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June 20, 2018

21/06/2018: The dangers of dust explosions in flour mills

by Dave Link, Technical Sales Manager, United States

Dust explosions in the grain and milling industries usually start inside process equipment such as mills, dryers, mixers, classifiers, conveyors, and storage silos and hoppers. Dust explosions can cause catastrophic loss of life, injuries and destruction of facilities and assets.
 


There have been many serious incidents dating back to 1878 the Washburn ‘A’ Mill, then the largest flour mill in the US, exploded. The blast claimed 18 lives and destroyed a large amount of the surrounding area. More recently, on February 7, 2008 a sugar dust explosion and subsequent fire at a sugar refinery in Georgia caused 14 deaths and left many workers seriously injured. These incidents are all preventable.

For any given dust type the ease with which dust ignites and the rates with which they burn, vary considerably with factors. The key factors include the primary particle size distribution of the dust, the dust concentration distribution in the cloud, and the cloud turbulence. Two of these factors are entirely dependent on the actual process in which the dust cloud is generated and sustained. This article will give a basic background on dust, factors on the explosion and potential ignition sources. And finally, ways to prevent accidental dust explosions including measures such as explosion isolation that can stop a more serious event from occurring.

The 1878 explosion led to reforms in the milling industry to reduce dust in the air during milling and to improve housekeeping. Sanitation and cleanliness became a battle cry, and more attentiveness to the issue began. Part of the problem early on was the ubiquitous open conveying systems that allowed dust to spread all over the mill. Bucket, screw, and drag systems were the typical mechanical devices available until pneumatics came along, and while many mechanical systems are still in use today, the dust they generate is being contained and collected by modern dust control systems.


Read the full article, HERE.
 

The Global Miller
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which is published by Perendale Publishers Limited.


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