Process Safety, Dust Explosion Testing and Consulting

Intertek dust explosion testing capabilities are provided in dedicated industry-based laboratories. The laboratory teams have extensive practical experience dealing with problems associated with powder handling and reactive chemical processing. Dust explosion consulting services compliment laboratory testing capabilities.

Laboratory explosive dust testing protocols adhere to NFPA guidelines, OSHA standards, consensus engineering standards, AIChE guidelines, and the American Chemistry Council (ACC) Responsible Care® initiative. 

Dust and powder explosivity and ignition tests:

• Combustible Dust Screening Test: OSHA SLC Go and No-Go
• Minimum Ignition Energy (MIE), ASTM ASTM E-2019-99
• Burning Test, Department of Transportation (DOT)
• Minimum Auto-ignition temperature (MAIT) of dust clouds in air on hot surfaces
• Dust Explosivity Lower Explosivity Limit (LEL)
• Maximum Explosion Over-pressure (Pmax)
• Dust Specific Characteristic (Kst)
• Limiting Oxygen Concentration (LOC)

Process safety and thermal stability testing:

• Reaction Calorimeter (RC1)
  • Kinetic reaction data
  • Thermodynamic reaction data
• Thermal Stability data, from Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC)
• Thermal Stability indices, using Accelerating Rate Calorimetry (ARC®)
• Lower and Upper Limits of Flammability of gases and vapors at temperatures
  of up to 150°, per ASTM E-681-94
• Thermal Activity Monitor (TAM)

Experienced dust explosion consultants are available to support your needs ranging from on-site assessments for combustible dust issues to implementation of EHS management systems.

Intertek Safety Services concentrates on the safe handling of solids and chemical processes which may be covered by one or several of the following regulations and initiatives:

NFPA Guidelines: NFPA 68. Venting of Deflagrations, NFPA 77. Recommended Practice on Static Electricity, NFPA 654. Prevention of Fire and Dust Explosions, NFPA 704. Annex E Instability, Thermal Hazard Evaluation Techniques

OSHA Standards: 1910.119 Process Safety Management of Highly Hazardous Chemicals National Emphasis Program on Combustible Dusts (2007)

CCPS Guideline: For Chemical Reactivity Evaluation and Application to Process Design

ACC’s Responsible Care® Initiative