January 29, 2010, Newsletter Issue #203: What Is "Dusting"?

Tip of the Week

Some hoppers are designed to be part of the transfer process of grain, powders, or other lightweight bulk material into storage from another location. A serious problem in some such bulk exchanges is "dusting" where an amount of this material becomes airborne, creating the potential for an explosion if an ignition source is present. At first glance, this material doesn't seem to be an explosive hazard (most people associate gasoline and other chemicals with explosions). But the physics of this material include explosive potential during dusting. There are ways to prevent dusting, simply by adjusting the flow of materials to the hopper. A funnel-shaped flow is more likely to contribute to dusting than "mass flow" where there is an even distribution of material all the way into the hopper. It's important to analyze any such operations to insure that mass flow techniques are used to prevent creating conditions ripe for dusting, and possible explosions as a result.

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