Failure Analysis of Fires in Oxygen Production Process Valves

Abstract

The NASA Johnson Space Center (JSC) White Sands Test Facility (WSTF) as requested to perform failure analyses on damaged hardware from a series of fires that occurred in an oxygen production process (OPP). The purpose of the analysis was to determine the cause of the fires, which occurred in five valves in separate incidents in two different applications. The approach of the analysis was to understand the system configuration and operation, review the fire scenario, and analyze the system for possible ignition mechanisms. The evidence was reviewed and analyzed using microphotography and macrophotography, scanning electron microscopy, and chemical analysis. The evidence was then used to prove or disprove various failure scenarios. This paper reports the analysis results and provides recommendations for improving the system's resistance to ignition and combustion.

Investigation of a large industrial oxygen valve fire

“…Such fires have been investigated by e.g. Beeson, Ginter, Dobbin, and Forsyth (2003), Dicker and Wharton (1988), and Newton, Hull, and Stradling (2000). Newton and Forsyth (2003) have investigated two fires of industrial large-diameter oxygen valves.…”