When it comes to explosion protection, sometimes the best defense is knowing where to contain combustible dust explosions if and when they occur.

Knowing your process and system and understanding where to put explosion venting and protection equipment may prevent a significant explosion from affecting your operation, according to Eric Finley, sales engineer with REMBE Inc.

“What areas should you protect?” Finley said. “There are definitely better areas to place certain equipment.”

For example, when installing explosion protection for bucket elevators, explosion protection equipment has to be placed every few feet for the best results but installing the equipment can be cumbersome.

Finley, along with Johannes Lottermann, global sales manager explosion safety senior consultant explosion safety with REMBE, will talk about how companies can cost effectively install explosion protection equipment in their facilities at Powder & Bulk Solids Texas next month. REMBE is a German-based company that has manufactured explosion protection safety equipment, such as flameless venting and suppression products since the early 1970s.

The nearly two-hour presentation by Finley and Lottermann, “Common Sense Approaches to Combustible Dust Risk Reduction”, will focus on risk-based analysis of explosion protection as well as where to install equipment.

Explosion protection in facilities is a concern for many companies as they try to prevent devastating combustible dust explosions that can result in injuries, death, and the enormous financial costs relating to the explosion. At the same time, increasing requirements by local, state, and federal agencies either now or in the future will also force companies to comply and protect their equipment and personnel.

Companies that process materials are increasingly planning to retrofit their facilities and add explosion protection systems and requirements, especially after the Imperial Sugar explosion in 2008, says Finley.

At the same time, increasing regulations and insurance requirements are also causing companies to ask for Process Hazard Analysis documents for their facilities. “Companies are saying, ‘We need to look into this,'” Finley said.

Over the years, REMBE has worked with its customers to retrofit its explosion protection equipment to better meet the needs of customers but also because of what is required by the industry. For example, REMBE has adapted its Q-Rohr explosion venting product to better handle the Kst of dusts and to better handle metal dusts.

“We are definitely constantly looking at industry requirements to modify the equipment,” said Finley.

Joe Florkowski is the managing editor for Powder & Bulk Solids. He can be reached at [email protected]

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