Testing of dust clouds for the electrostatic-spark ignition hazard in industry. Need for a modified approach?

Current standard test methods for electric-spark minimum ignition energies (MIEs) of dust clouds in air require that a series inductance of at least 1–2 mH be included in the electric-spark discharge circuit. The reason is to prolong the spark discharge duration and thus minimize the spark energy required for ignition. However, when assessing the minimum electrostatic energy ½CU² for dust cloud ignition by accidental electrostatic-spark discharges, current testing standards require that the series inductance of at least 1–2 mH be removed from the spark discharge circuit. No other changes of apparatus and test procedure are required. The present paper questions whether this simple approach is always adequate. The reason is that in practice in industry accidental electrostatic-spark discharge circuits may contain large ohmic resistances due to corrosion, poor electrical grounding connections, poorly electrically conducting construction materials etc. The result is increased spark discharge durations and reduced mechanical disturbance of the dust cloud by the blast wave emitted by the spark. Therefore, testing for minimum ½CU² for ignition by accidental electrostatic spark discharges may not only require removal of the series inductance of 1–2 mH from the standard MIE spark discharge circuit. Additional tests may be needed with one or more quite large series resistances R_s inserted into the spark discharge circuit. The present paper proposes a modified standard test procedure for measurement of the minimum electrostatic-spark ignition energy of dust clouds that accounts for these effects.     

Validation of a new formula for predicting the lower flammability limit of hybrid mixtures

A correlation of the lower flammability limit for hybrid mixtures was recently proposed by us. The experimental conditions including ignition energy and turbulence which play a primary role in a gas or dust explosion were at fixed values. The sensitivity of such experimental conditions to the accuracy of the proposed formula was not thoroughly discussed in the previous work. Therefore, this work studied the effect of varying the ignition energy and turbulence intensity to the formula proposed in our previous paper. For ignition energy effect, results from methane/niacin mixture demonstrated that the MEC and LFL will not be affected by changing ignition energy. There is no distinguishable difference among gas explosion index (K_G) and dust explosion index (K_St) derived from tests with every ignition energy (2.5 kJ, 5 kJ and 10 kJ) in a 36 L vessel. The proposed formula is independent of ignition energy. For turbulence effect, the proposed formula can have a good prediction of the explosion and non-explosion zone if the ignition delay time is within a certain range. The formula prediction is good as the ignition delay time increases up to 100 ms in this work. Propane/niacin and propane/cornstarch mixtures are also tested to validate the proposed formula. It has been confirmed that the proposed formula predicts the explosion and non-explosion zone boundary of such mixtures.     

Minimum ignition energy of mixtures of combustible dusts

Most industrial powder processes handle mixtures of various flammable powders. Consequently, hazard evaluation leads to a reduction of the disaster damage that arises from dust explosions. Determining the minimum ignition energy (MIE) of flammable mixtures is critical for identifying possibility of accidental hazard in industry. The aim of this work is to measure the critical ignition energy of different kinds of pure dusts with various particle sizes as well as mixtures thereof.The results show that even the addition of a modest amount of a highly flammable powder to a less combustible powder has a significant impact on the MIE. The MIE varies considerably when the fraction of the highly flammable powder exceeds 20%. For dust mixtures consisting of combustible dusts, the relationship between the ignition energy of the mixture and the minimum ignition energy of the components follows the so-called harmonic model based upon the volume fraction of the pure dusts in the mixture. This correlation provides results which show satisfactory agreement with the experimental values.     

湍流对粉尘云电火花点火过程的影响

随着现代工业的发展，粉尘爆炸事故发生的频率也逐年增加，因此，对粉尘云点火敏感程度进行测量和计算就变得十分重要。粉尘云最小点火能是粉尘爆炸重要的特性参数之一，是采取粉尘爆炸防护的基础。最小点火能在测量的过程中受到多个敏感条件的影响，其中湍流则是最复杂的影响因素之一。文中对实验过程中粉尘云的湍流进行了定义，并分析了湍流对粉尘云最小点火能影响的内在原因；同时对通过数值模拟计算粉尘云最小点火能过程中的湍流计算给出了数学模型。从实验和数学模型两个方向对湍流进行了全面描述，对粉尘云电火花点火过程中湍流影响的分析结论，可有效的指导实验。     

