fire & risk sciences

Dust explosions
Dust explosion assessments
FRS has over forty years of experience in assessing the
explosion risk of powders. Our services include:
Hazard classification
Provides a qualitative assessment of the explosibility of the
dust.
Group A : Dusts which ignite and propagate flame.
(explosible).
Group B : Dusts which do not ignite. (non-explosible).
Explosion prevention
The following tests provide quantitative data for the design of
preventative measures:
Burning number (BZ or Classification)
Flammable gas generation
Dust layer ignition
Minimum ignition temperature
Minimum explosible concentration
Minimum ignition energy
Powder resistivity/charge decay
Limiting oxygen concentration
Diffusion cell test
Explosion protection
The following tests provide quantitative data for the design of
explosion protection measures.
Maximum explosion pressure
Rate of pressure rise
Kst and St. Classification.

The services previously supplied by LPC Laboratories and LPC Risk Sciences are now
available from BREs Fire and Risk Sciences Division (FRS).
Our laboratories are UKAS accredited for a wide range of tests and our reports are
recognised around the world.
Product certification is available through the Loss Prevention Certification Board (LPCB).
For more details contact LPCB at: LPCB, BRE Certification, Garston, Watford WD529XX.

004/11/99C

BRE, Garston, Watford

Hertfordshire WD25 9XX
T 01923 664000
F 01923 664010
E-mail: enquiries@bre.co.uk
www.bre.co.uk

BRE Scotland
Kelvin Road
East Kilbride
Glasgow G75 0RZ
T 01355 576200
F 01355 576210

Consultancy
As a member of BSI Committee FSH/23, which covers dust
explosion testing standards, FRS can provide advice on
existing and forthcoming European and International testing
standards. We also offer a range of consultancy services to the
process industry covering:
Incident investigation
Safety audits
HAZOP
Advice on the ATEX Directives
Staff training in fire & explosion hazard awareness
Expert witness
Hazardous area classification

Incorporating
LPC

In association with
ABI & Lloyds

Fire hazards of bulk powder handling

Fires can occur under a number of circumstances during the
processing and bulk storage of powders:
Self-heating in the bulk storage of materials.
Accumulations of hot material, for example in dryers, where the
heat generated within the material may exceed heat lost to the
surroundings.
Layers of dusts on hot surfaces.
FRS has extensive experience in advising on the most suitable
tests required to assess the potential hazard and the application
of the results to practical applications.
Self-heating bulk powder tests
Self-heating leading to apparently spontaneous combustion is the
process of ignition and combustion in a body of material without
the intervention of an external ignition source
Screening test - a quick test used to determine if the material
poses a self-heating hazard.
Isothermal test - used to determine the critical ignition
temperature of a material, from a series of tests at different oven
temperatures and basket sizes.
Aerated cell test - used to assess the ignition properties of bulk
material collected in dryers.
Powder layer tests
Where the hazard under consideration is related to the
accumulation of material on hot-surfaces, or inside dryers
isothermal tests can be carried out on layers of material.
Hot-plate layer ignition test
Aerated powder layer test

For further information contact FRS on:

T +44 (0)1923 664700
F +44 (0)1923 664910
E frsenquiries@bre.co.uk

BRE, Garston, Watford

Hertfordshire WD25 9XX
T 01923 664000
F 01923 664010
E-mail: enquiries@bre.co.uk
www.bre.co.uk

BRE Scotland
Kelvin Road
East Kilbride
Glasgow G75 0RZ
T 01355 576200
F 01355 576210

Incorporating
LPC

In association with
ABI & Lloyds