Ignition of dust-air atmospheres by ultrasonic waves

This paper shows the results of our investigations on the ignition source ultrasound in dust-air atmospheres. Ultrasound is, on the one hand, considered to be an ignition source according to international safety standards (EN 1127–1 (2011)). On the other hand, though, ultrasound is used for various applications in gases and air, such as level and flow measurement, or in the process industry, but no explosion accidents have yet been reported. Our research now shows that it is indeed possible to ignite dust-air mixtures in ultrasound fields under certain conditions. We conducted our experiments in an ultrasound standing wave field and used maize starch, calcium stearate and sulfur dust. For ignitions, an absorbing target was needed to convert the acoustic energy into heat. From theoretical estimations and experiments critical conditions that provoke ultrasonically triggered explosions are identified.     

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.     

Inerting effect of CaCO3 powder on flame spread of wood dust layer

The effect of CaCO₃ powder, a typical inert dust, on the flame spread characteristics of wood dust layers was studied using an experimental device to understand the ignition characteristics of and develop inert explosion-proof technology for deposited wood dust. The results showed that the flame spread velocity (FSV) of the mixed dust layer was affected by the dispersion effect of CaCO₃ powder and physical heat absorption. As the CaCO₃ powder mass fraction increased, the FSV of the dust layer first increased and then decreased, reaching a peak at a 50% mass fraction. Moreover, the front-end temperature of the flame gradually decreased, and the red spark faded. The combustion reaction of the mixed dust layer could be more completed, and the colour of the combustion residue changed from charcoal black to charcoal grey. The coupling effect of the initial temperature and wind speed can promote an increase in the FSV in the mixed dust layer. The Gauss–Amp model of the FSV of the wood dust layer and mass fraction of CaCO₃ powder showed that the peak of the FSV occurred when the mass fraction of CaCO₃ powder was between 40 and 50%. Thus, a good inerting and explosion-proof effect can be achieved by using CaCO₃ powder with a mass fraction of more than 50%; it can improve the whole inerting process. Inert explosion-proof technology should be considered when assessing fire and explosion risk of dust in real process industry situations.     

Assessment of explosion risks caused by cone discharges when filling silos and containers with pellets

It is well known that during the filling of silos and containers with bulk material, so-called cone discharges can occur because of electrostatic charges. Whether or not cone discharges occur at all depends on whether the breakdown field strength of air under atmospheric conditions of 3 MV/m is reached at the silo and container inner wall. This in turn depends on the charge to mass ratio of the bulk, the bulk resistivity, the bulk density, the relative permittivity of the bulk material, the silo or container diameter and the filling rate. If cone discharges can't be avoided, the energy of cone discharges can be estimated according to the equation given in the relevant guidelines TRGS 727 (2016) and IEC/TS 60079-32-1 (2013). Therefore, the coarse fraction must be considered. As soon as the energy of the cone discharge is greater than or equal to the minimum ignition energy of the bulk material introduced, there is a risk of dust explosion. Here the fine fraction of the bulk material is relevant.The investigations described are a practical example how computer models can be used to assess the occurrence of cone discharges. It is calculated for which silo and container diameters and filling rates the critical field strength of 3 MV/m is reached. In these calculations the charge relaxation during pneumatic filling with bulk material is taken into account. The results of the computational modelling together with operational boundary conditions serve as a decision basis whether exclusion of incendive ignition sources is an adequate safety measure or whether further explosion protection measures must be considered. Finally, a brief overview of other possible explosion protection measures is given.     

Influence of different ignition delay times on the pressure rise rate in hybrid mixture explosions in the 20-L sphere

For the development of a standardized method for measuring the explosion safety characteristics of combustible hybrid dust/vapor mixtures, the influence of the ignition delay time needs to be investigated. The ignition delay time, defined as the time between the injection of dust and the activation of the ignition source, is related to the turbulence of the mixture and thus to the pressure rise rate. The ignition source for pure vapors, however, has to be activated in a quiescent atmosphere according to the standards. Nevertheless, when measuring the explosion safety characteristics of hybrid mixtures, it is important that the dust be in suspension around the igniter. Like pure dust/air mixtures, hybrid dust/vapor/air mixtures need to be ignited in a turbulent atmosphere to keep the dust in suspension.This work will therefore investigate the influence of ignition delay times on the severity of hybrid explosions. It was generally found that at shorter ignition delay times, (dp/dt)_ex increased due to higher turbulence and decreases as the dust sinks to the bottom of the 20 L-sphere. This effect is more pronounced for hybrid mixtures with higher vapor content compared to dust content.     

高压击穿电弧作用下开关柜内典型阻燃绝缘件引燃特性的实验研究

高压开关柜内的绝缘件失效故障,易引发火灾事故、区域停电甚至影响电网系统的稳定运行。基于高压击穿电弧模拟与材料引燃机理综合模拟实验平台,针对4 mm厚支柱绝缘子和固封极柱,开展了15 kV击穿电弧作用下的系列引燃实验研究。结果表明,高压电极横向击穿后,电弧迅速上翻形成自上而下“夹持”样品的倒“U”形弧柱,弧根与弧顶首先炭化或引燃。阻燃绝缘件样品顶部形成火焰后,随着燃烧的进行,逐渐从顶部形成穿透样品的内部击穿电弧,该电弧易诱发剧烈燃烧的水平喷射火焰。内部击穿电弧位置向下移动呈“2阶段”特征:在初始阶段较慢,支柱绝缘子和固封极柱样品内击穿点下移速度分别约为2.55 mm/s和1 .74 mm/s,而在第2阶段分别增大至78.50 mm/s和35.03 mm/s。此外,高压起弧瞬间,在紧邻电极上方的绝缘材料表面,升温速率可达180 ℃/s。研究结果可用于高压开关柜各类阻燃绝缘件的科学选型与优化设计,为开关柜防火安全性能的提升提供科学依据。     

