Wood dust consists of the fine particles of wood that are produced when wood is processed. It is considered explosive, especially if it produces a dust cloud. Initiating the combustion process inside the dust–air cloud spreads this process throughout the entire volume. In this article, experiment was carried out to study the influence of type of hardwood on combustion parameters. An experimental investigation was carried out to determine the evolution of the ignition sensitivity, fire behaviour and explosion characteristics of three types of hardwood dust. To determine dust behaviour under fire conditions, a cone calorimeter was used. Explosion characteristics were tested with the use of a 20 L spherical vessel and minimum ignition energy tested on MINOR II Apparatus, which is a modified Hartmann’s Tube. Studies have shown a large effect of particle size on explosion parameters, while for flammability parameters the effect is not so noticeable.

This study provides valuable data on the specific toxic products that could be released from the commercially used, flexible polyurethane foams (FPUFs) during a fire. The steady-state tube furnace (Purser furnace) was used to generate combustion and thermal degradation products under different fire conditions. The concentrations of asphyxiates and irritant gases were determined using a Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy gas analyser. The volatile and semi-volatile organic compounds released in the fire effluents were collected using the solid-phase microextraction technique and identified by gas chromatography with a mass selective detector. In addition, the thermal stability of the FPUFs was evaluated by simultaneous thermal analysis. The cone calorimetry test was used to determine the flame retardancy of the selected materials. The obtained results show that the emission of carbon monoxide and hydrogen cyanide during the thermal degradation and combustion of the tested foams exceeded the permissible values and pose a serious threat to human life and health. Moreover, substituted benzenes, aldehydes, and polycyclic hydrocarbons were found in the released gases during all of the test conditions.

W zakładach przetwórstwa rolnego istnieje możliwość wystąpienia atmosfery wybuchowej. Pył powstający w takich procesach, jak mielenie, przesiewanie czy transport zboża, stanowi potencjalne źródło zapłonu i wybuchu w instalacji przemysłowej. Statystyki pokazują, że roczna światowa produkcja zbóż w 2019 r. przekroczyła 2,7 mld ton. Taka ilość pylistego materiału znacznie zwiększa ryzyko wystąpienia pożaru lub wybuchu podczas produkcji, transportu i przetwarzania. Z powodu zagrożenia wybuchem zakłady zajmujące się składowaniem i przetwarzaniem zbóż muszą być wyposażone w odpowiednie zabezpieczenia. W artykule przedstawiono parametry wybuchowe pyłów zbóż najczęściej stosowanych w Polsce oraz rodzaje typowych zabezpieczeń w instalacjach przemysłowych.