Common industrial processes have the potential for a dust explosion. Where combustible material is conveyed, filtered, heated, milled, or sprayed in a fine powdered form, the three elements of the ‘explosion triangle’ can combine: dust + air + ignition. When these occur in a confined and unprotected process volume with the dust dispersed, a deflagration can trigger resulting in an immediate overpressure and flameball.

An explosion risk assessment will typically recommend that a series of protection measures be implemented ranging from improvements in housekeeping to investment in protection equipment. Applying protection technology requires that the constraints of the process equipment, building facilities, environment and budgets are taken into account in achieving the level of personnel safety required by codes and standards.

Flexibility is provided by BS&B’s proven range of protection technology that includes explosion venting, explosion suppression, a choice of chemical & mechanical systems for the isolation of interconnected process equipment and spark detection & extinguishing equipment to manage a source of both dust explosion ignition and fire.