A premier research organization driving advanced scientific and engineering breakthroughs for global energy and national security applications required rigorous validation of its thermal and explosive hazards to ensure the safe handling, storage, and processing of specialized research materials. The client needed precise, laboratory-backed data to assess the deflagration risks of combustible dust and determine the precise energy-release characteristics of specific materials. The goal was to translate raw material behaviors into actionable data to guide safe facility design and critical operational decisions.
The ioKinetic team performed four specialized tests to assess both the explosion severity (Kst) and likelihood (MIE, MAIT, MEC) of an explosion event, included in our Explosibility 4-Pack. This involved meticulous sample preparation, including custom milling and sieving, to guarantee a representative particle size distribution. ioKinetic also performed heat of combustion testing to provide the foundational data required for accurate hazard classification and emergency response planning.
By delivering definitive, high-fidelity laboratory data, ioKinetic empowered the client's Dust Hazard Analysis (DHA) team to evaluate hazards and design appropriate protection systems. Optimized safeguards: The explosion severity data allowed them to accurately classify materials by deflagration potential, ensuring the pinpoint deployment of dust handling and containment systems. Informed safety design: Heat of combustion insights directly guided their thermal risk assessments and safety system designs. Enhanced compliance: Testing informed the client's overall Process Safety Management (PSM) strategy within their complex research facility. ioKinetic testing enabled the client to meet compliance with standards such as NFPA 61, 68, 69, 654, CCPS Publications, the OSHA National Emphasis Program (NEP) for combustible dusts, and recognized and generally accepted good engineering practices (RAGAGEPs). The client was especially pleased that their facility managers and operators found the detailed testing reports beneficial for addressing and managing hazards that they may not have noticed without testing.