Analysis of ‘7.23’ hydrogen cylinder explosion accidents of three quartz products companys

Abstract

On July 23, 2004, three quartz manufacturing companies’ hydrogen cylinders exploded during operation in the same county of China. Six people were killed and several buildings collapsed. In this paper, the cause of hydrogen cylinder explosions is analyzed by introducing the production and operation process of hydrogen. The energy and the overpressure generated by the explosion are estimated through quantitative analysis. In order to safely release hydrogen, corresponding methods are designed. The lessons learned from chemical process safety are also presented to prevent similar accidents from occurring, which is helpful to prevent personal injury and loss of property.