Dust explosion hazard in the textile industry

摘要

The textile industry is not considered among those at high dust explosion risk, as official statistics (CSB 2010, Abbasi and Abbasi 2007, Yuan et al. 2015) account for a low incidence of episodes. Despite these data, there is also evidence that dust explosions may affect the textile industry with severe consequences. The Harbin linen explosion in China (Hailin, 1988, Bowen 1988, Eckhoff 2003) is probably recognized as having been the most severe episode. Marmo et al. (2010), Piccinini (2008), Salatino et al. (2012) and the U.S. Fire Administration (1995) have discussed dust explosion episodes involving the textile compartment, with nylon flock and wool dust explosions. Amyotte summarized the state-of-the-art knowledge about flocculent materials (which mainly originate from the textile industry), explosion hazards, and the related studies in chapter thirteen of his well-known book (Amyotte 2013). The textile industry has two particular features regarding the dust explosion risk: