Many industries worldwide are exposed to the dangers of dust explosions in their processing and material handling operations. Food and Beverage, Chemical and Pharmaceutical, Wood Processing and Power Generation are just a few common examples, however there are many more.
International safety standards and guidelines legally require explosion mitigation and protection techniques to be put in place, however there is no “one size fits all” answer and the most effective solution will often be application specific.
Explosion protection systems are broadly divided into two groups:
– Passive Explosion Protection
– Active Explosion Protection
Passive explosion systems rely on the pressure generated during the early stages of explosion development to cause a mechanical movement. For example, explosion relief vents open at a predetermined pressure relieving the explosion pressure within a safe margin of the vessel strength. The opening is caused by the explosion pressure itself.
In contrast, active explosion protection systems rely on a means of detection – for example – pressure or optical, which triggers an electrical circuit to activate an explosion protection device, such as an explosion suppressor.
When considering which method works best for your process, it’s entirely application specific. While passive systems are more commonly used due to lower cost, relative ease of design application and low maintenance, they do not mitigate flame within the process which can lead to post explosion fires. Both flameless and standard venting require exclusion zones in the vicinity of the vent portal to protect personnel.
Active systems – in particular, suppression systems – mitigate both pressure and flame within the protected plant containing the explosion. They do however require regular maintenance to verify system reliability and reduce the risk of non-explosion related activations.
Depending on the process and equipment being protected, elements of both active and passive devices may be employed to make up a comprehensive system solution.
Why Do I need an Industrial Explosion Protection System?
Many industries worldwide are exposed to the dangers of dust explosions.
These explosions occur when fine combustible particles, dispersed in air, are subjected to an ignition source within a contained processing environment – for example a vessel, dust collector or duct. Ignition can be generated by several factors, including hot surfaces, flames, spontaneous combustion, friction or uncontrolled electrostatic discharges.
The consequences of industrial explosions can be devastating, leading to costly business interruption and plant damage, as well as the potential for employee injuries and even fatalities. Statistics show that the average financial impact of each industrial explosion can be in the millions.
Explosion protection is therefore vital to mitigate this risk, and global safety standards and guidelines legally require explosion mitigation and protection techniques to be put in place. These codes prescribe preventative measures such as process safety engineering, operator awareness training, and effective plant maintenance and housekeeping.
