Event
- Event ID
- 426
- Quality
- Description
During sampling tests on a facility LH2 dock transfer system, the system was pressurised to 15 psig when an expansion joint ruptured. Technicians proceeded with the pressure cycle with the main valve closed instead of in open position as required. Damage to LH2 transfer system.
- 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
- joint/connection (expansion joint)
- Failure mode
- rupture, no ignition
- Initiating cause
- over-pressurisation (wrong operation)
- Root CAUSE analysis
The sampling was performed without checking the main valve which was closed and should have been open. A contributing factor was that personnel performing system repair had closed the main valve without tagging a critical valve. These factors suggest a ROOT CAUSE related to shortcoming in execution of a procedure (no pre-test check), aggravated by lack of information.
- Root causes
- Date entry in HIAD
- 01/11/2025
Facility
- Application
- Non-road vehicles
- Sub-application
- Aerospace
- Hydrogen supply chain stage
- All components affected
joint, transfer line
- Process temperature range [C]
- cryogenic temperature (below -50°C)
- Location type
- Unknown
- Location
- countryside or desert
- Operational condition
Emergency & Consequences
- Number of fatalities
- 0
- Number of injured persons
- 0
In-depth data
- Release type
- gas
- Involved substances (% vol)
- H2 100%
- Probable IGNITION SOURCE
References
- Sources categories
- ORDIN
- Reference & weblink
Mishap no 64 in
P. L. Ordin, Review of hydrogen accidents and incidents in NASA operations, 1974, NASA TM X-71565
https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/19740020344Hankinson and Lowesmith, Qualitative Risk Assessment of Hydrogen Liquefaction, Storage and Transportation, FCH JU project IDEALHY, Deliverable 3.10 (2013)
confidential
(accessed October 2025)Lowesmith et al., Safety issues of the liquefaction, storage and transportation of liquid hydrogen: An analysis of incidents and HAZIDS, Int. J. Hydrogen energy (2014) https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijhydene.2014.08.002
