Abstract
In industrial plants many types of combustible dusts are generated, processed, handled and stored. When ignited, they can burn
rapidly and with a considerable explosion force, when mixed with air in proper proportions. This is the reason why adequate
precautions have to be adopted, to ensure all equipment is appropriately protected so that the ignition likelihood of the explosive
atmosphere is diminished.
Explosion preventing and protection precautions aim to stop explosion occurrence, by eliminating or avoiding the conditions
leading to explosions. The paper presents methods of determining dust explosion characteristics and combustion as well as their
importance for a proper development and selection of prevention and protection measures. Once known, the
protection/prevention measures can be correlated with the safety characteristics. For explosion protection and prevention a series
of minimum mandatory requirements have to be fulfilled, for a safe handling and processing of solid materials having fine
particle dimensions, among which some are mentioned: knowing the characteristics influencing safety, control and monitoring
dust releases in technological processes, installations design for migrating and accumulation of dusts, respectively implementing
a rigorous cleaning program at workplaces.