敏感条件对粉尘云最小点火能的影响规律分析

为使粉尘云最小点火能实验测量更准确,从多个方面分析影响最小点火能的测量因素,并根据粉尘云状态、粉尘颗粒固有性质、点火电路等几个方面对影响粉尘云最小点火能的因素,即敏感条件进行了分类。在实验测量中,具体归纳为:粉尘浓度、粉尘湿度、粉尘粒度及其分布、粉尘挥发份含量、粉尘温度(环境温度)、粉尘云的湍流度、粉尘分散质量、粉尘云初始压力、环境氧浓度、电极材料、电极直径和电极末端曲率、电极间距、电火花持续时间、点火延迟时间、电火花能量密度、火花触发电路、可燃气体影响、实验次数等18个影响因素。重点分析了敏感条件对最小点火能的影响规律,从粉尘云点火机理和过程出发,着重分析一些敏感条件对最小点火能影响的内在原因和实质。     

Minimum ignition temperatures and explosion characteristics of micron-sized aluminium powder

To forestall, control, and mitigate the detrimental effects of aluminium dust, a 20-L near-spherical dust explosion experimental system and an HY16429 type dust-cloud ignition temperature test device were employed to explore the explosion characteristics of micron-sized aluminium powder under different ignition energies, dust particle sizes, and dust cloud concentration (C_dust) values; the minimum ignition temperature (MIT) values of aluminium powder under different dust particle sizes and C_dust were also examined. Flame images at different times were photographed by a high-speed camera. Results revealed that under similar dust-cloud concentrations and with dust particle size increasing from 42.89 to 141.70 μm, the MIT of aluminium powder increased. Under various C_dust values, the MIT of aluminium dust clouds attained peak value when concentrations enhanced. Furthermore, the increase of ignition energy contributed to the increase of the explosion pressure (P_ex) and the rate of explosion pressure rise [(dP/dt)_ex]. When dust particle size was augmented gradually, the P_ex and (dP/dt)_ex attenuated. Decreasing particle size lowered both the most violent explosion concentration and explosive limits.     

Lower explosion limit of hybrid mixtures of burnable gas and dust

Hybrid mixtures – mixtures of burnable dusts and burnable gases – pose special problems to industries, as their combined Lower Explosion Limit (LEL) can lie below the LEL of the single substances. Different mathematical relations have been proposed by various authors in literature to predict the Lower Explosion Limit of hybrid mixtures (LEL_hybrid). The aim of this work is to prove the validity or limitations of these formulas for various combinations of dusts and gases. The experiments were executed in a standard 20 L vessel apparatus used for dust explosion testing. Permanent spark with an ignition energy of 10 J was used as ignition source. The results obtained so far show that, there are some combinations of dust and gas where the proposed mathematical formulas to predict the lower explosible limits of hybrid mixtures are not safe enough.     

Measurement of minimum ignition energies (MIEs) of dust clouds – History,present, future

Nearly 130 years ago Holtzwart and von Meyer (1891) demonstrated by experiments that explosible dust clouds could be ignited by inductive electric sparks. Then more than half a century passed before the publication of the important quantitative research of Boyle and Llewellyn (1950) and Line et al. (1959). They worked with capacitive electric sparks and found that the minimum capacitor energies ½CU² required for ignition of various dust clouds in air decreased substantially when a large series resistance, in the range 10⁴–10⁷ Ω, was introduced in the discharge circuit. When considering that the net energies of the sparks themselves were only of the order of 10% of the ½CU² discharged, the minimum net spark energies required for ignition with a large series resistance were only a few per cent of the net energies required without such a resistance.Line et al. observed that the essential effect of increasing the series resistance, and hence increasing the discharge time of the sparks, was to reduce the disturbance of the dust cloud by the blast wave from the spark. This phenomenon was explored further by Eckhoff (1970, 2017), and subsequently by some simple experiments by Eckhoff and Enstad (1976). Franke (1974, 1977) and Laar (1980) confirmed the additional finding of Line et al. (1959) that the minimum ½CU² for ignition is also substantially reduced by including a series inductance in the discharge circuit, rather than a series resistance. The basic reason is the same as with a large series resistance, viz. increased spark discharge time and hence decreased disturbance of the dust cloud by blast wave from the spark. For this reason inclusion of an appreciable series inductance in the spark discharge circuit is an essential element in current standard MIE test methods.In experiments with spark ignition of transient dust clouds produced by a blast of air in a closed vessel, it is necessary to synchronize the occurrence of the spark with the formation of the dust cloud. The precision required from this type of synchronization is typically of the order of 10 ms, which can be obtained even by mechanical arrangements, such as rapid change of spark gap length, or of the distance between two capacitor plates. The present paper reviews some methods that have been/are being used for achieving adequate synchronization of dust cloud appearance and spark discharge. Some current standard experimental methods for determining MIEs of dust clouds experimentally have also been reviewed. The same applies to some theories of electric-spark ignition of dust clouds.At the end of paper some suggestions for possible future modifications of current standard methods for measuring MIEs of explosible dust clouds are presented. With regard to justifying significant modifications of existing standard methods, the “bottom line” is, as quite often in many connections, that any modifications should be based on realistic cost/benefit evaluations.     

