A Question of (Particle) Character...

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DÜPERTHAL Sicherheitstechnik GmbH & Co. KG

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The primary approach to explosion protection is to minimize or eliminate one or more of the elements (ignition energy, oxygen and dust) in the explosion triangle. It may be possible to find a non-combustible substitute for a combustible material. Nitrogen inertization can reduce the oxygen concentration. It is also important to eliminate ignition sources such as welding operations, hot surfaces, electromagnetic waves and hot gas.

Once that has been done, the developers can look at ways of mitigating the effects of an explosion. One possibility is to design equipment which has explosion pressure relief, explosion suppression and limited explosion volume so that it is able to withstand the explosion pressure.

Organizational measures are also part of an effective explosion protection strategy. This can include simple rules such as a smoking ban, regular cleaning to remove dust, periodic grounding checks and confirmation that machines are still being used for the intended purpose. It is also important to record all of these measures in an explosion protection document. A documented explosion protection strategy provides sufficient evidence for the authorities and ensures that the explosion protection program is effective.

User/supplier collaboration extends well beyond the supply of individual components. Delivery is preceded by the provision of detailed information on matters such as changes to applicable laws and regulations. In recent years, experience has shown that strict separation of fire protection and explosion protection during the storage of bulk solids is not expedient.

For one thing, it is not always possible to determine whether it was the fire or the explosion that triggered an event. Moreover, the two types of protection have been shown to complement each other.

Urban Mining

While minute quantities are commonly handled in the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries, material is handled on a totally different scale in metal recycling, at least at the start of the processing chain. The term urban mining refers to the recovery of valuable materials from cars, electrical appliances or even old waste disposal sites. One tonne of scrap PC motherboards contain 30 times more gold than one tonne of gold ore. 250,000 tonnes of rare earth metals are thought to be present as slag at German waste disposal sites. The recovery of re-usable material is an elaborate process and it is very energy-intensive. If the motherboard is not removed before the PC is put through the shredder, it is difficult or impossible to get at the important trace elements. 75% of the gold would be lost. Special comminution and sorting processes are needed to improve the situation.

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