I'm going on memory from a couple of investigation updates that I've seen, but I think the answers are (1) There was heat and smoke detection in the room, not in the exhaust line for the hood. The temperature increase in the room was close to activating the sprinkler system, but did not get there. (2) They had pressure reducers in the line, but the flow into the controllers was still more than they needed. They are now looking at auto-shut-offs based on the flow rate being higher than it should be. 

 

Kim

 

Sent from my Verizon LG Smartphone

 

------ Original message------

From: Schroeder, Imke

Date: Mon, Jan 28, 2019 1:12 PM

To: DCHAS-L**At_Symbol_Here**PRINCETON.EDU;

Cc:

Subject:Re: [DCHAS-L] PNNL Hydrogen Fire Event Video

 

Thank you, Robin, for sending this around. What surprised me about the video is the absence of a fire alarm, potentially a f ire suppression system, and an automatic gas shut off for these types of experiments that could be triggered either by heat/infrared. I wonder whether that exists.

Imke

 

From: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety > on behalf of "Robin M. Izzo" >
Reply-To: ACS Division of Chemical Health and Safety >
Date: Monday, January 28, 2019 at 9:08 AM
To: >
Subject: [DCHAS-L] PNNL Hydrogen Fire Event Video

 

My colleague at the Princeton University Plasma Physics Lab (a DOE facility) sent me this video from the Safe Conduct of Research (SCoR) at the Pacific Northwest National Lab (PNNL).  There was a hydrogen fire and explosion in one of their fuel cell research labs in September 2018. This video highlights their incident investigation and lessons learned, and provides a good example of why it is necessary to continue to question and improve safety even for operations that have remained unchanged for many years with no serious incidents. This video is very well done and very much appreciated.

https://youtu.be/K7nf0hdHvMk

Best,

Robin

 

 

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Robin M. Izzo, M.S.

Director

Environmental Health and Safety
Princeton University

609-258-6259 (office)

609-865-7156 (mobile)

Visit the EHS website at ehs.princeton.edu and the Emergency Management website at emergency.princeton.edu

 

(she/her/hers)

 

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