Sugar Dust Research Articles

A model for minimum ignition energy prediction of sugar dust clouds based on interactive orthogonal experiments and machine learning

This study applies the concept of orthogonal experimental design to explore the influence of ignition delay time, dispersal pressure, dust mass, and interaction effects between these factors on the minimum ignition energy (MIE) of sugar dust. Additionally, it aims to establish a comprehensive predictive model for the MIE of sugar dust considering the combined effects of multiple factors. Comparative analyses were conducted between multiple linear regression polynomial models, Back propagation neural network (BPNN), and Generalized regression neural network (GRNN) for data fitting and prediction accuracy. The results demonstrate that the MIE of sugar dust is significantly influenced by dispersal pressure, ignition delay time, and dust mass, while the interaction effects between these factors are not statistically significant. Artificial neural networks exhibit superior predictive performance compared to traditional multiple linear regression polynomial models when considering the combined effects of multiple factors. Specifically, the GRNN model outperforms the BPNN model, highlighting its high fitting accuracy with limited sample data.

Management of sugar dust in the sugar industry

Sugar dust poses significant risks in the sugar industry, threatening workers' safety and health as well as the potential for explosions and fires. The combustibility of sugar dust arises from its small, lightweight particles that disperse easily and ignite readily. Effective management strategies are essential to ensuring a safe work environment and preventing accidents. This perspective article provides an overview of sugar dust management in the global sugar industry. Various methods are employed to collect and manage sugar dust, including dust collectors, air handling systems, and proper housekeeping procedures. Advancements like electrostatic precipitators, high-efficiency particulate air filters, and self-cleaning dust collection systems show promise for future management. Utilizing both artificial intelligence and nanotechnology can also contribute to minimizing the concentrations of sugar dust in facilities. Stringent regulations and guidelines exist to control dust explosions in the industry. Implementation of robust safety measures and training programs significantly curbs the economic and environmental toll of sugar dust explosions. The paper concludes with recommendations to address sugar dust challenges, including enhanced regulation, investment in technology and research, and improved collaboration among industry stakeholders. These measures will mitigate hazards, ensure worker well-being, and safeguard the sugar industry's operations.

Analyzing organizational gaps in process accidents with FRAM: The case of the Imperial Sugar refinery explosion (2008)

AbstractThis study presents a reanalysis of the Imperial Sugar refinery accident that occurred in February 2008, in Georgia, USA, using functional resonance analysis method (FRAM) and based on technical‐scientific materials and the official reports. This explosion was fueled by sugar dust in the packaging building of the refinery, causing 14 fatalities and injuring 38 workers. The purpose of this reanalysis is to seek factors and interactions that could not be well analyzed or evidenced using traditional accident investigation techniques, which are primally designed to analyze linear systems. This reanalysis with FRAM allowed us to perceive the influence of organizational elements, such as culture, in the accidental chain of the event, highlighting the need of a broader approach for accidents involving high‐tech process industries. In this sense, FRAM enabled a more comprehensive analysis of the complex functioning of process plants, for both normal operation and in emergency. It was noticed that the greater the complexity of work systems, the greater the interaction and variability between personnel, equipment, and systems, requiring analysis techniques and methodologies capable of recognizing the real complexities that take place in these sociotechnical systems, especially in high‐tech process plants, such as the sugar refinery in this case.

Life Style Factors and Morbidity Pattern of Biscuit Company Workers in Puducherry City, India

