FIRE & EXPLOSION

REMBE treats explosion safety as an engineering discipline guided by science, research and experience.

Every facility utilizing combustible substances possesses risks unique to its operations. No two plants are quite the same, and neither should be their explosion protection solutions. That’s what drives explosion protection and pressure relief company REMBE—challenging applications and the development of customized, outside-the-box solutions, rather than off-the-shelf products, says Jeramy Slaunwhite, senior explosion safety engineer. “As engineers, we develop solutions to problems where our products are the applied tools,” he says.

When it comes to explosion protection at facilities that use combustible wood dust, Slaunwhite says there are two critical aspects that should not be overlooked—the first is material assessment and testing. “Often, combustibility data is generalized or assumed, but biomass exists in many different wood species, moisture content, particle size and geometry,” he says. “It’s also important to understand how these material characteristics can change due to supply, seasonal conditions or other influences, because all of these aspects influence the design of explosion protection systems.”

The second aspect is explosion protection system reliability and maintenance, according to Slaunwhite. “Fortunately, most explosion protection systems are never actually called to duty,” he says. “However, it is critical that they perform as required when needed. The biomass industry can be physically demanding on industrial equipment due to material, processes and aggressive environmental conditions. Additionally, maintenance resources are often spread thin and allocated to critical process equipment. Explosion protection systems are commonly overlooked or neglected, in some cases leading to compromised function and performance reliability. Scheduled maintenance can notably increase explosion protection system reliability.”

Recently, REMBE has debuted a new safety approach for protecting wood-grinding and coal plants—engineered rupture panels that Slaunwhite says are inherently reliable, virtually maintenance free and suitable for applications under vacuum conditions. “Traditional explosion protection concepts rely on open venting to safe areas or venting ducts, which are challenging due to location and venting influences,” he says. “When these engineered rupture panels are combined with certified flameless venting devices such as the Q-Box or Q-Rohr, the need for vent ducts is eliminated.”

REMBE is continuously exploring new applications for flame-arresting technology, including the new Q-Ball: a lightweight flameless venting solution for bucket elevators and oscillating screens, as well as “smart” electronic sensors for early fire and explosion prevention and chemical explosion suppression systems, Slaunwhite adds. “Promoting education and awareness of explosion hazards and solutions is an area of continuous improvement in the bulk material handling sector and a key focus at REMBE.”

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· Over 45 years of innovation in comdust explosion protection. · Venting and isolation to protect personnel and plant. · Customized indoor/outdoor protection for dust collectors and more.

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