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Dust Explosion Testing

Did you know materials like sugar powder and flour can pose severe dust explosion hazards under the right conditions? The key question is whether the material you're handling is as safe as salt or as hazardous as gunpowder.

Common operations like drying, milling, and conveying can trigger explosions due to thermal decomposition, static electricity, or impact. To prevent such incidents, it is essential to generate safety data in the lab, helping plant personnel establish safer operating conditions and design effective safety systems.

Our Fire and Explosion division has extensive experience in dust and powder testing and can assist in determining your specific testing needs.

Dust Explosion Testing

Assessing the combustibility of a material by determining its ability to sustain and propagate a fire when exposed to an external ignition source, particularly in a dust layer.

Determining the lowest temperature at which a dust cloud ignites upon contact with a heated surface, assessing the fire hazard potential of airborne dust.

A thermal stability test used to determine the lowest temperature at which a substance exhibits an exothermic reaction in an oxygen-lean environment.

A thermal stability test used to evaluate the exothermic decomposition behavior of a substance in a flowing air stream.

Determining the explosibility of a dust cloud by assessing its ability to ignite and propagate flame under controlled conditions using a modified Hartmann tube.

Evaluating the sensitivity of a material to mechanical impact by striking it with a falling weight to assess the risk of ignition or detonation upon shock.

Measuring the quantity and Flammability of gases released when a substance undergoes decomposition or reacts, assessing potential hazards related to pressure buildup or flammable emissions.

Assessing how quickly an electrostatically charged material dissipates its charge, evaluating the risk of electrostatic ignition in powder handling and processing.

Determining the lowest temperature at which a dust layer of specified thickness ignites on a heated surface, assessing fire hazards in industrial settings.

Evaluating the ability of a material to undergo a subsonic combustion reaction with flame propagation, determining its potential for rapid burning.

Measuring the lowest energy required to ignite a dust-air mixture using a capacitive spark, assessing the electrostatic ignition sensitivity of a dust cloud.

Determining the electrical resistance of a powder to assess its ability to accumulate electrostatic charge, which can pose ignition hazards in processing environments.

Evaluating the tendency of a bulk material to self-heat over time, identifying risks of spontaneous combustion or thermal decomposition during storage.

Assessing the sensitivity of a material to ignition due to frictional forces by applying pressure and movement between surfaces, determining its risk in mechanical processing.

20 Lit Sphere Test

  • Dust Explosion Indices Pmax & Kst - Quantitative Dust Explosion Class
  • Limiting Oxygen Concentration (LOC)
  • Minimum Explosion Concentration (MEC)

Reach Test / Dangerous Goods Classification

  • UN 4.1 Test for flammability
  • Flammability (Solid substance Contact with water)
  • Pyrophoric (Solids & Liquids)
  • Self-Ignition Temperature (Solids) by Grewer Oven
  • UN 4.2 Test For Self-Heating / Packaging Group