Boilerand

pressurevessel

accidents

Thefollowingpicturesshowdamagecausedbyaccidentstoboilersandpressurevessels.Buffalo,NewYork1983

“Itlookedlikeabattleground”

TwodaysafterChristmas1983,thepeaceandtranquilityofBuffalo,NewYorkwasabruptlyshatteredbyanexplosionofsuchmagnitudethatitsenormitywasalmostimpossibletocomprehend.

Theaftermathoftheexplosionlefttheappearanceofamajorbattleground,ratherthanthatofanaveragecityresidentialblock.Whatcausedthishorrifyingscene?

AgasexplosioncausedbythereleaseofliquidLPgasonthesecondfloorofawarehouse

Thecausewasapressurevesselmeasuringonlythreefeetbyeightfeet,containing230gallonsofliquidpropane.Thevesselwasbeingmovedviaforkliftwhenitrolledofftheforks,andanozzlebrokeoffcausingthegastoescape.

LPgasbeingheavierthanairstayedneartheground.Asparkcausedthegastoexplodeandcausedthefollowingresults:LiquidOxygenCylinderExplosion

ImpropermethodsusedtorenderscrapcylinderunserviceableUnsafemodificationstocylinderdesignTwoindividuals(ages42and60)foundaliquidoxygencylinderthathadbeenremovedfromserviceandleftatascrapmetaldealerTheindividualswereself-employedinscrapmetalcuttingoperationsandintendedtousethecylinderintheirworkThePressureRelievingDeviceswereremovedandpluggedThecylinderwasfilledwhileonboardapickuptruckThecylinder,whichhadnovacuum,wasnowunabletoventexcesspressureWhilebeingtransporteddownabusyhighway,thepickuptruckexperiencedaflattireShortlythereafter,thecylinderexplodedwiththeresultsshowninthefollowingslidesPickuptruckonwhichthecylinderwasbeingtransportedBothinnerandoutershellsseparatedatbottomweldsAnnularSpaceCylinderexplodedat12:40PMwhiletransportvehiclewasparkedonbusyInterstatehighwayVehicleLocationCylinderTrajectoryTheblastblewoneindividualacross5lanesoftraffic.Theotherwasblownapproximately40feet.BothsurvivedNotethatthemediareportedtheeventasaButanecylinderexplosionbutitwasreallyanO2cylinderLPGasstoragespherecollapsedwhilebeingfilledforahydrostaticpressuretestkillingaworkerunderneath.Supportlegshadcorrodedduetowatertrappedbetweeninsulationandsupportcolumn.Thisisanexampleofbrittlefracturecausedbyusingcoldwaterforahydrostaticpressuretestandthenpressurizingvessel.Thetemperatureofthewatercausedthemetaltobecomebrittle.AntiquetractionengineTractionEngineafterboilerexplosionFirstfloorclassroomaftercastironboilerexplosionFrontofschoolbuildingviewingfromexteriorofbuilding.Viewfrombasementboilerroomlookingupthroughceilingto1stfloorTheIncidentAdefective,highpressure,steamboilerruptured.Highvibrationswereheardjustbeforetheboilerruptured.Theresultantexplosiononrupturedamagednearbyvesselscontainingflammables.TheflammableLossOfContainmentresultedinfurtherfiresandexplosions.Results23workerswerekilled.Ninearestillmissing.(attimeofreport)74wereinjured.$800,000,000(U.S.)estimatedpropertydamage.Followingviewsareafterexplosion.FlameslighttheskyafteranexplosionatAlgeria'slargestrefineryandprincipaloilexporterintheportcityofSkikda,500km(310miles)eastofthecapitalAlgiers,earlyJanuary20,2004.RescueworkerssearchedthroughrubbleformissingworkeronTuesdayafterahugeexplosionatitskeygasinstallationskilled23people