Staubexplosionen in Siloanlagen

In silo plants for a great variety of storage materials dust explosions may occur. These cause in many cases great financial damages and may even cost human lives. Their occurrence can hardly be avoided. The aim of minimizing damages can only be achieved in structures which confine explosions to the location of their occurrence so that even their immediate surrounding is not impeded. With this intention experiments and theoretical investigations have been carried out at the first mentioned authors institute together with Prof. Leuckel of the Engler-Bunte-Institute at the University of Karlsruhe. The gained fundamentals were the basis for drafted building regulations in Germany and in Europe. Meanwhile also a large silo plant has been erected according to the accomplished knowledge. In one of the silos of this plant a dust explosion occurred already. It is to report on this field of problems.