Spark arrestors

Spark arrestors are provided at those locations where sparks may constitute a hazard to the surrounding environment. The exhausts of internal combustion engines, incinerator stacks, and chimneys are normal examples. It usually consists of screening material to prevent the passage of sparks or flying brands to the outside atmosphere. 

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Spark arrestors are provided on the exhaust of source or fire where a hot particulate might be released (i.e., internal combustion engines, chimneys, incinerator stacks, etc ). The spark arrestor consist of a fine metal screen to prevent the particulate matter from being released from the exhaust mechanism. 

Nickel-63 Reactor Spark arrestors in circuit boards and detonation sources... 

Concentration of fly ash in the off-gas may be reduced by cyclone separators. The cyclone separators may also be used as spark arrestors. Depending on the design temperature, the cyclone separators may be made of carbon steel, a steel that is resistant to high temperatures, or be provided with a refractory lining. 

The hazard tree also helps identify protection devices to include in equipment design that may minimize the possibility that a source will develop into a condition. Examples would be flame arrestors and stack arrestors on fire tubes to prevent flash back and exhaust sparks, gas detectors to sense the presence of a fuel in a confined space, and fire... 

The vent gas from the process enters the bottom of the mineral oil absorber. The mineral oil absorber is a tall, small-diameter packed column. Cold mineral oil cascades down through the column, absorbing solvent vapor from the vent gas as the vent gas rises up through the packing. When the vent gas exits the mineral absorber, it generally contains less than 10-g solvent per cubed meter of air. The vent gas is pulled from the mineral oil absorber via a spark-proof suction fan and is discharged to the atmosphere through a flame arrestor. 

Mercaptans are flammable. Normal precautions used in handling any flammable chemical are applicable. Flares used to burn vapors to reduce pressure on a storage tank should be situated as far away from the general storage area as practical. The flare should have a suitable flame arrestor. All potential sources of fire, flame, and sparks in the immediate area should be sought out and eliminated. 

In teleconununication applications, where a large number of lead-acid batteries are assembled in a confined room, exhaust fans should be installed to provide good air ventilation and prevent hydrogen buildup. Hydrogen detectors with a detection limit set at 20% of the lower explosive limit should be installed. Because sparks can ignite hydrogen, electrical sources of arcs, sparks, or flame arrestors should be mounted in explosion-proof metal boxes to eliminate static. 

This is frequently the most expensive, inconvenient and least effective means of preventing fires. Flame-proof lighting, spark-proof switches and flame-arrestor devices, etc., may be appropriate where large volumes of highly flammable materials are stored or used, but the scale of most museum workplace activities probably does not justify such preventive measures. 

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