Heat Exchanger Failures and Fires¶
Heat exchangers can fail through corrosion, tube rupture, or thermal shock, releasing hazardous process fluids or creating dangerous mixing between process streams. The cases below document what the CSB found when heat exchangers were a primary or contributing factor.
16 CSB investigations in this database involve heat exchanger as a primary or contributing equipment factor, spanning 1998–2024.
Heat Exchanger Failures and Fires (16)¶
| Incident | Date | Industry | Key Hazard |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wacker Polysilicon Chemical Release | 11/13/2020 | Chemical Manufacturing | Chemical Release, Toxic Release |
| Formosa Plastics Propylene Explosion | 10/06/2005 | Chemical Manufacturing | Chemical Release, Explosion |
| Bayer CropScience Pesticide Waste Tank Explosion | 08/28/2008 | Chemical Manufacturing | Runaway Reaction, Explosion |
| Cuisine Solutions Ammonia Release | 07/31/2024 | Food Processing | Ammonia Release, Toxic Release |
| Honeywell Chemical Incidents | 07/20/2003 | Chemical Manufacturing | Chemical Release, Toxic Release |
| Dow Louisiana Operations Explosions | 07/14/2023 | Chemical Manufacturing | Explosion, Fire |
| Enterprise Pascagoula Gas Plant Explosion and Fire | 06/27/2016 | Oil And Gas Production | Chemical Release, Explosion |
| Williams Olefins Plant Explosion and Fire | 06/13/2013 | Chemical Manufacturing | Bleve, Chemical Release |
| Goodyear Heat Exchanger Rupture | 06/11/2008 | Chemical Manufacturing | Overpressure, Chemical Release |
| Kuraray Pasadena Release and Fire | 05/19/2018 | Chemical Manufacturing | Chemical Release, Fire |
| Tesoro Anacortes Refinery Fatal Explosion and Fire | 04/02/2010 | Petroleum Refining | Explosion, Fire |
| Concept Sciences Hydroxylamine Explosion | 02/19/1999 | Chemical Manufacturing | Explosion, Chemical Release |
| ExxonMobil Torrance Refinery Explosion | 02/18/2015 | Petroleum Refining | Explosion, Fire |
| Synthron Chemical Explosion | 01/31/2006 | Chemical Manufacturing | Runaway Reaction, Vapor Cloud Explosion |
| Honeywell Geismar Chlorine and Hydrogen Fluoride Releases | 01/23/2023 | Chemical Manufacturing | Chemical Release, Explosion |
| Silver Eagle Refinery Flash Fire and Explosion and Catastrophic Pipe Explosion | 01/12/2009 | Petroleum Refining | Flash Fire, Explosion |
Related Hazard Types¶
Chemical Release · Explosion · Structural Failure · Fire · Toxic Release
Related Equipment¶
Valve Failures in Process Plant Incidents · Relief Valve Failures and Overpressure Events · Pressure Vessel Explosions and Failures · Pump Failures and Process Safety Incidents · Pipeline Ruptures, Leaks, and Fires · Distillation Column Explosions and Failures
Data sourced from CSB.gov public investigation reports. This site is an independent project not affiliated with the U.S. CSB.