Event
- Event ID
- 277
- Quality
- Description
The compressor-turbine unit tripped while on on-load, due to a serious fire between alternator and one of the bearing. The failure of a generator slip ring and of the hydrogen seal caused the leak of hydrogen. The hydrogen ignited (perhaps caused by contact with hot surface), resulting in a combination of hydrogen and oil fires.
The fire extinguished by fire brigade. No injuries.
Serious site damage was sustained to in CT chamber and alternator end of generator.- Event Initiating system
- Classification of the physical effects
- Hydrogen Release and Ignition
- Nature of the consequences
- fire
- Macro-region
- Europe
- Country
- United Kingdom
- Date
- Component involved
- H2 coolant system
- Failure mode
- leak & ignition
- Initiating cause
- conventional component failure (turbine-generator)
- Root CAUSE analysis
The INITIATING cause was the hydrogen seal and of the generator slip ring. The source identified the failure of the seal as "caused by circulating current", what unfortunately is not clear.
Nothing can be said on the root cause- Root causes
- Unknown
- Date entry in HIAD
- 28/02/2009
Facility
- Application
- Power plant
- Sub-application
- unspecified power plant
- Hydrogen supply chain stage
- All components affected
bearing, alternator,
turbine-generator system,
oil lubrication system,
hydrogen coolant seal- Process temperature range [C]
- Above ambient temperature (50°C to 100°C)
- Location type
- Confined
- Location
- unknown
- Operational condition
Emergency & Consequences
- Number of fatalities
- 0
- Number of injured persons
- 0
- Emergency action
Fire extinguished by fire brigade.
In-depth data
- Release type
- gas
- Involved substances (% vol)
- H2 100%
- Release temperature [°C]
- 25
- Probable IGNITION SOURCE
References
- Sources categories
- HSE
- Reference & weblink
Event description provided by HSE, original source confidential
