Grain elevator explosions

Mixtures of grain or coal dust and air are potentially explosive, as shown in this grain elevator explosion. 

Accidental or uncontrolled explosions can have disastrous effects. Spectacular explosions of various types gain widespread attention. One of the most notable was the space shuttle Challenger explosion on live television in 1986. Others are grain elevator explosions and explosions of railroad tank cars and storage vessels containing liquid petroleum gas (LPG) and other materials. Although the visible effects appear similar, the phenomena are not exactly alike. 

The list was topped by a massive grain elevator exploston Oct. 29 at the Bartlett Grain Co. in Atchison, Kansas that killed six workers and was felt up to three miles away. It was one of 600 grain elevator explosions that have taken place during the past four decades — prompting COSH to criticize OSHA for failing to issue a combustible dust standard. 

Beryllium is obtained by electrolytic reduction of molten beryllium chloride. The element s low density makes it useful for the construction of missiles and satellites. Beryllium is also used as windows for x-ray tubes because Be atoms have so few electrons, thin sheets of the metal are transparent to x-rays and allow the rays to escape. Beryllium is added in small amounts to copper the small Be atoms pin the Cu atoms together in an interstitial alloy that is more rigid than pure copper but still conducts electricity well. These hard, electrically conducting alloys are formed into nonsparking tools for use in oil refineries and grain elevators, where there is a risk of explosion. Beryllium-copper alloys are also used in the electronics industry to form tiny nonmagnetic parts and contacts that resist deformation and corrosion. 

From a safety point of view, one is also interested in grain elevator and coal dust explosions. Such explosions are not analyzed in this text, and the reader... 

Turning to the detonation of condensed EM we note that in this case the study of the equation of state of a dense gas in which repulsion of molecules is more important than their thermal motion turned out to be non-trivial (see the fundamental work by L. D. Landau and K. P. Stanyukovich).29 Water-filled EM were studied by Yu. B. Khariton.30 At present A. N. Dremin is developing ideas on the specific influence of a shock wave on the kinetics of reaction in an EM.31 For gas-dispersion systems the structure of detonation waves has become the subject of numerous studies related to explosions of coal dust husks in grain elevators, gas suspensions of dust in wood processing, etc.32,33 34 5 Works on gas suspensions have also been published abroad.36,37 In gas suspensions we may expect that the reaction rate is determined by diffusion and depends weakly on the temperature. 

USDA Federal Grain Inspection Service allows the use of soybean and other edible oil sprays to reduce the risk of grain dust explosions in elevators. Use of one to two percent soybean oil in livestock feeds reduces dust in pig-rearing facilities, improves animal health, and gives five to ten percent increase in weight gains. 

National Materials Advisory Board, Prevention of Grain Elevator and Mill Explosions,... 

From a safety point of view, one is also interested in grain elevator and coal dust explosions. Such explosions are not analyzed in this text, and the reader is referred to the 1 iterature [17]. However, many of the thermal concepts discussed for homogeneous gas-phase ignition will be fruitful in understanding the phenomena that control dust ignition and explosions. 

A grain elevator near Haysville, Kansas, was severely damaged by a grain dust explosion. 

Grain elevators are a primary source of dust explosions. 

Combustible dusts may be present in many different types of facilities. Common places for combustible dusts to be found are in grain elevators, flour mills, woodworking shops, and dry-bulk transport trucks. Dusts in facilities have caused many explosions over the years that have killed and injured employees. An explosion occurred in a facility on the East Coast that had many hazardous materials on site. At first, it was thought that one of the chemicals had exploded. The hre department and the hazmat team were called to the scene. Investigation revealed that the explosion occurred in a dust-collection system it was a combustible-dust explosion. Dust explosions can be prevented by proper housekeeping and maintenance practices at facilities where these types of dusts are present. 

A simple explosive like black powder is a mixture. The oxygen source is potassium nitrate, and the fuel is charcoal with sulfur added to aid the burning. Flour and air is even a simpler explosive but powerful enough to blow a grain elevator apart. Even the most modem explosives still use a... 

Open- and closed-leg grain elevators are a primary source of dust explosions,... 

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