Sugar Dust Explosion Prevention and Protection
27 February 2008 09:46
Sugar presents a combustion hazard when it is in a dry and dusty form. A fine sugar dust explosion can generate a pressure in excess of 100 psi within enclosed process equipment in less than 100 milliseconds. Industry is provided with recently updated tools to manage such risk in the form of Standards published by The National Fire Protection Association (NFPA).
The NFPA Standards covering explosion prevention and protection (68-2007, 69-2008, 654-2006) require that a documented risk program be in place for all combustible dust hazards. The OSHA National Emphasis Program on combustible dust processes released on 18th October 2007 underwrites the full requirements of these NFPA Standards.
The owner/operator of a sugar dust processing or handling facility is faced with choices in the safety measures that can be combined to meet the requirements of these Standards. One or more of the following approaches to safety must typically be employed:
HOUSEKEEPING MEASURES
Eliminate or minimize combustible dust accumulation by design or controlled operating procedures.
Equipment grounding & appropriately r45ated electrical systems eliminate or minimize the build up of static electricity & periodically inspect that such measures remain effective, combined with the use of electrical systems designed for the hazardous area in which they are applied.
EQUIPMENT VENTING
Discharge the products of combustion from a dust explosion to atmosphere safely in order to contain the pressure generated inside protected equipment below safe design limits.
For more information on this company:
BS&B Safety Systems - Rupture Disk, Bursting Disk, Buckling Pin Valve and Explosion Protection Technology
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