Electrostatic hazards in sugar dust in storage silos

Abstract A full scale pneumatic conveying and storage facility has been established to investigate the hazard of electrostatic ignition of dust clouds inside storage silos. The facility can operate under typical industrial conditions and is fully instrumented to monitor parameters relevant to electrostatic hazard analysis. This paper presents results of a comprehensive study which has examined the likelihood of creation of electrostatic discharges incendive to dispersed sugar dust inside sugar storage silos. Data were obtained from the experimental facility and also from experiments performed inside a large concrete storage bin at a sugar refinery.