两种含水率水稻堆垛的着火与蔓延燃烧特性实验研究

粮食安全事关国计民生,近年来粮仓火灾多发,对于粮食火灾安全的基础性研究,显得愈加迫切。基于自主设计的贯穿气流条件下的散粒堆垛引燃与蔓延燃烧特性研究实验平台,针对两种含水率水稻,在不同贯穿气流条件下,开展了引燃与内部蔓延燃烧特性研究。结果表明,水稻含水率对其燃烧特性具有重要影响,即,对于13%含水率水稻,采用高温电热细棒插入堆垛内进行引燃45 min,并未引燃;然而,对于3%含水率水稻,仅引燃4 min,堆垛即形成迅速剧烈蔓延燃烧,中心区域燃烧温度高达1 200 ℃,最大蔓延速度约0.8 cm/s,引燃前的最大升温速率约200 ℃/min。此外, 结果还表明,贯穿气流条件下,远离中心区域的四周水稻升温较慢且剩余一些最终未引燃,水稻堆垛内部主要呈向下且不断扩大的蔓延燃烧特征。最后,13%含水率水稻被灼热引火源作用结束后形成的碳化圈大小表明,机械通风气调作用对于灼热源的引燃作用具有一定的抑制作用。     

风电机舱内典型混合液态油品热诱导燃烧特性

为探究不同尺寸方形油盘对双馈异步风力发电机组机舱中典型混合油品燃烧特性的影响,自主设计和搭建了热平板诱导油品加热燃烧测定实验系统。将液压油(CALTEXRANDO HDZ32)和齿轮箱油(CALTEXMEROPA320)按1∶1质量(各40.0g)比例均匀混合后,盛装于横截面尺寸分别为6.5cm×6.5cm、10.0cm×10.0cm、13.5cm×13.5cm 的钢制油盘中,利用热平板加热和诱导盘内同样质量混合油品燃烧,利用摄像机记录其燃烧行为和阶段节点时间,利用热电偶树、温度采集模块对油品燃烧对应阶段节点液内和上方火焰中心轴温度分布进行测定。观察发现,液/齿混合油品在加热后出现液内流动、蒸发、冒泡、气化、燃烧、发烟、火焰蹿高等典型传热传质和液相燃烧现象。实验结果表明,随油盘横截面尺寸递增,混合油品着火时间依次缩短(最高1048.0s),燃烧持续时间依次递减(最高1980.0s),燃烧液内最高温度依次升高(最高564.3 ℃),中心轴第一层火焰熄灭温度依次升高(最高489.2 ℃)。小尺寸油盘内油品交流换热过程缓慢,质量损失速率较低,着火前阶段出现最大质量损失速率(0.041g/s);中大尺寸油盘内对流、传质和传热过程明显增强,质量损失速率较高,火焰蹿高节点时出现最大质量损失速率(0.25g/s和0.29g/s)     

Effect of particle size and dust layer size on ignition characteristics of PMMA dust layer on hot surface

Deposition of combustible dust on a hot surface is a hidden danger of fire. In this work, polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) dust was selected to analyse the influence of dust layer diameter, dust particle size and dust layer thickness on the ignition characteristics of PMMA dust layer. Critical heating temperatures and ignition time had been measured. The STA-GC/MS-FTIR analysis was used to determine that the main products of PMMA pyrolysis were MMA, CO, CO₂, and C₂H₄, of which CO and C₂H₄ were transported to the ambient to cause gas phase combustion on the surface of the dust layer. For 10 mm thick dust layer, the critical heating temperatures of 5 μm PMMA, 100 nm PMMA, and 30 μm PMMA were 300 °C, 330 °C, and 320 °C. As the thickness of the dust layer increased, the gas transport path became longer, the critical heating temperature and ignition time increased. The characteristic particle size (D [3,2]) was utilized to represent the true particle size, and the ignition time increased with the increase of the characteristic particle size. The increase in the diameter of the dust layer had a slight effect on the temperature history and ignition time of the dust layer.     

航空活塞发动机点火强度均衡性测试及防火研究

针对磁电机故障和点火电嘴故障会使发动机失去动力引起飞行事故,高压导线破损放电可能导致动力系统起火并引发飞机火灾等安全隐患,利用紫外探测技术和虚拟仪器技术设计了航空活塞发动机点火强度均衡性测试系统,利用该测试系统完成航空活塞发动机点火系统的安全隐患检测。以四缸活塞发动机正常点火、高压导线破损、点火电嘴积碳等三种点火系统作为测试对象,测试发动机在不同转速下各气缸点火电火花紫外辐射强度,用以表征点火能量强度。实测得到,在不同转速下点火电嘴积碳故障都会导致点火强度降低;高压导线破损漏电会同时导致点火能量损失与点火强度不均衡,并且与转速呈正相关。测试结果可为航空活塞发动机点火系统故障排除及发现可能存在的高压导线破损放电电气火灾隐患点提供技术依据。