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A dust explosion is the fast combustion of dust particles suspended in the air in an enclosed location. Coal dust explosions are a frequent hazard in underground coal mines, but dust explosions can occur where any powdered combustible material is present in an enclosed atmosphere.

Conditions for dust explosion

There are five necessary conditions for a dust explosion:

1. A combustible dust;
2. The dust is suspended in the air at a high concentration;
3. There is an oxidant (typically atmospheric oxygen);
4. The dust is confined;
5. There is an ignition source.^[1]

With the exception of #4, the absence any of these five conditions means there can be no dust explosion or deflagration.

Sources of dust

1878 Stereograph rendering of the Great Mill Disaster.

Many materials which are commonly known to oxidise can generate a dust explosion, such as coal, sawdust, and magnesium. However, many otherwise mundane materials can also lead to a dangerous dust cloud such as grain, flour, sugar, powdered milk and pollen. Many powdered metals (like aluminium and titanium), can form explosive suspensions in air.

The dust can arise from activities such as transporting grain and indeed grain silos do regularly have explosions. Mining of coal leads to coal dust and flour mills likewise have large amounts of flour dust as a result of milling. A gigantic explosion of flour dust destroyed a mill in Minnesota on May 2nd, 1878, killing 16 workers at the Washburn A Mill. A similar problem occurs in saw mills and other places dedicated to carpentry. Thermobaric weapons, depending upon their fuel, are also a potential and intentional source of dust.

The dust must also consist of very small particles, where the surface area is very large, and so will support combustion. Dust is defined as powders with particles less than about 500 micrometres in diameter, but finer dust will present a much greater hazard than coarse particles by virtue of the larger surface area.

Sources of ignition

There are many sources of ignition and a naked flame need not be the only one: over one half of the dust explosions in Germany in 2005 were from non-flame sources.^[2] Common sources of ignition include

• electrostatic discharge
• friction
• arcing from machinery or other equipment;
• hot surfaces
• fire

However it is often difficult to determine the exact source of ignition post-explosion. When a source cannot be found, it will often be cited as static electricity.

Concentration

Below a certain value, the lower explosive limit (LEL),^[2] there is simply insufficient dust to support the combustion at the rate required for an explosion. A figure 20% lower than the LEL is considered safe. Similarly, if the fuel/air ratio increases above the upper explosive limit there is insufficient oxidant to permit combustion to continue at the necessary rate.

Mechanism of dust explosions

Different dusts will have different combustion temperatures and dust of various types will either suppress or elevate this temperature in relation to the stoichiometric concentration of the dusts. It is necessary that sufficient energy, generally either thermal or electrical, be applied to trigger combustion. Due to the small volume in relation to the large surface area, combustion can then proceed very rapidly and the flame front can also travel quickly. For example, 1 kg of powder, 120 µm in diameter will have a surface area of 50 m² or 540 sq ft. Due to the thermal expansion of the gas, the pressure increases. In an enclosed space this leads to the condition called overpressure.

Protection and Mitigation from dust explosions

Mount Mulligan mine disaster in Australia 1921. These cable drums were blown 50 feet (15 m) from their foundations following a coal dust explosion.

Much research has been carried out in Europe and elsewhere to understand how to control these dangers, but explosions still occur. The alternatives for making processes and plants safer depend on the industry. In the coal mining industry, a methane explosion can initiate a coal dust explosion, which can then engulf an entire pit working. Stone dust is spread along mine roadways, or suspended from trays in the roof, so as to dilute the coal dust raised ahead of the combustion zone by the shock wave, to the point where it cannot burn. Mines may also be sprayed with water to inhibit ignition. Some industries exclude air from dust-raising processes, known as "inerting". Typically this uses nitrogen , carbon dioxide or argon, which are incombustible gases and so inhibit combustion. The same method is also used in large storage tanks where inflammable vapours can accumulate.

Best engineering control measures which can be found in the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Combustible Dust Standards include:

• Oxidant Concentration Reduction
• Deflagration venting
• Deflagration pressure containment
• Deflagration suppression
• Deflagration venting through a dust retention and flame-arresting device

See also

• Air to fuel ratio
• Coal dust
• Combustion
• Flour bomb
• Explosion vent

References

External links

For stories about incidents in France and the USA see

• csb.gov various completed investigations from the Chemical Safety Board
• Combustible Dust Policy Institute-ATEX
• OSHA case studies of dust explosions