Study on flame propagation characteristic and mechanism of polypropylene dust explosion

Abstract

Polypropylene dust explosion poses a significant threat to the safe production of synthetic resin. To elucidate the flame propagation mechanism of polypropylene dust explosions, the flame propagation characteristics of polypropylene dust were experimentally studied. The minimum explosible concentration (MEC) for polypropylene particles with diameter < 75 μm, 75–100 μm, and 100–212 μm was 50 g/m3,100 g/m3,150 g/m3, respectively. Obvious fluctuations were observed in the flame propagation velocity of small particles, with smaller particles exhibiting more pronounced fluctuations, primarily caused by thermal feedback between the particles in the preheating zone and the reaction zone. While for large particles, the flame temperature exhibited multiple peaks, resulted from the discrete flame floating in front of the flame. The combustion process of polypropylene dust comprised the diffusion combustion of large particles and the gas-phase combustion of combustible gases pyrolyzed by small particles.