Hazardous Area Classification: Combustible Dust

A one-day course intended for Professional Engineers and Design personnel who are responsible for the hazardous area classification design of industrial facilities incorporating flammable fluids. The course covers properties of flammable materials, standards and recommended practices, methods of area classification and documenting an area classification design.

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Course Description

Learning Objectives:

• To establish the degree and extent of a hazardous location for installations handling combustible dusts

• To identify the appropriate hazardous area classification codes, standards and recommended practices for a given situation

• To properly document a hazardous area classification design

Course Information

Course Includes:

• Hard copy of slide presentation

• PDF of course materials

• Certificate of attendance

Instructor

Allan Bozek, P.Eng, MBA Allan has over 30 years experience in the design, construction, commissioning and maintenance of industrial power systems. The scope of his experience includes manufacturing, oil and gas production, refining, water treatment and mining industrial facilities. He is a member of the IEEE industrial applications society, a committee member of the Canadian Electrical Code Section 18 (Hazardous Locations) and is a registered Profession Engineer in Alberta, British Columbia, Saskatchewan, Manitoba and Ontario.

Detailed Outline

1. Hazardous Locations – Explosive Dust Atmospheres

• The fire pentagon

• Industry Statistics

• Standard of care required to perform a hazardous area classification

2. Codes Standards and Recommended Practices

• CEC Section 18;

• NFPA 499, NFPA 61, NFPA 484, NFPA 654, NFPA 655, NFPA 664

• IEC 60079-10-2

• IEC 80079-20-2

3. Definitions

• Class, Zone/Division, Group, Temperature code

• Normal vs. Abnormal Operations

4. Hazardous Materials

• Combustible Dust Material Properties

• Particle size

• Kst: Dust Deflagration index

• Pmax: Maximum Explosion Overpressure

• dP/dT: Maximum rate of river rise

• MIE: Minimum ignition energy

• MEC: Minimum explosible concentration

• Tc: Cloud ignition temperature

• TL: Layer ignition temperature

• Dust Testing

• Group classification

• Auto-ignition temperature

• Hybrid mixtures

5. Methods of Area Classification

• Classification by example

• Hybrid approach

• Classification of facilities using Division standards

• Classification of facilities using IEC(zone) standards

• Area Classification Based on Operating – Experience

6. Documentation Requirements

• Area classification study report

• Calculation requirements

• Drawing requirements

7. Application Examples

• Coal processing facility

• Grain handling facility