Dust Explosion
(Redirected from Dust Explosions)
Contents
Basics
- An explosion causing a typically stable, yet combustable fuel to have more surface area (due to forming a dust cloud) and thus ignight and Deflagrate, and often Detonate
- Can lead to MAJOR industrial accidents SUCH AS
- Main industries at risk are sugar mills, flour mills, metal powder production, saw mills, and essentially anything dealing with powder, or processes that can produce it
- The ignition source can be somthing as small as static electricity, or machine heat
- This is also the operating principle behind educational labs, entertainment devices , and thermobaric explosives
Avoidance Strategies
Dust Reduction
- Source collection via shop vac attachments etc
- Collection devices such as Cyclonic Seperators and Electrostatic Precipitators as well as other Air Purifiers and Air Scrubbers
- Humidifiers to reduce dust levels
Design Considerations
- Close at risk areas off/modularise them
- Reducing oxygen (either by reducing the levels in the work area/room to lower levels, or via working under an inert atmosphere (may not need argon etc, notrogen should work assuming the process allows for it)