Combustible dust can pose a serious threat to the safety of your employees, your building, and the equipment you use. While air purification systems have been used for many years to collect dust in the workplace, there can be risk of explosion in many cases. As the industry has learned over the years, there are better solutions available which up the game to now protect your plant and employees from deadly explosions. Some of this technology includes back blast dampers, spark arrestors, explosion venting, and most importantly, wet dust collectors. In this blog, we’ll explore the benefits of these solutions and why wet dust collectors are a hot item in the industry.
What is Combustible Dust?
Combustible dust is any particulate matter that can be exploded or ignited when dispersed in air and exposed to an ignition source. Examples of combustible dust include grain, sawdust, and coal dust. The characteristics of a given material determine whether it is considered combustible dust. The most common characteristics include particle size (diameter), chemical composition, moisture content, temperature of storage or use environment, and impurities such as metal shavings or fibers that could increase heat production when ignited by sparks.
The Risks of Combustible Dust
Combustible dust is a serious hazard that can result in explosions, fires, equipment damage, and injuries or fatalities. According to the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA), combustible dust explosions have been responsible for more than 1,000 deaths since 1980, with an average of 50 per year. That’s why it’s important to manage this risk effectively.
A New Solution: Beyond Air Purification Systems
While air purification systems can help remove dust from the air and protect workers’ breathing zone, they may not be enough to prevent the formation of combustible dust. With the addition of back blast dampers, spark arrestors, explosion venting, and most importantly, wet dust collectors, you now have methods to not only clean the air, but protect and even prevent dangerous explosions. Here’s how:
- Wet dust collectors run dust through water, making it impossible to ignite. Standard dust collectors may still explode and would require modifications such as adding explosion venting and back blast dampers to the ductwork.
- In larger scale systems, back blast dampers prevent an explosion of combustible dust from coming back into your building. These dampers are smart and can sense when an explosion is about to occur. They immediately close and shut down your system to contain the risk.
- Spark arrestors are an easy adder to most any collection system. They can “snuff out” a spark before it reaches the pressurized dust in your collector which can cause an explosion.
- Explosion venting is a pressure relief system on your outdoor type dust collector. If an explosion occurs, the pressure of the explosion is safely released into the air rather than being trapped in the dust collector causing a bigger explosion and much more damage.
The Benefits of Wet Dust Collectors
Wet dust collectors are a hot item in the industry because they provide a safer solution than standard dust collectors. They run dust through water, making it impossible to ignite. Wet dust collectors are frequently used for the highest risk explosive materials such as aluminum or magnesium grinding. However, they can work well in many applications and materials that are classified as combustible dust.
Conclusion
Combustible dust is a serious threat to the safety of your employees, your building, and the equipment you use. While dust collectors have been used for many years to protect your employees breathing zone, the addition of back blast dampers, spark arrestors, explosion venting, and wet dust collectors are better solutions when you need to address combustible materials that are collected. Wet dust collectors have gained popularity in recent years because they eliminate the chance of combustion — unlike standard dust collectors. Who wouldn’t want to reduce the risk of explosion, protect sensitive equipment, and provide their employees with safety and comfort while your business becomes more productive?
Get in touch with Spartan Air to see how we can make all that and more happen for your facility.