Background: The baking industry does not have a hazardous occupational environment; however, it is not free from ergonomic derangement. The biscuit factory workers are exposed to noise, heat, odor, flour dust, sugar dust, and biscuit dust Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted on all males and females of more than 18 years of age among employees of a biscuit company in Puducherry City, India, who met the inclusion criteria. According to previous research, the sample size was calculated at 494. We used the simple random sampling method. The data regarding participants’ sociodemographic variables, namely dietary patterns, physical activity, and addictions (including alcohol and smoking) were recorded using a pretested semi-structured questionnaire. The statistical analysis was done in the SPSS software, version 28. Results: Most of the participants (41.8%) were in the productive age group (18 to 30 years). The prevalence of hypertension and diabetes mellitus was 62.69% and 37.31%, respectively. Skin disorders (14.2%) were shown to be the most common cause of morbidities, followed by dental morbidity at 13.4%. Meanwhile, the least of the participants were in musculoskeletal morbidity (10%). There was an association between mixed diet, physical inactivity, alcoholic and tobacco consumption, and fruit consumption of fewer than 2 days per week with noncommunicable diseases. These differences were statistically significant (P≤0.05). Conclusion: The employees of the biscuit factory are exposed to chemicals that may be linked to morbidities. The non-communicable diseases were also more prevalent among tobacco and alcohol users, suggesting more research to determine whether these behaviors were stress busters for tension and discomfort. Nearly all of the employees in the companies had undergone a sort of medical examination in recent years. This shows that the workplace has high safety and sanitary requirements.

Analysis of FMEA and FTA methods in identifying the causes of decreased quality of refined sugar products (case study: PT. Makassar Tene)

PT. Makassar Tene is one of the manufacturing industries that produce refined sugar from raw sugar as basic materials. Most of the refined sugar production process has been carried out automatically, but it still requires regular supervision and monitoring from the operator to ensure the smoothness and accuracy of the sugar processing steps in reducing the number of defect products significantly. Failure Mode and Effect Analysis (FMEA) is a method to identify product failures based on potential causes. FMEA is used to determine the value of Risk Priority Number (RPN), then further identified as the main focus in determining the root of the potential cause using the Fault Tree Analysis (FTA). The application of FTA can provide suggestions for improvements and controls in order to help companies reduce the risk of production failure. Based on the results of the research using FMEA method, it can be seen that the process stage with the greatest risk of failure lies in the stages of sugar evaporation/crystallization and the packaging stage in the packaging bin. The next step is to identify the type of problem at each stage of the process selected using Pareto diagram so that the results show that the evaporation/crystallization stage CV deviation often happened which can produce sugar dust, while at the packaging stage the problem that often occurs is metal detection, torn sack, and sweeping sugar. Then proceed with the use of the FTA method to identify the underlying causes of each failure that arises at the chosen process stage, and the results show that most of the failures that arise are caused by operator negligence, the operation process is still done manually, and the design of operating equipment is less optimal.

Determination of Explosion Characteristics of Sugar Dust Clouds

Abstract A dust explosion occurs when an airborne combustible dust cloud encounters an effective ignition source. The resulting pressure and temperature increase can severely injure people and damage surrounding equipment and buildings, and therefore needs to be prevented or controlled (Taveau, 2016). The article deals with the measurement of maximum explosion pressure and maximum rate of explosion pressure rise of sugar dust cloud. The measurements were carried out according to STN EN 14034-1+A1:2011 Determination of explosion characteristics of dust clouds. Part 1: Determination of the maximum explosion pressure pmax of dust clouds, the maximum rate of explosion pressure rise according to STN EN 14034-2+A1:2012 Determination of explosion characteristics of dust clouds - Part 2: Determination of the maximum rate of explosion pressure rise (dp/dt)max of dust clouds and Determination of explosion characteristics of dust clouds. Part 3: Determination of the lower explosion limit LEL of dust clouds. The sugar dust cloud in the chamber is achieved mechanically. The testing of explosions of sugar dust clouds showed that the maximum value of the pressure was reached at concentrations of 1000 g/m3 and its value is 6,89 bars.

