Event
- Event ID
- 1137
- Quality
- Description
A leak occurred when transferring hydrogen from a trailer to the customer storage. The driver had just completed the pre-fill procedures and was starting to apply pressure to the fill hose, when he heard a leak coming from it. The driver immediately isolated the hose by shutting off the trailer manifold valve. The hose leaked for approximately 1 to 2 seconds. The driver terminated the fill process by using another hose and returned to his home facility.
The leaking transfer hose was inspected and a small leak was detected at the crimped fitting. The hose was purchased new in 2004, last tested in 8/2007 and was due again for test 8/2008.- 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
- hose (trailer)
- Failure mode
- rupture, no ignition
- Initiating cause
- material degradation (generic)
- Root CAUSE analysis
The INITIATING CAUSE was the leak of the flexible hose.
The ROOT CAUSE is unknown, the hose was regularly tested, unexpected ageing is the most plausible explanation.- Root causes
- Date entry in HIAD
- 25/10/2024
Facility
- Application
- Hydrogen transport and distribution
- Sub-application
- CGH2 tube trailer
- Hydrogen supply chain stage
- All components affected
Hose
- Process temperature range [C]
- ambient temperature (-50°C to +50°C)
- Process pressure range [MPa]
- medium to high pressure (10 to 50 MPa)
- Location type
- Open
- Location
- industrial area
- Operational condition
- Pre-event occurrences
The driver had just completed the pre-fill procedures and was starting to apply pressure to the fill hose
Emergency & Consequences
- Number of fatalities
- 0
- Number of injured persons
- 0
- Currency
- US$
- Property loss (onsite)
- 0
- Emergency action
The driver immediately isolated the hose by shutting off the trailer manifold valve.
Lesson Learnt
- Lesson Learnt
Considering the small leak and very limited amount of hydrogen released, this incident is almost a near miss. According to the report, the failed component, a hose, had been regular inspected and tested, and the operator (the trailer driver) acted promptly and according to the procedure. A good example of how consequence of a leak can be controlled.
In-depth data
- Release type
- gas
- Involved substances (% vol)
- H2 100%
- Released amount (kg)
- 0.3
- Release temperature [°C]
- 25
- Release pressure [MPa]
- 18
- Probable IGNITION SOURCE
References
- Sources categories
- PHMSA
- Reference & weblink
Incident I-2008070440 of the US Pipeline and Hazardous Materials Safety Administration PHMSA:
https://portal.phmsa.dot.gov/analytics/saw.dll?Portalpages&PortalPath=%…
(accessed September 2024)
