Effect of airflow velocity in vessel-pipelines on dust explosion during pneumatic conveying

Abstract

In order to investigate the flame propagation and pressure characteristics of dust particles during airflow transportation, a dust explosion experimental apparatus simulating dust handling processes was designed. The system is supplied with a stable airflow by a high-pressure fan, capable of continuously transferring dust from the vessel to the pipeline at a controllable speed. Dust explosion experiments were meticulously executed by applying 1 kJ of ignition energy to the transported dust particles at airflow velocities of 5, 10, and 15 m/s. This study examines the effects of airflow velocity, pipe diameter, and ignition position on explosion characteristics and delves into the mechanisms of these effects through a detailed analysis of experimental results. For the maximum explosion pressure, an increase in airflow velocity causes the maximum explosion pressure to rise. As the pipe diameter increases, the maximum explosion pressure first rises and then falls. The maximum explosion pressure occurs in the case of bottom ignition. The range of maximum explosion pressure values is expected to provide a reference for explosion detection and explosion venting. For flame propagation, the flame undergoes five processes within the vessel, including ignition of dust particles, spherical flame development, flame stretching towards the mouth of the pipe, complete combustion of particles, and near exhaustion of particle combustion. The higher the airflow velocity and the larger the pipe diameter, the more pronounced the flame stretching and development towards the pipe opening become. Within the pipe, two distinct flame propagation behaviors were observed under conditions of high and low airflow velocities. Compared with the experimental results of high-pressure pneumatic powder spraying forming a dust cloud within a vessel-pipeline, this study measures the maximum explosion pressure at specific turbulence levels and establishes a quantitative relationship between airflow velocity and explosion characteristics. Utilizing this correlation can provide a reference for predicting industrial-grade dust explosion characteristics at different airflow velocity levels, thereby offering a more optimized design basis for the design and safety protection of industrial equipment.