Flameless Venting

IEP Technologies have been working closely in partnership with West Midlands Filtration providing technical support regarding the hazards associated with dust explosions and the available protection solutions available. This has facilitated West Midlands Filtration to quickly identify potentially dangerous dust explosion hazards that they may encounter on site.

We received photographs from Liam Eyer, director of the Tamworth based dust extraction company, of one such project showcasing their most recent install utilizing IEP Technologies protection solutions. The project involved the upgrade of seven dust extraction unit.

West Midlands Filtration (WMF) identified that the explosion vents on the customers’ existing filter units did not have a designated “safe zone” whereby the explosion can be safely vented; instead they were located where they were dangerous to personnel and process equipment. To address this unnecessary hazard, a flameless venting solution was applied where the size of the “safe zone” can be much reduced. WMF also discussed with the customer the hazards around flame propagation into the conveying ductwork, providing a flame path into the process area in the event of an explosion. Therefore, the customer decided to opt for an isolation valve to be installed in the ducting to minimize risk of further damage in the event of an explosion.

After WMF consulted with IEP Technologies about the process, IEP Technologies provided a flameless explosion relief valve, specified for outdoor use and sized in accordance with EN14491 for each of the seven dust extraction units.

Working closely with WMF we added additional value to the project by advising on all the technical aspects of the flameless explosion relief valve, supplying 3D drawings, and installation information. This not only improved the customers’ understanding of the proposed solution but further aided WMF’s fabrication and planning for installation. This pre-planning and preparation coupled with a scheduled on time delivery from IEP Technologies ensured that the installation ran as smoothly as possible, minimizing downtime on a critical process area for the end user.