Overview map with the locations of the eleven participating laboratories
Source: BAM, Safety of Energy Carriers Division
Both the increased use of hydrogen in industrial processes and the transformation of the energy sector away from the use of fossil raw materials as well as measures to reduce the release of CO2 into the atmosphere are associated with the use of new, increasingly complex technologies. In many cases, these involve new risks that cannot be assessed in advance, such as the simultaneous occurrence of combustible dusts and gases, so-called hybrid mixtures.
Hybrid mixtures pose a considerable risk in terms of the occurrence of undesirable explosions and can lead to much more critical conditions in technical plants than pure dust/air mixtures. The use of such advanced technologies can only succeed if the hazards they pose are known and appropriate measures are taken to prevent accidents, in this case explosions.
Although hybrid mixtures consisting of dust and gas, for example, already occur in many industrial and mining processes and this hazard has been known for almost 200 years, there have been no uniform, standardized investigation procedures to date. After analyzing all influencing parameters, an investigation methodology was therefore developed and uniform investigation conditions were defined. The method was then validated in an international round robin test. For this purpose, homogenized samples were prepared and sent to 11 institutes in 7 countries. The results and conclusions of the interlaboratory comparison conducted under the direction of BAM were used for the preparation of a draft standard which will then also be the basis for international standardization activities.
1st international round robin test on safety characteristics of hybrid mixtures
Stefan Spitzer, Enis Askar, Alexander Benke, C. Cloney, S. D’Hyon, O. Dufaud, Z. Dyduch, D. Gabel, P. Geoerg, V. Heilmann, V. Jankuj, W. Jian, U. Krause, Arne Krietsch, M. Mynarz, F. Norman, J. Skrinsky, J. Taveau, A. Vignes, S. Zakel, S. Zhong
Journal of loss prevention in the process industries, vol. 81, Article No. 104947, 2022
BAM Chemical Safety Engineering department
BAM Safety of Energy Carriers division