Engineering Solutions

Combustible dusts explosions are reality in many different types  of industries today. It is estimated that several millions of  workers in the manufacturing industry may be at risk due to injury related to combustible dust.

How We Can Help ?

We can perform Audits of Plant Location, Identify hazards, Plan Mitigation Measures, Design Corrective & Preventive Systems, Reduce Risks due to Fire , Explosion  within the plant to  significantly reduce impact on  People, Asset & Envirionment

In the last decade there have been several serious explosions and hundreds of smaller explosions, all related to the dangers of combustible dust. The most recent explosions which have been more damaging are

• Imperial Sugar USA  - 14 dead and 36 wounded, destruction of the sugar refinery and an 8 million fine to the employer for safety violations.

• West Pharmaceutical USA  - 6 dead and 38 wounded. Almost total destruction of the facility caused by dust explosion processes of plastics and resins

• CTA Acoustics USA  - 7 dead and 37 injured by explosion of powder phenolic resin, in addition to partial destruction of the facility.

• Hayes Lemmerz International  USA - manufacturing aluminum wheels. The explosion caused one dead and six injured and extensive damage in the building.

What is Combustible Dust ?

NFPA 654 defines it as a combustible dust particulate solid that presents a risk of fire or explosion, regardless of size or shape, when suspended in air (or other oxidant) at various concentrations.  The following can  be considered as solid particulate matter which can combust & explode :

• dust

• fibers

• fragments

• flakes

• chips, or 

• mixtures of any of the above mentioned.

How Does Explosion Happen ?

It is the result of creating a fire in a confined space, where the rapid change in temperature causes a rapid change in pressure, resulting in a shock or pressure wave.

          In the case of combustible dusts,             the explosion, requires the                     presence of all these factors to               occur :

1. Ignition sources

2. Fuel

3. Source of oxygen or oxidizing material

4. Dispersion

5. Containment or confinement

In our audits we cover Particle Size Kst, Pmax, MEC, MIT, MIE which are hall mark specifications for Dust Audit

Dust Explosions Impact Many Materials and Many Industries some of them are listed below :

 Here is a list of materials with the potential to generate combustible dusts :