DUST COLLECTORS AND EXPLOSION SAFETY: VENTING AND SUPPRESSION

Explosive or potentially explosive dusts are a part of many industrial processes for which dust collection systems have to be designed to work. Ideally these systems should minimise or avoid the risk of an explosion, or ensure that in the event of an explosion the outcome can be safely controlled.

In this article, we explore effective ways of venting and suppression with focus on the two European ATEX directives for equipment: 2014/34/EU(94/9/EC), and plant: (1999/92), the latter defining the zoning bases of safe systems. 



A dust collector in test

Venting and suppression are the essential first steps in the design of any system for dealing with potential explosions. Following the basic steps outlined here will reduce significantly or even minimise the risk of explosions, but above all it make it much safer from the perspective of those operatives who work in the nearby environments. Read the full article here.

Dust collectors after a catastrophic explosion