The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-11-09

D. c., Nov. s.-Dust
explosions from bewildering
variety~of causes and almost all
sorts Of dust continue to worry
manufacturers and the govern
ment. Since the method OF collect-
ing dust in factories, supposedly q
real safeguardA caused an explo-
sion, chemists In government and
private laboratories are bunting
more anxiously than ever Tor soiu-
tions to tie dust danger.
It has for some years been un-
derstood that grain dust suspended
in sufIiciept quantities in the at
mosphere might cause an explosion
if q match were lighted or q spark
of electricity released. Lately,
however, dust from sugar, choco-
late, rubber, fertilizer, starch, pa
per, and other materials has proved
explosive. A campaign against
carelessness in dusty grain eleva.
tors and -four mills has cut down
the number Of accidents there. but
at a recent conference on dust ex.
blossoms it was shown that in the
IL months preceding there had
been 1t least seven serious explo'
sions in other kinds of factories, u
which at least 80 people were kill
ed, and 100000 worth of prop
erty destroyed.
The bureau Of chemistry In the
department of agriculture says thai
it receives many samples OF dus'
from manufacturers who want Il
know if the particular kind OF dus'
set loose in their plants is danger
GUS. The prevailing tendency il
| for the factory owner to think tina
his plant is immune, but go fal
tests have shown that every kind o
| dust submitted, except inert dust
that is, finely ground lime or rocl
vii explode if sufficiently con
centrated, and ignited.
The reason fer this is simply ex
planned by the bureau of chemistr!
as follows:
Why Dust Explodes.
I'VE might try for some time Il
burn block of wood with lighted
match. If We take knife and chil
j the block the shavings will ignit'
more quickly. We might make ex
celsior and find it would ignite still
more rapidly, and then continue b,
gradual reduction to a degree @
fineness until dust is produced
| when it is found that the mass will
burn rapidly when in suspension
and diffused in the air. The rat
of burning is so rapid that vic
lent explosion may result"
In short, anything that will burr
as solid material will burn whel
Ireduced to the form Of powder o
fdust. There is no way entirely t
eliminate this rust from a product
and scientific tests, have shown tina
a very small amount suspended il
the air is sufficient to start an ex
plosion if brought into contact wit
| fire.
| The main safeguards so far pre-
| posed are to have dust collected b
special apparatus, and to keep
from piling up where it can serv
as a fuse. Special window con
struction for factories is suggeste
by one engineer to allow the plan
to be regularly flooded with air 1
order to remove dust and freshe
the atmosphere. Workmen an
managers are being gradual
taught to safeguard their own live
by observing precautions. Once
|, was common thing for a WORK
man in -four mill to carry light
ed match into dim and dusty flou
bin. When an explosion occurred
it was attributed to spontaneou
combustion, and not to the fact
flame and dust being brought t.
; gether. Now, factory workers al
. learning never to smoke or carr
matches about plant. to kee
/ dust from accommodating on beam
, machines, .pulleys and, floors, an
never to uSe an open fame in
dusty place.
Even in factories where smokin
is absolutely forbidden as fire Or,
vention measure, an open fam
such as an acetylene torch, is use
without thought OF danger. Ho
: extremely hazardous this is Il
government explosion experts ha,
difficulty in proving to worker
: But the soundness of their arg,
S ments and warnings was plain
, demonstrated last fall when an e:
S plosion occurred in a mill due
) dust being ignited by the inten,
: heat from an acetylene torch.
e Electric Bulbs. q Cause.
So slight a cause as dust collec
s ed on an electric light bulb m:
: start fire, and then an explosio