Event
- Event ID
- 488
- Quality
- Description
The vent occurred a chlorine electrolyser using mercury amalgam. Hydrogen entered the chlorine header and igniting spontaneously causing explosion. It did not vent properly, and the hydrogen analyzer was provided but not used.
- Event Initiating system
- Classification of the physical effects
- Hydrogen Release and Ignition
- Nature of the consequences
- Macro-region
- North America
- Country
- United States
- Date
- Component involved
- electrolytic cell
- Failure mode
- internal explosion
- Initiating cause
- malfunctioning (electrolyser, cross-over)
- Root CAUSE analysis
The fact that a hydrogen analyser was available but not used suggests an inadequate control of the process, which may have its root in a failure to follow procedures, and/or failure in management of hazards.
- Root causes
- Date entry in HIAD
- 28/01/2026
Facility
- Application
- Chemical industry
- Sub-application
- chlorine production
- Hydrogen supply chain stage
- 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
- Currency
- US$
- Property loss (onsite)
- 2.500
In-depth data
- Release type
- gas mixture
- Involved substances (% vol)
- H2,
Cl2 - Release temperature [°C]
- 25
- Probable IGNITION SOURCE
- Explosion type
References
- Sources categories
- Zalosh
- Reference & weblink
Table II - Industrial Incidents of Appendix A of Zalosh and Short
COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF HYDROGEN FIRE AND EXPLOSION INCIDENTS
Quarterly Report No. 2 for Period December 1, 1977 - February 28, 1978
https://www.osti.gov/biblio/6566131
(accessed September 2020)
