CSB Publishes 2nd Update for the November 2024 Givaudan Explosion

Yesterday the Chemical Safety Board announced the publication of the 2^nd update for their investigation of a process explosion at the Givaudan Sense Colour facility in Louisville, Kentucky on November 12^th 2024. The first update was published on February 27^th, 2025. The earlier update provided a process description and timeline of the incident.

This update looks at the potential for a self-accelerating decomposition reaction. The CSB conducted Automatic Pressure Tracking Adiabatic Calorimetry (APTAC) and Accelerating Rate Calorimetry (ARC) testing of both the expected vessel contents at the time of the explosion and just the sugar ingredient. The testing showed that an exothermic decomposition reaction, producing CO2 gas began at about 226 °F on the reaction solution and 295 °F for the sugar. The report notes that (pg 4):

“The results of the chemical reactivity testing show that even within the batch reactor’s normal operating temperature and pressure range, both the caramel coloring ingredient mixture as well as the sugar ingredient alone could experience a hazardous runaway reaction, producing dangerously high temperatures and pressures far beyond the reactor’s safe limits, which in turn could cause the reactor to explode.”

With these findings in hand, the CSB is now looking at the design basis for the reaction vessel’s pressure relief system.