Posted By artisdeeian
Hi all.

Just a quickie
has anyone heard of a dust explosion occuring in a cement factory, or manufacturers of cement products?

Ian.

Posted By RichardJ
Are you concerned with cement only or are you considering any other product that could be conveyed / handled during the manufacture of cement?

Posted By artisdeeian
Hi Guys.

No, I agree that cement is not a combustable material, however, It all refers back to a conversation I had a few months back which has raised it's ugly head again. My colleage was told that in one of the factories he visited there was a pit which was half full of cement which unfortunately had been left unnoticed over a period of weeks. When the cleaning team decided to clear up the spillage it apparently was smouldering in the centre of the heap. Now I understand the elements of combustion and the dangers of minerals such as coal heaps overheating but I have never head of cement dust heating up to the extreme that it smoulders, and that is why I asked the question regarding dust explosion and if anyone had heard of it in a cement factory.

Posted By steve e ashton
The cement 'smoulder' was most probably steam rising from the pile (setting cement is exothermic (gives off heat) the pile of cement insulates the reaction, the temperature rises -eventually begins evaporating or boiling any water)...

There is no chance of ignition or spontaneous combustion in these materials (if they are relatively pure).

If the pit contained cement spillage and some combustible material - sawdust for example, or oil, then there may have been some other mechanism taking place.

Steve