Experimental investigation of limiting oxygen concentration of hybrid mixtures

An investigation into the limiting oxygen concentration (LOC) of fifteen combustible dusts and methane, ethanol and isopropanol hybrid mixtures in the standard 20 L explosion chamber was performed. Three ignition energies (10 J, 2 kJ and 10 kJ) were used. The results show that a 10 J electrical spark ignition leads to significantly higher limiting oxygen concentration values than either 2 kJ or 10 kJ pyrotechnic igniters. This could be due to the “overdriving” effect of the chemical igniters, which produce a hot flame that virtually covers the entire explosion chamber during combustion. With respect to hybrid mixture investigation, the 20 L sphere was modified to allow the input of methane gas and flammable solvents. The limiting oxygen concentrations of the hybrid mixtures were found to be considerably lower than those of dust air mixtures when the relatively weaker spark igniter was used. There was no significant change in limiting oxygen concentration when the higher energy chemical igniters were used.     

Ignition tests for electrical and mechanical equipment subjected to hot surfaces

This paper reports some experimental work on hot surface ignition temperatures of dust deposits. Dust layers up to 75 mm in depth were ignited using a modified version of the standard 5 mm layer apparatus. The measured ignition temperatures show good agreement with predictions using the method given in EN 50281-2-1. Ignition temperatures of conical dust deposits over an electrically heated box were not predictable, but were not too dissimilar from the ignition temperatures of the thick layers. Both tests gave adequate reproducibility in round robin tests. Rotating steel wheels in contact, immersed in a dust deposit produce the frictional hot surfaces. A relation between the power lost by friction and the surface temperature developed has been derived. The surface temperatures leading to ignition were close to the ignition temperatures for the conical deposits on the heated box. The similarities between the ignition temperatures of dust deposits in several configurations indicate that a simple test for ignition temperature measurement could have wide application in dusty environments.     

Safer and stronger together? Effects of the agglomeration on nanopowders explosion

Among the factors influencing dust explosion, the particle size distribution (PSD) is both one of the most important and complex to consider. For instance, it is commonly accepted that the explosion sensitivity increases when the particle size decreases. Such an assertion may be questionable for nano-objects which easily agglomerate. However, agglomerates can be broken during the dispersion process. Correlating the explosion parameters to the actual PSD of a dust cloud at the moment of the ignition becomes then essential. The effects of the moisture content and sieving were investigated on a nanocellulose powder and the impact of a mechanical agglomeration was evaluated using a silicon coated by carbon powder. Each sample was characterized before and after dispersion using in situ laser particle size measurement and a fast mobility particle sizer, and explosion and minimum ignition energy tests were conducted respectively in a 20 L sphere and in a modified Hartmann tube. It was observed that drying and/or sieving the nanocellulose mainly led to variations in terms of ignition sensitivity but only slightly modified the explosion severity. In contrast, the mechanical agglomeration of the silicon coated by carbon led to a great decrease in terms of ignition sensitivity, with a minimum ignition energy varying from 5 mJ for the raw powder to more than 1J for the agglomerated samples. The maximum rate of pressure rise also decreased due to modifications in the reaction kinetics, inducing a transition from St2 class to St1 class when agglomerating the dust.     

Experimental study on the influence of the nitrogen concentration in the air on the minimum ignition energies of combustible powders due to electrostatic discharges

As a useful method of preventing dust explosions, nitrogen (N₂), an incombustible gas, has been applied to an explosive atmosphere. This paper is a report that quantitatively determines whether the minimum ignition energy of powder depends on the nitrogen (or oxygen) concentration in the air. Hartman vertical-tube apparatus and six sample powders were used in this study. The results show that the minimum ignition energies of all of the powders used in this study increased with increased amounts of N₂ in the air. However, the effects were different in all of the sample powders. We finally suggest that the N₂ concentration of 84% (or above) prevents dust explosions due to electrostatic discharges in the industrial process with the sample powders used in this experiment.     

Differences and similarities of gas and dust explosions: A critical evaluation of the European ‘ATEX’ directives in relation to dusts

Explosive gas mixtures and explosive dust clouds, once existing, exhibit similar ignition and combustion features. However, there are two basic differences between dusts and gases which are of substantially greater significance in design of safety standards than these similarities. Firstly, the physics of generation and up-keeping of dust clouds and premixed gas/vapour clouds are substantially different. This means that in most situations where accidental explosive gas clouds may be produced quite readily, generation of explosive dust clouds would be highly unlikely. Secondly, contrary to premixed gas flame propagation, the propagation of flames in dust/air mixtures is not limited only to the flammable dust concentration range of dynamic clouds. The state of stagnant layers/deposits offers an additional discrete possibility of flame propagation.

The two European Directives 94/9/EC (1994) and 1999/92/EC (1999) primarily address gases/vapours, whereas the particular properties of dusts are not addressed adequately. Some recent IEC and European dust standards resulting from this deficiency are discussed, and the need for revising the two directives accordingly is emphasized.     

Experiment-based investigations on the effect of ignition energy on dust explosion behaviors

Explosion behaviors of typical light metal and carbonaceous dusts induced by different ignition energies were investigated based on systematic experiments in a Siwek 20 L vessel. Comparative analysis reveals that the explosion mechanism of carbonaceous dust is the volatile combustion, whereas the mechanism for light metal dust mainly features the surface heterogeneous oxidation. Influences of ignition energy on severity and flammability limit are much more significant for carbonaceous dust than light metal, especially for the powder with less volatile. An innovative approach was introduced to derive flame thickness from the pressure–time trace. The relation between explosion induction time and combustion duration of ignitor was also analyzed. Results show inappropriate ignition energy will cause under-/over-driving in the thermodynamic/kinetic characteristic measurements. In this way, a dimensionless parameter pressure ratio was introduced to evaluate the under-driving, while two methods by using flame thickness and induction time respectively, were proposed to evaluate over-driving. To improve the accuracy of dust explosion tests, authors advocate that explosion severity determination should be conducted at the critical ignition energy. Moreover, a comparison between the European and Chinese flammability limit determination procedures was also conducted, indicating that EN 14034-3 is suitable for light metal but not for carbonaceous, while GB/T 16425 appears to be slightly conservative for both carbonaceous and light metal dusts.     

瓦斯对煤尘爆炸特性影响的实验研究

瓦斯的存在对煤尘爆炸特性的理论计算和数值仿真的结果与实际数据有一定差距,因此,通过不同浓度瓦斯与煤尘共存条件下爆炸实验研究,得出了矿井瓦斯对煤尘的最低着火温度、最小点火能量、爆炸下限浓度、最大爆炸压力和最大爆炸压力上升速度等爆炸特性影响的规律即瓦斯对煤尘最低着火温度影响不大;瓦斯可使煤尘的最小点火能量减小,尤其是对难于点燃的煤尘;混合物的爆炸下限浓度随瓦斯浓度的增加而降低;混合物的最大爆炸压力上升速度由于瓦斯的存在而增强,而最大爆炸压力几乎没有变化。同时研究了瓦斯对无爆炸性煤尘的影响。实验研究的结论对于现场防止煤尘爆炸的发生具有指导意义。     

Effects of ignitors and turbulence on dust explosions

The aim of this work is in an attempt to increase the understanding of the acting behaviour of pyrotechnic ignitors and their effects on confined dust explosions. Flame visualization has shown that pyrotechnic ignitors can initiate an explosion by instantaneous jet-like volumetric and/or multipoint ignition. Hence, the rate of pressure rise and also the apparent burning velocity will be increased to some extent, depending on the ignitor energy and the reactivity of the mixtures. The ignitor effect is more important for the early stages of flame propagation and would be more significant in small explosion chambers. Thus, for dust explosion tests with various purposes, use of pyrotechnic ignitors should be made carefully, and the ignitor effect must be accounted for in the data interpretation. Turbulence induced by dust dispersion is a dominant factor in affecting dust explosions. At different ignition delays, however, the turbulence influence will be coupled with that of ignitors. This complicates further the interpretation of explosion data measured under turbulent conditions.     