Potential explosion hazard of polyester resin dust formed from a granulation process: Limiting oxygen concentration with different pressures

When polyester resin (PR) is manufactured on an industrial scale, the spreading of the dust cloud is a potential explosion hazard. The maximum explosion pressure and maximum rate of pressure rise were in the range 3.6 bar < Pmax(500) < 9.8 bar and 32 < (dP dt–1)max(500) < 356 bar s–1, respectively, which is more than that of sugar dust explosion. The explosion index Kst = V1/3(dP dt–1)max was in the range 8.86 bar m s–1 <Kst(500) < 96.63 bar m s–1, which belongs to dust explosion class St-1. In addition, the results indicated that the explosion pressure can be significantly lessened with lower LOC. However, the inhibiting effect is not obvious at higher initial pressure. Therefore, the oxygen concentration must be considered as low as feasibly possible at a higher pressure to lessen the explosion hazards in production as well as handling process. Moreover, according to rough set analysis, the most significant factors for explosion intensity (Pmax) are dust concentration and initial pressure. The two parameters should be prudently controlled during the storage, transportation, and manufacturing of PR dust.

Assessment of dust explosions in the sugar industry with regard to screening technology

The prevention of dust explosions is a necessary treatment to ensure the safe operation of sugar plants worldwide. Especially in the field of screening technology only few mistakes can lead to hazardous process conditions. This paper discusses the principles of sugar dust explosions with special focus on their formation. An example is given to show possible threats which can occur during production. Advices for choosing suitable process parameters and equipment are given. A professional dust control is key to decrease the risk of dust explosions.

‘A sprinkling of sugar dust’: synaesthetic practices, affective entrainment and non-representational communication

This article describes research undertaken with a ‘drawing dance’ project, which suggests that thinking about cultural practices in terms of synaesthesia and developing research methods that involve inter-practice encounters to enliven these synaesthetic qualities might help to invigorate non-representational efforts to apprehend affect.

Technology Focus: EOR Performance and Modeling (January 2012)

Technology Focus In spite of continued investment and advances in exploiting alternative-energy sources, oil and natural gas will continue to be a significant portion of US and global energy portfolios for decades. Enhanced oil recovery (EOR) uses unconventional hydrocarbon-recovery methods that target the approximately two-thirds of the oil volume remaining in reservoirs after conventional-recovery methods have been exhausted. Though limited by high capital and operating costs, EOR techniques will have a substantial effect on the future supply of oil. In 2011, SPE hosted an EOR conference in Kuala Lumpur, and three workshops to address EOR technologies in Malaysia, Kuwait, and the Syrian Arab Republic. The Malaysia workshop focused on chemical-EOR methods, the Kuwait workshop addressed opportunities and for challenges of EOR methods in the Middle East, and the Syrian Arab Republic workshop discussed EOR in carbonate reservoirs. More than 300 EOR papers were published in SPE conferences, with many additional presentations in EOR workshops. These papers address important issues related to practical application of conventional EOR methods and the development of novel EOR technologies. The topics cover experience with, opportunities for, and challenges of EOR technologies; fundamental study of EOR mechanisms for different methods; feasibility study and improvement of an EOR method for a specific reservoir; EOR-screening criteria; reservoir surveillance, monitoring, and evaluation technologies; reservoir simulation and modeling; lessons learned from EOR pilot and field trials; and some novel EOR methods. Polymer flooding has been proved the most cost-effective chemical-EOR method in the laboratory and in the field. A recent focus on polymer flooding evaluated associative polymers because of their advantage over traditional hydrolyzed polyacrylamide (HPAM) polymers; thus, one paper about comparing the flow behavior of associative polymer and HPAM in porous media was selected for this feature. CO2 injection is a win/win strategy because it can enhance oil recovery and be used for CO2 storage in reservoirs to reduce greenhouse-gas levels in the atmosphere. However, CO2 EOR targets maximum oil recovery while CO2 sequestration targets maximum storage capacity without leakage. One paper featured here provides some guidance to balance the two technologies. Steamflooding has been applied successfully in heavy-oil reservoirs. However, one paper synopsized in this feature will describe successful steamflooding in a light-oil reservoir. Recommended additional reading at OnePetro: www.onepetro.org. SPE 142668 Enhanced Waterflood for Middle East Carbonate Cores—Impact of Injection-Water Composition. By Robin Gupta, ExxonMobil Upstream Research, et al. SPE 142105 A Simplified Model for Simulations of Alkaline/Surfactant/Polymer Floods. By Mojdeh Delshad, SPE, University of Texas at Austin, et al. SPE 144294 Large-Scale High-Viscous-Elastic-Fluid Flooding in the Field Achieves High Recoveries. By Wang Demin, SPE, Daqing Oil Company, et al. \ SPE 144599 A Combined Experimental and Simulation Workflow To Improve Predictability of In-Situ Combustion. By M. Bazargan, Stanford University, et al. SPE 147858 In-situ Combustion Using Sugar Dust, ‘Sweet Reservoirs’—A Smart and Better Alternative by Panchamlal, SPE, Maharashtra Institute of Technology, et al. SPE 147999 Lessons Learned From Nine Years of Immiscible-Gas-Injection Performance and Sector-Modeling Study of Two Pilots in a Heterogeneous Carbonate Reservoir by Lakshi Konwar, SPE, Zakum Development Company, et al.

