Explosion Protection Systems

Explosions

An explosion is a rapid and abrupt energy release that produces a pressure wave and/or shock wave. A pressure wave has a certain pressure rise time, whereas a shock wave has zero pressure rise time. Because of the pressure and/or shock wave, an explosion is always audible.

Many Explosion Protection engineering companies actually focus primarily on Explosion Protection - often ignoring Fire and Explosion Prevention altogether.

Industrial Fire Prevention specializes in the Prevention of fires and explosions, but we actually focus on all four phases of the layered total protection system design, with the intent of educating and protecting the customer and manufacturing process from the causes of combustible dust fires and explosions.

Avoidance of Explosions, or reducing Fire and Deflagration Risks by Preventative Measures.

Explosion Prevention

The first step in taking appropriate counter-measures is preventing an explosion from happening. This can be done by controlling at least one of the three elements of the ‘fire triangle’ – fuel, oxidizer (usually oxygen) and ignition sources. This can happen in various ways, e.g. by implementing various Fire Prevention engineering controls as outlined in NFPA 654 or other combustible dust documents, or by replacing or diluting combustible dusts and oxygen, and removing ignition sources. NFPA 68, 69 deal with risk analyses and taking appropriate measures in order to protect the risk from explosive atmospheres, and includes additional emphasis on proper isolation and venting to prevent the spread of a deflagration from one process to another.

Explosion Protection

Explosion Protection is based on the Dust Explosion Pentagon and controlling one or more elements - the fuel, ignition, oxygen, dispersion or confinement.

Limiting the effects of an explosion. Knowledge of the production process, the explosive characteristics of the dusts to be handled, and the combustion process is required for appropriate selection and sizing of preventative and protective measures.

If early detection and preventative systems fail to prevent propagation, then you need additional defensive safety systems to prevent serious damage to the plant and personnel, and to keep fires and deflagrations from being transported to other processes, and causing secondary fires and explosions.

Explosion Protection Systems include:

Explosion Venting systems including Explosion Panels and Doors, and Indoor Explosion Venting.

Explosion Isolation systems are used to isolate and prevent deflagrations from propagating to other processes, and including mechanical Quick Sliding Valves, Relief Valves, Check Valves, Explosion Diverters, Mechanical and Chemical Isolation Systems.

Explosion Suppression Systems are fast acting systems that include Pressure Detection and Suppression systems designed to choke deflagrations in early stages of development, thus preventing over pressurization of the vessel being protected.

Typically these systems will be engineered and used in conjunction with each other to provide complimentary and prudent safety systems designed to meet all local and national codes and standards.