Originally Posted by Ryan Ching

Hi,

I am looking for some qualified experts who can assist my company in identifying dust explosion risks, particularly around sugar dust.

Thanks,

Ryan

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Its easily done with a few minutes work;

You are dealing with a carbon based material which is the fuel, the heat is usually due to decomposition and as the sugar mill is out in the open where all sorts of dust can collect and not be cleaned and its a given that something very, very, very, bad will happen becuase of a combination of poor housekeeping, heat decomposition, airborne powdered sugar dust, non explosion proof wiriing and light fixtures, a spark from a lit match or cigarette in the wrong place, a failed gasket in a compliant appliance or a fire stuck within an explosion proof enclosure that blows out a control cabinet that is used to control said motor (been there, done that; The young man that was hit by the enclosure door cover when it was blown off by the motor consuming the wiriing insulation while it was on fire and entering the cabinet because no grommet break closures were required was lucky to be alive as he was in front of the cabinet controlling the movement of the radial stacker- I am usure if he was able work again after the explosion and his injuries.

Add more poor housekeeping or the lack of it and you will have a disaster and explosion just as deadly as a coal mine gas explosion because the three corners of the fire triangle are always there and it only takes a millisecond to initiate a high velocity fire which is what a dust explosion and resulting fire is anyway.

rule number 1. continuos house keeping

rule number 2 refer to rule 1.

rule number 3 there is no substitute for housekeeping

rule number 4. proper maintenance of conveyor belts, idlers, splices, wiring controls

and explosion proof lighting over conveyors.

rule number 5 Proper house keeping with properly grounded vacuum systems with non

sparking static proof suction hose and suction tools made of bronze,

and non sparking shovels and other digging tools coated in bronze, and

brooms with no metal parts.

rule number 6 continuos plant wide inspections and weekly safety meetings and

retraining to promote safe work practices each month with continuos

heavy emphasis on housekeeping, fugitive powdered sugar dust control,

continuos plant inspections of plant premises at all times with cleaning

crews cleaning under conveyors, and around packaging machinery

equipment.



rule number 7 refer to rules 1, 2, 3, 4, 6,

rule number 8 is simple: the processing and refining of raw sugars into refined

sugars means income, and faster production means the

higher production quota per day to lower cost per hour

versus the plants base overhead cost per operating hour.





rule number 9 the production quota during and after harvest rules everything

until the raw sugars are processed and warehoused

rule number 10 The laws of the host country affect any sugar plants method

of operating under the leadership of the corporate parent and

its principals.

rule number 11 reread rules 1-7

rule number 12 if there is no visible structure of checks and balances with

regard to over all safety, housekeeping, employee safety,

and maintenance policies and compliance with NFPA,

Loyds, ASGA and others examples like the one in georgia

can will occur





■

Leon has it covered. Houskeeping is the number one preventive measure, after exclusion of sources of ignition and rigorous design of the plant.

Look for guidance from the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association).

Michael Reid. ■

Dear Ryan,

Besides good house keeping it is imperative that your plant is correctly designed for a potential dust explosion hazard. Having more than 40 years of experience in this work, I will be glad to guide you in this design.

Regards,

Amrit Agarwal

Consulting Engineer

Pneumatic Conveying Consulting

Charleston, WV, USA

Email: polypcc@aol.com

Ph 304 346 5125 ■

Depending upon where you are, we can offer system design and mechanical installations for Fenwal Explosion suppression systems for vessels including spray dryers, elevators, dust collectors & storage bins to name a few.

We design and install dust collection systems to control dust at the source to minimize fugitive dust.

If you are outside our general service area which is from Canada to Virginia and we also do some work in Florida.

Nothing west of the Mississipi but we can provide you assiatance with associates around the country.

Good luck, I am a proponant for housekeeping but I am a believer that engineering controls go a long way to reduce the need. ( I hate to clean). ■

sorry - this might help

Patrick Smith

RPS Associates of NE Inc

58 Moody Rd

Enfield, CT 06088

860-749-2624

860-763-1051 Fax

860-539-5502 Cell

http://rpsassociatesofneinc.services...m/default.aspx

e-mail

psmith@rpsne.com ■

I posted contact info but it is being screened for content - sorry

860-749-2624 - call if you need help. or 800-7NO-DUST

Pat Smith ■

Ryan,

A site inspection is the first step. Where in the world is your facility?

The second step is to analyze your operation procedures. Are they safe, complying with the best practices?

The third step is to develop an active and effective plan to mitigate associated risks, including a TRAINING plan to all employees, where recent disasters can be discussed (as the Imperial Sugar case).

With these guidelines you can hire a consultant as a responsible to conduct the plan.

Best regards,

Estellito. ■

Originally Posted by qfilter

Read our article here about the dangers of Dust Explosions. This should give you a nice overview of the problem, and offer some examples of prevention and mitigation techniques currently in use today.

https://forum.bulk-online.com/showth...dust+collector

If you have any questions contact me for more information.

Im sorry the link is here: http://www.qfilter.com/res/Dust-Expl...hem/detail/136 ■

Read our article here about the dangers of Dust Explosions. This should give you a nice overview of the problem, and offer some examples of prevention and mitigation techniques currently in use today.

https://forum.bulk-online.com/showth...dust+collector

If you have any questions contact me for more information. ■

Hi Ryan,

You have been given a lot of good advice. The key issue with sugar is you cannot use water as a dust suppressant so the key issue after good house keeping is design. If you are transporting the sugar using conveyors then the transfers are the key source of dust generation and in this regard you can design transfers that will absolutely minimise the generation of dust with using a baghouse. We cover thids in our book "The Transfer Chute Design Manual for Conveyor Belt Systems"

Cheers

Colin Benjamin

Gulf Conveyor Systems P/L

www.conveyorsystemstechnology.com ■

Originally Posted by Michael Reid

Leon has it covered. Houskeeping is the number one preventive measure, after exclusion of sources of ignition and rigorous design of the plant.

Look for guidance from the NFPA (National Fire Protection Association).

Michael Reid.

Michael is correct with Housekeeping. But you have to keep in mind the intial safety prevention of Static Electricity, prior to housekeeping! If a Dust Cloud is formed, from using Compressed Air or Broom sweeping or Oscillating Fans, then a Combustible Dust explosion is likely.

Feel free to contact me on our cleaning services:

Jon Barrett

Interior Maintenance Co., Inc.

Phone; 1- 267-886-7903 or Jon@imc.cc

PS - visit our website at www.imc.cc

Interior Maintenance Company, Inc. is trained, for Combustible Dust Inspection and Cleaning, per Chilworth Technologies, Inc. www.chilworth.com,, the Fire Protection Research Foundation, and the NFPA, per the NFPA 654 Standard, Chapter 8.

IMC uses HEPA-filtered Explosion Proof vacuums and non-spark tools. All PPE and materials utilized to have Anti-Static properties (suits, gloves, trash bags, tools, vacuum brushes and hoses, containment barriers).

The NFPA 654, 8.2.3.1 standard clearly states that Vacuum cleaners shall be listed for use in Class II hazardous locations (which is for Combustible Wood Dust). A regular Shop Vacuum is not listed, and is truly a risk and an explosion hazard, for this type of use. ■