# Indiana Grain Elevator Blast Kills 1 worker...



## urednecku (Oct 18, 2010)

http://www.centurylink.net/news/read/category/Us%20News/article/ap-officials_1_dead_in_explosion_at_indiana-ap


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

Thanks for the link. The dust explosions have always baffled me. I have never understood how or why dust could explode.

From the article, there is little fire, just a rocking explosion.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

Combustible material explodes as dusts just because it can burn so fast. Anything that can burn can normally explode if you grind it up and mix it with air in the right %. Much like how diesel won't explode but if you atomize it at high pressure and mix with air its very explosive.



Tim/South said:


> Thanks for the link. The dust explosions have always baffled me. I have never understood how or why dust could explode.
> From the article, there is little fire, just a rocking explosion.


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

slowzuki said:


> Combustible material explodes as dusts just because it can burn so fast. Anything that can burn can normally explode if you grind it up and mix it with air in the right %. Much like how diesel won't explode but if you atomize it at high pressure and mix with air its very explosive.


If you have an ignition source, bad bearing on a conveyor, etc...


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

Question:

Can the dust build up on a baler be enough to also explode? Just curious.

I always associated baler fires with the heating and friction from a bearing or other moving part.

Interesting discussion.


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## slowzuki (Mar 8, 2011)

Dust has to be suspended in air to explode. The nature of most dust explosions in buildings or processes is you have a small primary explosion that propels or knocks a lot of other dust into a suspension creating a more powerful secondary explosion and even more explosions depending on building layout.

It technically could be possible to ignite dust on a baler in the open but you should only get a flash fire. Without confinement or a structure or equipment dust explosions are far less powerful.

The presence of obstructions causes more rapid mixing of the fuel and air and more flame fronts just like swirl from intake design on a gas engine. Confinement of walls lets the pressure rise and a few other things too.

Short answer may be possible but would look like a little puff at the start of a fire.



Tim/South said:


> Question:
> Can the dust build up on a baler be enough to also explode? Just curious.
> I always associated baler fires with the heating and friction from a bearing or other moving part.
> 
> Interesting discussion.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

slowzuki said:


> Dust has to be suspended in air to explode. The nature of most dust explosions in buildings or processes is you have a small primary explosion that propels or knocks a lot of other dust into a suspension creating a more powerful secondary explosion and even more explosions depending on building layout.
> 
> It technically could be possible to ignite dust on a baler in the open but you should only get a flash fire. Without confinement or a structure or equipment dust explosions are far less powerful.
> 
> ...


Thank You.


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## somedevildawg (Jun 20, 2011)

Makes inspections and maintanence, a critical step to insure worker safety...dime to a donut says we will see all kinds of inspection and maintanence blunders as the blame gets sorted out....

Someone tryin to save a dollar or a half assed worker the most likely culprit....although there are something's we just don't have anyone to blame for......

Sadly though, a life, if not multiple lives, are usually lost in these type accidents


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