
GRAIN DUST EXPLOSIONS
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 fi ner 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 fi re, an overheated
bearing, a spark, welding or cutting
sparks or debris, hot metal, electric
failure, or other similar sources.
7
Confi ned Area
- An explosive action
must take place within a confi ned 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 profi ts.
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 fi nes.
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 fi lter 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
signifi cantly 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 profi ts.
decelerators hazards operation
control the dust
bag filter
air system
edible mineral oil
Grain Dust Explosions
Safety
WARNING!
ALL INFORMATION ON THIS PAGE IS
WARNING INFORMATION!
8
GLOBAL
INDUSTRIES, INC.
Drag Conveyors
10230011
2016-06-14