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Clean Hydrogen Partnership

Release of LH2 during transfer

Event

Event ID
366
Quality
Description

While pressurizing a liquid hydrogen tanker for the transfer, a burst disc ruptured. The tanker pressure was 22 psig (ca. 1.5 bar). The relief valve was set at 27 to 29 psig (1.9 to 2 bar). The tanker was moved to remote location and the disc replaced under loaded conditions. The transfer was resumed. However, during the operation, there was a leak through the vent valve.

Event Initiating system
Classification of the physical effects
Unignited Hydrogen Release
Nature of the consequences
leak no ignition
Macro-region
North America
Country
United States
Date
-
Component involved
PRD (valve)
Failure mode
failure to activate
Initiating cause
unknown
Root CAUSE analysis

INITIATING CAUSE was due to the relief valve which did not operate. Because of this, the pressure increased sufficiently to cause the burst disc to fail. Leakage through the vent valve was attributed to water entering the system during repair to replace the burst disc.

Root causes
Date entry in HIAD
16/11/2024

Facility

Application
Hydrogen transport and distribution
Sub-application
LH2 tanker
Hydrogen supply chain stage
All components affected

burst disc

Process temperature range [C]
cryogenic temperature (below -50°C)
Process pressure range [MPa]
low to medium pressure (below 2 MPa)
Location type
Open
Location
industrial area
Operational condition

Emergency & Consequences

Number of fatalities
0
Number of injured persons
0

In-depth data

Release type
gas
Involved substances (% vol)
H2 100%
Release pressure [MPa]
0.2
Probable IGNITION SOURCE

References

Sources categories
ORDIN
Reference & weblink

Mishap no 14 in
P. L. Ordin, Review of hydrogen accidents and incidents in NASA operations, 1974, NASA TM X-71565
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19740020344