Dust explosions

Abstract

Fine particulates of combustible materials can pose a dust flash fire hazard when dispersed as a cloud and ignited. If the suspended dust concentration is sufficiently high, a flame will propagate through the dust cloud. The dust flash fire hazard can escalate into a dust explosion hazard when there is confinementthat restrains the dust laden air flow induced ahead of the propagating flame front such that potentially damaging pressures are developed.