Imperial sugar refinery combustible dust explosion investigation

AbstractOn February 7, 2008, at about 7:15 p.m., a series of sugar dust explosions at the Imperial Sugar manufacturing facility in Port Wentworth, GA, resulted in 14 worker fatalities. Thirty‐six workers were treated for serious burns and injuries—some caused permanent, life‐altering conditions. The explosions and subsequent fires destroyed the sugar packing buildings, palletizer room, and silos, and severely damaged the bulk train car loading area and parts of the sugar refining process areas.The Imperial Sugar manufacturing facility housed a refinery that converts raw cane sugar into granulated sugar. A system of screw and belt conveyors and bucket elevators transported granulated sugar from the refinery to three 105‐foot tall sugar storage silos. Granulated sugar was then transported through conveyors and bucket elevators to specialty sugar processing areas and granulated sugar packaging machines. Sugar products were packaged in a four‐story building surrounding the silos that contained packaging machines for the sugar products. Granulated sugar was also bulk shipped in railcars and tanker trucks in the bulk sugar loading area.The U.S. Chemical Safety and Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) determined that the first dust explosion occurred in the enclosed steel belt conveyor located below the sugar silos. Steel cover panels installed on the belt conveyor less than a year before the explosion allowed explosive concentrations of sugar dust to accumulate inside the enclosure. An unknown source ignited the sugar dust, causing a violent explosion. The explosion lofted sugar dust that had accumulated on the floors and elevated horizontal surfaces, propagating more dust explosions through the buildings. Secondary dust explosions occurred throughout the packing buildings, parts of the refinery, and the bulk sugar loading buildings. The pressure waves from the explosions heaved thick concrete floors and collapsed brick walls, blocking stairwell and other exit routes. The resulting fires destroyed the packing buildings, silos, palletizer building and heavily damaged parts of the refinery and bulk sugar loading area.The CSB investigation identified the following incident causes: Sugar and cornstarch conveying equipment was not designed or maintained to minimize the release of sugar and sugar dust into the work area. Inadequate housekeeping practices resulted in significant accumulations of combustible granulated and powdered sugar and combustible sugar dust on the floors and elevated surfaces throughout the packing buildings. Airborne combustible sugar dust accumulated above the minimum explosible concentration inside the newly enclosed steel belt assembly under silos 1 and 2. An overheated bearing in the steel belt conveyor most likely ignited a primary dust explosion. The primary dust explosion inside the enclosed steel conveyor belt under silos 1 and 2 triggered massive secondary dust explosions and fires throughout the packing buildings. Accumulated sugar dust and spilled sugar fueled the secondary explosions and fires. All 14 fatalities were the result of these secondary events. This article presents the CSB investigation and discusses important management practices to prevent similar combustible dust explosions. Published 2011 American Institute of Chemical Engineers Process Saf Prog, 2011

