Explosion of iron hydrogen storage containers – Investigations from 120 years ago revisited

• Early hydrogen container explosion frequently considered as precedent failure case for hydrogen energy applications.
• The expertise of Adolf Martens can be regarded as nucleus for modern failure analysis procedures.
• The present contribution revisits the innovative materials testing procedures for that time.
• Potential failure origins including hydrogen assisted cracking and leakage of hydrogen are discussed
• From today’s perspective, the ignition of oxyhydrogen by a stone-bottle hit as reported by the ancient newspapers appears as unlikely.

The explosion of hydrogen gas storage cylinders on May 25, 1894, represents one of the most spectacular failure cases during the late industrialization period in Germany. With respect to modern applications to hydrogen storage as energy carrier, it has several times been referred to as precedent failure case for the whole industrial sector. The detailed investigation reports by Martens have thus gained interest in the last years, but also, because the publications in 1896 about his expertise already provided in September 1894 document one of the first and most comprehensive investigations which can be regarded as a nucleus for modern failure analysis.After summarizing the newspaper reports in the introduction, the present contribution provides a review of Martens’ reports targeted at the development of failure analyses and materials testing procedures as well as potential failure origins.