10
GLOBAL
INDUSTRIES, INC.
M36 - M48 Bucket Elevator
10230004
2015-08-31
Grain Dust Explosions
WARNING!
ALL INFORMATION ON
THIS PAGE
IS
WARNING INFORMATION!
OTHER IMPORTANT OPERATING
SAFETY CONCERNS
1
Air
- Air must be present to provide the
oxygen necessary for combustion.
2
Fuel
- In this case the fuel is the grain
dust. The finer the dust, the easier it is
to ignite.
3
Suspension
- A pile of grain dust will
not explode, it must be suspended in air.
4
Minimum Concentration
- There must
be a minimum concentration of grain
dust in suspension in the air. Current
tests seem to indicate the minimum
concentration is about 0.4 oz/ft
2
.
5
Low Moisture
- The grain dust must
be of a relatively low moisture content.
Ambient air moisture or relative
humidity, has no bearing on the
potentiality of an explosion.
6
Ignition Source
- The ignition source
could come from a fire, an overheated
bearing, a spark, welding or cutting
sparks or debris, hot metal, electric
failure, or other similar sources.
7
Confined Area
- An explosive action
must take place within a confined area.
Recognizing this hazard,
MFS/YORK/STORMOR
believes that we all need to work together
to prevent grain dust explosions in order
to protect lives, jobs, property, and profits.
A number of preventive measures can be
taken to lesson the likelihood of an explosion.
Following are some suggested measures.
CONTROL THE DUST
a
Employ methods to clean the grain to
reduce the fines.
b
Use equipment to minimize the
breakage, such as decelerators. Corn
that is broken exposes the starch, the
most explosive element of the grain.
c
Use an outside bag filter to capture the
dust.
d
Use an air system on the bucket
elevator and/or conveyor where needed
to reduce the dust inside grain elevators
and conveyors.
e
Spraying edible mineral oil on the grain
significantly reduces the air-born dust
when handling grain.
f
Paint equipment that is in the interior of
a facility with a coating that is slick, not
allowing the dust to accumulate.
g
Enclose all conveyors to keep the dust
from escaping.
NOTE: Remember: Good housekeeping and safety
procedures will help protect lives, jobs, property,
and profits.
Safety