Whey Protein Dryer Explosion Protection

When a leading U.S. manufacturer of processing equipment for the dairy industries had concerns about mitigating the consequences of dust explosions for a recent project, they turned to IEP Technologies for assistance with specifying the optimum explosion protection system solution for their customer – a Toll Manufacturer of dried whey protein products. The process equipment manufacturer had previously collaborated with IEP on various projects in Europe, however this was the first opportunity to propose a protection system which was fully compliant with North American standards and regulations.

In this particular case the project consisted of an installation of a completely new spray drying process, including a fluid bed dryer, dual, cyclones and baghouse for dust removal and collection was all of which were being added to an existing dairy facility. The operator of the plant was acutely aware of the risks of industrial explosions, as one of their competitors previously suffered an explosion event in a similar process, and while fortunately there were no injuries to personnel, it resulted in significant plant damage, downtime and financial consequences.

The first stage of determining a protection strategy was to conduct material explosion testing in the IEP Technologies’ Combustion Research Center, based in Marlborough, MA. This independent laboratory has been specializing in the combustion characteristic testing of dusts, liquids, and gases for over 35 years, performed in accordance with the requirements of recognized standards bodies including ASTM, OSHA, US DOT and UN.