Study of Influence of Flour Sample Type on Explosion Parameters

The explosive behaviour of combustible dust is strongly influenced by their physical and chemical properties. In the food-processing industry, flour dust represents one of the most common combustible materials capable of generating hazardous dust explosions. The objective of this study was to investigate the influence of flour type on explosion parameters and sensitivity to ignite. Three commercially available wheat flours with different compositions were examined: wheat flour 00 (T430), bread flour T650, and wholemeal flour T1800. Explosion characteristics, including maximum explosion pressure (p_max), maximum rate of pressure rise (dp/dt)_max, and time parameters, were measured in a standardized 20 L sphere in accordance with EN 14034 Standard. The minimum ignition energy (MIE) was determined using a Hartmann tube apparatus according to EN 13821 Standard. All tested flour samples exhibited similar MIE intervals. The measured maximum explosion pressures ranged from 7.29 to 7.71 bar(g). However, differences were observed in the maximum rate of pressure rise. Significant differences were also identified in the time required to reach characteristic explosion parameters. The results demonstrate that flour type can significantly affect explosion parameters. These findings indicate that the selection of a representative flour sample is important for accurate hazard assessment and the design of effective explosion prevention and protection measures in the food-processing industry.