Fire Characteristics of Polyethylene Dust

Abstract

Dust is a product or by-product in many industries. To ensure effective measures of explosion prevention, it is necessary to know the fire properties of dispersed and settled dust. These parameters cannot be calculated, but can be determined on the base of measurements in standard equipment. The article deals with the measurement of fire properties of polyethylene. The values of the minimum ignition temperature of settled and dispersed dust (MIT) and the values of explosion characteristics of polyethylene dust cloud lower explosion limit (LEL), maximum pressure Pmax and maximum rate of pressure rise (dp/dt)max were measured. The measurements were performed on the equipment according to the STN EN 80079-20-2: 2016 Standard Explosive atmospheres - Part 20-2: Material characteristics - Combustible dust test methods and according to the STN EN 14034 + A1: 2011 Standard Determination of explosion characteristics of dust clouds. The MIT of the settled dust was not determined (the sample melted), the MIT of the dispersed dust was 435 °C. The maximum explosion pressure Pmax reached 7.0 bar, and the maximum rate of pressure rise dP/dt was 37.5 bar.s−1.