Explosion protection in powdered coal handling

Pulverized coal is used widely in power generation, steel, cement, and glass manufacturing. It is an economical alternative to other fuels and is more environment-friendly. However, the pulverizing process, as well as the storage and conveyance of pulverized coal, pose substantial explosion hazards. Such hazards are discussed in a study by the Fike company, which also presents explosion protection measures. Higher sulfur coal is less volatile and less hazardous than lower sulfur coal. Systems that safely processed higher sulfur coal in the past may require design changes and a higher level of explosion protection to achieve the same levels of safety with lower sulfur coals in the future.