HEADS BUTT OVER DEADLY EXPLOSION

AN ACCUMULATION of airborne sugar dust led to a 2008 explosion and fire that killed 14 and injured 36 workers at the Imperial Sugar plant outside Savannah, Ga., says the Chemical Safety & Hazard Investigation Board (CSB) in a report released last week. On the circumstances leading to the Feb. 7, 2008, accident, there is little disagreement between CSB and its frequent ally—labor unions that represent plant workers. But the two are deeply split over what should be done to avoid similar accidents. The accident’s cause was ignition of airborne sugar dust that had accumulated for years due to lousy maintenance and inadequate equipment design. A spark from an overheated conveyor bearing likely triggered the primary blast, which was quickly followed by more powerful secondary explosions and fires that ripped through the plant. Looking at company documents, the board finds a 40-year failure by Imperial to address dust problems, despite management’s knowledge that they ...

Airflow obstruction in chalkpowder and sugar workers.

Our aim was to investigate the relationship between suspected occupational hazards and airflow obstruction in industrial workers. The study was a cross-sectional survey of 314 male workers from a chalkpowder plant (n = 158) and from a sugar refinery (n = 156). Occupational exposure to chalkpowder and sugar dust was assessed by individual job classification. Outcome variables included respiratory symptoms and routine spirometric parameters. Statistical analysis was done for each industry separately. Overall, mean pulmonary function parameters fell either within or above the normal range in both industries. However, analysis by job classification showed that in the chalkpowder plant, all indices of airway obstruction declined significantly with increasing dustiness. Additionally, workers in the dustiest workplace (chalk sacking) had significantly lower airflow parameters than workers from other workstations. In the sugar refinery, workers exposed to sugar dust in the sugar cube manufacture workstation had significantly lower forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1) (p = 0.02) than the non-exposed ones. For both industries, the proportion of subjects complaining of cough and/or phlegm was greater among the most exposed subgroups than among the remaining workers but the differences were not statistically significant. In conclusion, coupling spirometry to job classification proved useful in disclosing a relationship between airflow obstruction and exposure to either chalkpowder or sugar dust in industrial workers.

Sugar dust caries.

Sugar dust caries.

Sinonasal cancer and occupational exposure to formaldehyde and other substances.

A case-control study of cancer of the nose and paranasal sinuses was conducted in France to determine whether occupational exposure to formaldehyde was associated with an increased risk of sinonasal cancer. Exposures to 14 other substances or groups of substances were also studied (wood dust, leather dust, textile dust, flour dust, sugar dust, coal/coke dust, nickel compounds, chromium compounds, chromium VI, welding fumes, soldering fumes, cutting oils, paints and lacquers, glues and adhesives). Cases (n = 207) and controls (n = 409) were interviewed to obtain detailed information on job history and other potential risk factors for sinonasal cancer. In addition, a questionnaire specially designed for this study was used to help assess exposures to formaldehyde and other substances of interest. The questionnaires were translated into history of occupational exposure by an expert in industrial hygiene, without knowledge of case-control status. Several exposure variables (lifetime average level, duration, cumulative level) were used to describe the risk related to exposure to formaldehyde. Potential confounding factors (occupational and non-occupational) were examined and adjusted for when necessary. No significant association was found between exposure to formaldehyde and squamous-cell carcinomas of the sinonasal cavities. Because of the strong association between exposure to wood dust and nasal adenocarcinoma, it was not possible to assess an independent effect of formaldehyde on this type of cancer. However, among males exposed to medium or high levels of wood dust, the risk of adenocarcinoma associated with formaldehyde was significantly elevated for the highest exposure categories for average level (OR = 5.3, 95% confidence interval = 1.3-22.2), cumulative level (OR = 6.9, 95% CI = 1.7-28.2) and duration of exposure (OR = 6.9, 95% CI = 1.7-27.8). Although a residual confounding effect of wood dust could not be excluded, this study suggests that exposure to both formaldehyde and wood dust may increase the risk of nasal adenocarcinoma, by comparison with the risk due to wood dust alone. This study also indicated an increased risk among males who had been exposed to glues and adhesives, for all histologic types, which was not explained by a confounding effect of paints and lacquers, wood dust or formaldehyde. No other significant association was observed.

