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Clean Hydrogen Partnership

Release of LH2 from a tanker

Event

Event ID
361
Quality
Description

A full liquid hydrogen tanker was parked off highway to permit drivers to eat and switch seats. While at site, high pressure caused safety devices to function. No fire or damage.

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 (burst disc)
Failure mode
correct activation & venting
Initiating cause
over-pressurisation (excessive boil-off)
Root CAUSE analysis

INITIATING CAUSE: disc malfunction, although outer vacuum appeared to be deteriorating. A new disc was installed and the trip continued.

ROOT or CONTRIBUTION CAUSE
Unclear what the pressure increased was caused by.

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
highway or similar
Operational condition

Emergency & Consequences

Number of fatalities
0
Number of injured persons
0
Property loss (onsite)
0

In-depth data

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

References

Sources categories
ORDIN
Reference & weblink

Mishap no 9 in
P. L. Ordin, Review of hydrogen accidents and incidents in NASA operations, 1974, NASA TM X-71565
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19740020344