Recently, ATEX specialists have been approached by a manufacturer of dedusting equipment with a request to assess explosion risk of a newly designed filter, which will be used at plants dealing with furniture, chipboards and similar materials production.
The filter is going to remove dust originating in the process of grinding, cutting and milling at woodworking machines. Explosion hazard applicable to the analysed system will be posed by the presence of a mixture of dust and wood chips with air.
The scope of the analysis made by the ATEX specialists included:
- description of the filter engineering design as well as explosion security measures design,
- identification and assessment of hazard posed by engineering equipment and processes as well as substances,
- probability of origination and durability of explosive atmospheres,
- determination of explosion hazard zones and their reach,
- verification of equipment operating in the hazard explosion zones,
- determination of probability of activation the effective sources of ignition,
- assessment of risk and determination of the possible consequences of explosion,
- analysis of the identified emergency scenarios,
- determination of technical and organisational recommendations for safety improvement.
In accordance with the project, the filter will be secured against the consequences of explosion by one of the security systems designed by WOLFF GROUP, i.e. flameless explosion venting or HRD active explosion suppression system. Explosion isolation towards the dusted air channel will be provided by non-return flap valve. Selection of the type and configuration of a system protecting against the consequences of explosion will be made based on flammability and explosion parameters of the dusts present at the target place of filter mounting.
