4. Flammability of dust in suspension

Airborne dust is flammable and liable to produce dust explosions, if flame propagation occurs in the dust when combustion of the dust has been initiated locally.

In a closed enclosure filled with suspended dust, the propagation of combustion in the dust is accompanied by a pressure effect, which constitutes a dust explosion.

As a result, flammable dusts have characteristics similar to those of flammable gases. . We can distinguish :

• sensitivity to ignition sources: minimum ignition energy (MIE) and minimum ignition temperature (MIT);

• flammability limit concentrations: minimum flammable concentration (MFC), maximum flammable concentration (MFC) and minimum oxygen concentration for combustion (MOC);

• explosion...