A test for electrical ignitions of flammable dust clouds

The Atex Directive specifically includes the explosion hazards arising from the presence of flammable dusts. The European standards body CENELEC proposed a research project to develop tests for assessing the ignition hazard due to electrical apparatus used in hazardous dusty environments. This paper describes the work done on developing a test for electrical spark ignitions of explosive dust atmospheres. A prototype apparatus incorporating the dust explosibility vertical tube and the STA break flash apparatus has been developed. Tests using three dusts showed sulphur dust had ignition characteristics close to those of gas Group B, while other dusts were much less easily ignitable than methane. Round robin tests using a duplicate apparatus and the proposed test method produced results very close to those obtained using the original apparatus.     

Suitability of ignition source “exploding wire” for determination of dust explosion characteristics in the 20-L-sphere

Several safety characteristics of dusts are determined in the 20-L-sphere (also known as SIWEK Chamber) according to international standards. Dust cloud ignition is carried out using pyrotechnical igniters. Due to various disadvantages of such igniters the need for alternative ignition sources arises again and again. An alternative could be an ignition source which is known as “exploding wire” or “fuse wire”. The paper presents test results of a comparative study between both ignition sources for the determination of the safety characteristics “Maximum Explosion Pressure” and “Maximum Rate of Explosion Pressure Rise” of five selected dusts in the 20-L-sphere. In addition to that the ignition mechanisms of both ignition sources were analyzed by high speed camera recordings and the ignition energy was determined with electric and calorimetric recordings. The paper shows results of measurements of the ignition energy of both ignition sources as well as sequences of the flame propagation.     

Ignitability characteristics of aluminium and magnesium dusts that are generated during the shredding of post-consumer wastes

The authors investigated the ignitability of aluminium and magnesium dusts that are generated during the shredding of post-consumer waste. The relations between particle size and the minimum explosive concentration, the minimum ignition energy, the ignition temperature of the dust clouds, etc. the relation between of oxygen concentration and dust explosion, the effect of inert substances on dust explosion, etc. were studied experimentally.

The minimum explosive concentration increased exponentially with particle size. The minimum explosive concentrations of the sample dusts were about 170 g/m³ (aluminium: 0–8 μm) and 90 g/m³ (magnesium: 0–20 μm). The minimum ignition energy tended to increase with particle size. It was about 6 mJ for the aluminium samples and 4 mJ for the magnesium samples. The ignition temperature of dust clouds was about 750 °C for aluminium and about 520 °C for magnesium. The lowest concentrations of oxygen to produce a dust explosion were about 10% for aluminium and about 8% for magnesium. A large mixing ratio (more than about 50%) of calcium oxide or calcium carbonate was necessary to decrease the explosibility of magnesium dust. The experimental data obtained in the present investigation will be useful for evaluating the explosibility of aluminium and magnesium dusts generated in metal recycling operations and thus for enhancing the safety of recycling plants.     

Flame propagation in lycopodium/air mixtures below atmospheric pressure

Industrial processes are often operated at conditions deviating from atmospheric conditions. Safety relevant parameters normally used for hazard evaluation and classification of combustible dusts are only valid within a very narrow range of pressure, temperature and gas composition. The development of dust explosions and flame propagation under reduced pressure conditions is poorly investigated. Standard laboratory equipment like the 20 l Siwek chamber does not allow investigations at very low pressures. Therefore an experimental device was developed for the investigations on flame propagation and ignition under reduced pressure conditions. Flame propagation was analysed by a video analysis system the actual flame speed was measured by optical sensors. Experiments were carried out with lycopodium at dust concentrations of 100 g/m³, 200 g/m³ and 300 g/m³. It was found that both flame shapes and flame speeds were quite different from those obtained at atmospheric pressure. Effects like buoyancy of hot gases during ignition and flame propagation are less strong than at atmospheric conditions. For the investigated dust concentrations the flame reaches speeds that are nearly an order of a magnitude higher than at ambient conditions.