Process Safety - Explosion Protection
Many Explosion Protection engineers actually focus primarily on Explosion Protection - often ignoring Fire and Explosion Prevention altogether.
Industrial Fire Prevention specializes in the Prevention of fires and explosions, but we actually focus on all four phases of protection system design, with the intent of educating and protecting the customer and manufacturing process from the causes of combustible dust fires and explosions.
Phase 3 - Explosion Prevention
Explosion Prevention by Early Detection.
Avoidance of Explosions, or reducing Fire and Deflagration Risks by Preventative Measures.
The aim of Explosion Prevention measures is to prevent the occurance of
explosions by eliminating or avoiding conditions for explosions.
Many of the same preventative methods included in Phase 1 - Fire Prevention and Phase 2 - Fire Protection, are employed here as well. However, while the methodology is similar, the thought process is that of not only preventing fires, but also deflagrations and explosions, and includes additional emphasis on proper isolation and venting to prevent the spread of a deflagration from one process to another.
Explosion Prevention methodology and systems should always be employed prior to and along with defensive Explosion Protection methods below.
Phase 4 - Explosion Protection
Defensive Explosion Protection measures.
Limiting the effects of an explosion.
Knowledge of the production process, the explosive characteristics of the dusts to be handled, and the combustion process is required for appropriate selection and sizing of preventative and protective measures.
Many companies specialize in Explosion Protection. However, they often overlook preventative systems, explained in Safety System Design Phases 1 - 3 above.
If early detection and preventative systems fail to prevent propagation, then you need additional defensive safety systems to prevent serious damage to the plant and personnel, and to keep fires and deflagrations from being transported to other processes, and causing secondary fires and explosions.
These Explosion Protection Systems include:
Explosion Venting systems including Explosion Panels and Doors, and Indoor Explosion Venting.
Explosion Isolation systems are used to isolate and prevent deflagrations from propagating to other processes, and including mechanical Quick Sliding Valves, Relief Valves, Check Valves, Explosion Diverters, Mechanical and Chemical Isolation Systems.
Explosion Suppression Systems are fast acting systems that include Pressure Detection and Suppression systems designed to choke deflagrations in early stages of development, thus preventing over pressurization of the vessel being protected.
Typically these systems will be engineered and used in conjunction with each other to provide complimentary and prudent safety systems designed to meet all local and national standards and code, as well as best engineering standards.