignited the titanium sponge. The red-hot titanium sponge melted the drier to leak out, and reacted with water spilled from the fractured drier, producing hydrogen gas.
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