Explosion Isolation Challenges in Large-volume Silos

Abstract

In industries that handle biomass in form of woodchips or other solid materials in larger quantities, storage silos are usually present. The main explosion safety hazards are observed during filling and emptying of the silos where potentially explosive dust clouds can be formed. In the present paper the various types of silos are presented, focusing on the phenomena observed during deflagration related to pressure rate of rise in and explosion propagation from large volumes. Protection methods are presented and compared taking into account the discussed phenomena.