April 22, 2025

Leakage and fire of hydrogen during exchange of a dehydrogenation catalyst at an alkylbenzene manufacturing plant

A catalyst in the dehydrogenation reactor, which usually was operated under hydrogen atmosphere, was changed with separating the reactor and its peripheral part from the slightly pressured part by closing a 20-inch remotely controlled valve. The hydrogen pressure of the peripheral part was set at 20 KPaG, and the reactor was opened to the atmosphere. Considering some hydrogen leakage, suction from piping was done with a vacuum device and, in addition, nitrogen sealing was performed. In piping restoration work after changing the catalyst, flames spouted from the clearance of the flange and two workers got burnt. The cause of the fire was mal management of the method of catalyst changing.

Read about the incident in this link

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