Event
- Event ID
- 90
- Quality
- Description
A deflagration occurred during shutdown of a reactor used for ammonia synthesis. It was followed by a jet fire.
The hydrogen leak was probably due first to the lower seals, followed by another leak on the upper seal of the autoclave, under 15 to 20 bars.The Internal Operation Plan is launched and cancelled 1h50 later. No one is injured.
- Event Initiating system
- Classification of the physical effects
- Hydrogen Release and Ignition
- Nature of the consequences
- Macro-region
- Europe
- Country
- France
- Date
- Component involved
- reactor / oven / furnace / test chamber
- Failure mode
- leak & ignition
- Initiating cause
- unknown
- Root CAUSE analysis
INITIATING cause was the leak of a joint of an autoclave. Nothing known on the root cause(s).
- Root causes
- Unknown
- Date entry in HIAD
- 28/02/2009
Facility
- Application
- Chemical industry
- Sub-application
- Fertilisers production
- Hydrogen supply chain stage
- All components affected
autoclave, seals of joints
- Process temperature range [C]
- High temperature (100°C to 500°C)
- Location type
- Unknown
- Location
- industrial area
- Operational condition
- Pre-event occurrences
The leak occurred during maintenance operation
Emergency & Consequences
- Number of fatalities
- 0
- Number of injured persons
- 0
- Emergency action
The explosion was followed by a jet fire. The Internal Operation Plan was launched and terminated 1h50 later.
In-depth data
- Release type
- Liquid
- Involved substances (% vol)
- H2 100%
- Probable IGNITION SOURCE
- Explosion type
- Flame type
References
- Sources categories
- ARIA
- Reference & weblink
Event no. 31715 of the French database ARIA (accessed December 2020)
