In various processing industries, there are small particles of material that are likely to be carried by air at various stages of the production process. Once dispersed in the air, there is a potential explosion hazard that poses a significant threat to life.
Many companies offer a wide range of solutions for every application and their products cover a wide range of industries such as pharmaceutical, refining, aerospace, and food. You can also find experts for industrial explosion protection in the UK at Coopatex.
All that is required for a dust explosion is flammable dust (such as flour, wheat, sugar, metal, wood), dust dispersion in an enclosed environment (such as dust collectors, silos, or bucket elevators), and an ignition source (such as sparks from engines, either malfunctioning or static electricity). The consequences of an explosion can be devastating, not only in terms of the costs of production shutdowns and repairs but also in terms of personnel safety.
If the application is not protected from the effects of explosions, it can spread rapidly from one part of the process to another via connecting pipes and reach the areas of the plant where workers are working.
There are various methods of protection, mitigation and prevention used to combat the possibility and effects of explosions in industrial processes such as explosion ventilation, explosion isolation, fireless ventilation, and explosion suppression.