3 Steps to Make Your Processes Safer
Risk Assessment
A risk assessment determines the probability that an explosive mixture of dust and air will meet an effective ignition source. In 2024, there was a total of 9 dust explosion incidents in the United States (https://ag.purdue.edu/news/2025/02/no-increase-in-dust-explosion-incidents-last-year-decrease-in-injuries.html). All of these explosions occurred in grain silos, including four feed mills, three grain elevators, one ethanol plant, and one corn processing plant. These explosions resulted in two injuries and extensive damage to facilities. If there is a danger of an explosion occurring, you must take steps to prevent, or at least reduce, the probability of this happening (Step 2). Alternatively, you must implement protective systems that reduce explosion damages to an acceptable level (Step 3). Explore these 3 Steps to Make Your Processes Safer.
Prevention and Organizational Measures
Technical Measures: Effective dust extraction systems reduce the build-up of explosive atmospheres. Industrial Vacuum Systems by Vac-U-Max are designed to operate safely in high-dust environments. These Vacuums are intrinsically safe for dust-removal and feature several filters that prevent dust from escaping the unit.
Inert gas/tank blanketing is also recommended to reduce oxygen levels. This is the process of protecting media contained in storage from reacting with air, oxygen, and other ingress. The Burkert Hygienic Control Valve increases safety levels in tank blanketing and features a hygienic design for easy CIP.
Eliminate Effective Ignition Sources: Use only the appropriate equipment (e.g. category 1D) and prevent foreign objects from entering the product stream.
“In 2024, two explosions originated from smoldering grain. Once grain is harvested, it is imperative that people pay close attention to the conditions the grain is kept in. Improper aeration leads to fungal growth, which causes grain and feed to smolder, increasing the risk of igniting dust in the grain bins.”
Organizational Measures: Employees should always receive comprehensive training. Documented cleaning procedures and hot-work permitting programs create an additional level of safety.
Protective Measures
Explosion Pressure Resistant or Explosion Proof Vessels: These terms are used to describe vessels that are strong enough to withstand the maximum explosion pressure.
Conventional Explosion Venting: Explosion venting is a technique for protecting enclosed vessels to prevent the internal pressure from exceeding an allowable limit. Breaking points, such as explosion vents in the walls of the plant or vessel, rupture when the pressure reaches a predefined level maintaining the internal pressure below the enclosure strength. View all Explosion Vents >
Flameless Explosion Venting: This essentially uses the same principle as conventional explosion venting, however; it offers the advantage that the explosion can be safely vented indoors. The flame and pressure wave of the explosion is controlled which eliminates the risk of injury even when working in close proximity to the equipment. View all Flameless Vents >
Explosion Suppression: Electronic sensors detect the initiation of an explosion inside a vessel. Within milliseconds, the system controller triggers the injection of pressurized dry inerting powder. This suppresses the developing explosion before it can reach damaging pressures.
A new exciting way to prevent explosions with new technology from Rembe: the CO.Pilot industrial drying systems monitor. With the help of the Rembe CO.Pilot, Maillard reactions, smoldering embers and fires within the processes and systems are detected at an early stage. Thsi helps to prevent them out as an ignition source for a fire and an explosion. In addition to monitoring the CO concentration, the system also provides information about the moisture content of the process air so that your process can always be optimally controlled.
Isolation: These explosion protection measures must always be combined with explosion isolation to avoid the devastating effects of explosion propagation and secondary explosions. View all Explosion Isolation Equipment >
Do you need explosion protection in your facility but don’t know where to start? Call Apex today and schedule your plant evaluation today!
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