Fike Corporation

Marc Van Den Schoor

John E Going

Jef Snoeys

Sven J R De Vries

Sven J De Vries

Deflagration suppression and explosion isolation system ( ) is provided for contained hazardous material. Containment structure ( ) for a highly flammable, particulate or gaseous material is connected by a conduit ( ) to an area ( ) for collection or processing of the material. Normally, the particulate gaseous material is conveyed via the conduit ( ) to the collection or processing area ( ). However, the conduit is of a length and configuration such that upon unforeseen ignition of the material in the containment structure ( ), flame and combustion generated pressure resulting from the incipient explosion in the containment structure can course along the conduit ( ) connected thereto toward the collection or processing area ( ) in the form of a deflagration front that transitions into a detonation stage before reaching the collection or processing area unless adequately suppressed and isolated. A pressure detector ( ) is connected to the containment structure ( ) for detecting a rapid rise of pressure in the containment structure indicative of an incipient explosion. A suppressant device ( ) communicates with the conduit ( ) in disposition to direct a fire suppression agent into the conduit to prevent the flame and combustion generated pressures from the incipient explosion in the containment structure from transitioning from a deflagration stage to a detonation stage in the conduit. A gate valve assembly ( ) is provided in the conduit downstream of the suppressant device ( ) which has a gate member ( ) which is closed in tandem with release of the suppressant agent into the conduit to isolate the flame and combustion generated pressures and thereby prevent the flame and combustion generated pressures from entering the collection or processing area ( ).

Deflagration and explosion suppression and isolation apparatus for contained hazardous material

A rate of rise detector assembly (16) for use with explosion suppression equipment (14,18). The detector assembly includes a pressure sensor or transducer (20) and a controller (22). The pressure transducer continuously measures the pressure in a protected area and sends signals representative of the pressure to the controller. The controller samples the transducer every 200 .mu.Sec to obtain a series of successive pressure measurements. The sampled pressure measurements are then stored in a memory table (28) having five positions. Each time the table is filled, the five pressure measurements are averaged to obtain an integrated mean pressure value having a sample time of 1 mSec and then erased from the table so that it can be filled with subsequent measurements. This results in the calculation of a series of mean pressure values each having a sample time of 1 mSec. The mean pressure values are each stored in a line of an ROR (rate of rise) table (34) having between 5 and 25 positions each corresponding to a 1 mSec time period. The mean pressure values are stored in the table starting at the top until the table overflows, at which time the mean pressure values beginning at the top of the table are overwritten with new mean pressure values. When the table has been filled, the latest value written in the table is always the mean pressure value for the most current mSec period and the value below it in the table is always the mean pressure value that was measured 'dt' times before (5-25 mSec before, depending on the length of the table). The controller calculates a dP/dt validation value every mSec by taking the most recent mean pressure value in the table and subtracting the mean pressure value that is in the next lower line of the table and dividing this difference by the dt value. The controller compares the calculated dP/dt values to a pre-determined threshold dP/dt rate and triggers the explosion suppression equipment if any of the calculated dP/dt validation values exceed the threshold rate.

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Antwerpen-Ekeren, Belgium

Marc Van Den Schoor