Scaling of dust explosion inerting

• Autorzy: Dastidar A.G. , Amyotte P.R. , Going J. , Chatrathi K.
• Języki publikacji: EN

Abstrakty

EN

Experiments were performed to compare intermediate-scale (1 m3) and labolatory-scale (20-L) levels appear to be lower than labolatory-scale values. This can possibly be attributed to the use of a strong ignition source to initiate the test, which may have overdriven the explosions in the smaller test vessel. Previously reported agreement between the smaller test vessel and full-scale experiments may be due to overdriving in the 20-L chamber, leading to high interting levels similar to those encountered in full-scale tests due to flame acceleration. A new flammability limit parameter has been defined as the Minimum Interting Concentration (MIC; in units of mass concentration, i.e. g/m3). This is the concentration of intertant requird to prevent a dust explosion regardless of fuel concentration. Previous experimental work at Fike in a 1-m3 spherical chamber has shown this flammability limit to exist for pulverised coal dust and cornstarch. In the current work, interting experiments with aluminium, anthraquinone andpolyethylene dusts as fuels were performed in a 1-m3 chamber, using monoammonium phosphate and sodium bicarbonate as intertants. The results show that an MIC exists only for anthraquinone interted with sodium bicarbonate. Preliminary tests with anthraquinone and sodium bicarbonate in a 20-L Siwek chamber using a strong ignition source do not show a similar trend. This may be due to overdriving. In the 1-m3 tests, the other combustible dust and intertant mixtures did not show a definitive MIC, although they did not show a strong dependence between inerting level and suspended fuel concentration. As the fuel concentration increased, the amount of intertant required to prevent an explosion decreased. Even though a definitive MIC was not found for most of the dusts, an effective MIC can be estimated from the data. The use of MIC data can aid in the design of explosion suppression schemes.

• Wydawca: Komitet Termodynamiki i Spalania PAN
• Czasopismo: Archivum Combustionis
• Rocznik: 1998
• Tom: Vol. 18 nr 1-4
• Strony: 21--45
• Opis fizyczny: Bibliogr. 14 poz., rys.

Twórcy

autor

Dastidar A.G.

autor

Amyotte P.R.

autor

Going J.

autor

Chatrathi K.

• Departament of Chemical Engineering, DalTech, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Canada