How to avoid a fire in the manufacture of fuel pellets [preventive measures]

2019-12-20 14:11:46

Woodworking enterprises are always at risk of fires. Unfortunately, some of our customers have experienced in their experience that this is true for manufacturers of fuel pellets.

Therefore, it is better to timely take care of the proper storage of raw materials, their safe processing and suitable methods for storing finished granules.

Do not forget that any company must adhere to the provisions of the law "On Fire Safety". Even if the equipment is equipped with all the necessary automation, primary fire extinguishing equipment should be in the public domain. In the event of a system failure, they will help to save your property and the lives of workers.

It is also important to limit smoking in the wood processing complex. If it is not possible to hire non-smokers, special smoking areas should be equipped in a remote part of the territory.

Despite the fact that the human factor remains the main cause of fires, the measures described can significantly reduce risks.

Risks and methods of struggle

Where is the danger	Causes	Countermeasures
When storing raw materials	Natural biological processes occurring in wood, cause a rise in temperature in the inner layers. Such raw materials can ignite from a small random spark and even ignite spontaneously.	Avoid accidental sparks in stock. Limit the amount of raw materials stored. The fresher the raw material, the safer it is. Old batches should be processed first.
During wood drying	Most drying complexes operate with air heated by burning bark and other combustible waste. If a spark enters the combustion chamber into the next compartment, dried raw materials or wood dust remaining on the walls may catch fire. This is fraught not only with a fire, but also with an explosion that destroys the drying complex.	Use dryers that are equipped with spark suppression and ash collection systems. They prevent sparks from entering dry wood. Timely carry out maintenance of drying complexes.
When granulating	If the matrix does not fit the characteristics of the raw material, the granules may begin to smolder when passing through the channel. The second reason for the spontaneous combustion of raw materials during granulation is the wrong dosage. Therefore, we recommend the use of metered feed augers.	If smoldering begins, you must either adjust the moisture content of the raw material or replace the matrix with a thinner one. For our customers, this only happens if they did not send us their raw materials for preliminary verification. But in this case, the problem is solved within 2-3 days.
In stock for storage of finished products	If the hot granules immediately fall asleep in a big bag, they cool unevenly. The outer layer loses moisture and temperature due to natural convection, while the inner layer only raises the temperature right up to spontaneous combustion. In the best case, the top layer of granules in the bag will simply become damp; in the worst case, a fire will begin.	Use a pellet cooling system or sprinkle for cooling with a small layer so that the pellets cool and dry naturally. Do not store too many granules in stock, especially in direct contact. If the warehouse is large, granules should still be packaged.

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