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Clean Hydrogen Partnership

Release from a wagon transporting liquid hydrogen

Event

Event ID
262
Quality
Description

A leak occurred on the safety valve of a train wagon transporting liquid hydrogen. The train was composed of 10 wagons. The train was stopped on the railway several hours to allow depressurisation of the wagon. Train circulation was interrupted. A safety zone is set up and two gate-keepers are evacuated. Travellers travelled further by buses.

Event Initiating system
Classification of the physical effects
Unignited Hydrogen Release
Nature of the consequences
leak no ignition
Macro-region
Europe
Country
France
Date
Component involved
PRD (valve)
Failure mode
leak, no ignition
Initiating cause
unknown
Root causes
Unknown
Date entry in HIAD
01/01/2022

Facility

Application
Hydrogen transport and distribution
Sub-application
H2 rail transport
Hydrogen supply chain stage
All components affected

safety valve

Process temperature range [C]
cryogenic temperature (below -50°C)
Location type
Open
Location
railway or train station
Operational condition

Emergency & Consequences

Number of fatalities
0
Number of injured persons
0
Post-event summary

The train was stopped on the railway for several hours, to allow depressurisation of the wagon. Train circulation was interrupted. A safety zone is set up and two gate-keepers are evacuated. Travellers travelled further by buses.

Emergency action

A leak occurs on the safety valve of a liquid hydrogen wagon. The train is composed of 10 wagons. The train is stopped on the railway several hours to allow degassing of the wagon. Train circulation is interrupted. A safety zone is set up and two gate-keepers are evacuated.
Travellers are transported by buses.

In-depth data

Release type
Liquid
Involved substances (% vol)
H2 100%
Probable IGNITION SOURCE

References

Sources categories
ARIA
Reference & weblink

Event description in the French database ARIA
https://www.aria.developpement-durable.gouv.fr/accident/3814/
(accessed December 2020)