An Industrial Hygiene Evaluation of Beet Sugar Processing Plants

Industrial hygiene surveys were conducted at seven beet sugar processing plants to evaluate worker exposures to chemical contaminants used or generated in the process. Personal air sampling used to evaluate worker exposures showed overexposures to calcium oxide, carbon monoxide, respirable coal dust, sulfur dioxide, and sugar dust. The beet sugar industry is an old industry, lacking engineering controls found in many other industries.

Oral health of workers in the modern Finnish confectionery industry

The association between type of work and dental findings and the relevance of sugar dust as an occupational hazard to dental health was studied in workers producing sweets, biscuits, and bakery products, and in controls in a work environment not concerned with sugar. 298 employees, 42 +/- 11 yr of age, were investigated clinically and by means of chemical and microbiological tests of their saliva. Mean total time of work on the production line in question was 10 +/- 8.5 yr. Periodontal treatment needs increased similarly with increasing age in all subgroups. Subjects concerned with biscuit production had significantly higher DMFS values than subjects in the other groups. They also had significantly higher numbers of untreated cavities: 79.6% compared with 54.7% in those making sweets, 48.3% in bakery workers, and 62.6% in the controls not exposed to sugar. High levels of lactobacilli and Streptococcus mutans were found equally in all subgroups. Because work hygiene measurements have previously shown that sugar and flour dust concentrations were below accepted limits in the confectionery factory studied, the results do not seem to support the hypothesis that airborne sugar is an occupational dental health hazard. Some other factors need to be accounted for to explain the findings.

Airborne Sugar and Flour Dust in the Finnish Confectionary Industry

Abstract The increased incidence of dental disease in workers in the bakery and confectionary industries has been associated with their exposure to sugar and flour dusts, particularly from sugar dust deposited on tooth surfaces during respiration. The destructive effect is the result of acids, produced during bacterial metabolism, which are secreted into the sticky layer of plaque coating the teeth. The present study was undertaken because practically no reliable information was available concerning exposure to sugar and flour dusts in the modern Finnish confectionary industry. A total of 56 samples of airborne dust were collected, of which 49 were from the workers' breathing zone. These samples were collected on PVC filters conforming to the Finnish standard SFS 3860. Total dust was analyzed gravimetrically. Sucrose was assayed by HPLC. The assay of wheat flour was based on the determination of linoleic acid, which can be quantified in the form of its methyl ester by using a gas chromatograph coupled wit...

Electrostatic hazards in sugar dust in storage silos

A full scale pneumatic conveying and storage facility has been established to investigate the hazard of electrostatic ignition of dust clouds inside storage silos. The facility can operate under typical industrial conditions and is fully instrumented to monitor parameters relevant to electrostatic hazard analysis. This paper presents results of a comprehensive study which has examined the likelihood of creation of electrostatic discharges incendive to dispersed sugar dust inside sugar storage silos. Data were obtained from the experimental facility and also from experiments performed inside a large concrete storage bin at a sugar refinery.

Prevalence of dental caries among workers in the sweets industry in Israel.

The purpose of the present study was to assemble data on the prevalence of dental caries among workers in the sweets industry. Three confectionaries were selected for the study. Most employees consented to be examined and were included in the study. The participants were distributed into two main groups: production line workers (228 participants) and non-production line workers (195 participants). The control group consisted of a group of production line workers from five textile industrial establishments; 812 in all. The results indicate that the mean DMFT values recorded for the sweets industry workers were significantly higher than those recorded for the control group. Significantly higher mean DMFT values recorded in the production line workers, as compared with the non-production line workers, in the confectionary industry were assumed to be attributed to a higher consumption of sweets and closer exposure to sugar dust. Mean DMFT values were found to increase significantly in relation to the duration of exposure to the effect of carbohydrates in both groups of workers in the sweets industry.