Damage investigation on the explosive destruction of a tank at a chlorine liquefaction plant

This paper summarizes the investigation of a serious explosion, which shattered the chemical facility of a chlorine/alkaline plant in Northern Germany in 1981. A pressure tank made from HSB 50 S steel and used as storage of liquid residues from a chlorine liquefaction process violently ruptured and the explosion threw parts of the tank approximately 100 m through the air. The local county government ordered an investigation to determine the root cause of this incident. in objective of the investigation was to determine whether a nitrogen overpressure or a chemical reaction of residuals inside the so-called ‘Taffy’ receiver caused the explosion. A fracture mechanics based analyses evaluated the conditions the material was exposed to during the damage. Metallographic and mechanical tests confirmed that the material specifications were within the values specified by the guidelines but corrosion had reduced the wall thickness considerably. ical calculations to determine the minimum required pressure for the rupture and to cause plastic deformation to the tank confirmed that the failure did not occur due to nitrogen overpressure and therefore, a chemical reaction must have occurred. A detailed chemical analysis confirmed that the explosive disintegration of methylnitrate, which is highly sensitive to heat and impact, and its halogenated derivatives likely caused the incident. Due to the design and operational mode of the plant, impurities could accumulate and form explosive compounds in the Taffy receivers without control.