PROJECT ENGINEERING FOR HOSTILE FIRE AND EXPLOSION
PREVENTION IN DUST COLLECTOR SYSTEMS

ISSUE

The lead smelter regularly had hostile fires and explosions in their dust collector crucible unit. These events were detrimental to the environment and worker health and safety.

TECHNOLOGICAL CHALLENGE

The traditional approach for this kind of issue called for the installation of a spark detecting and fire extinguishing system, which amounted to 1,4 M$. This kind of expenditure for such a system was unjustifiable by management.

RECOMMENDED SOLUTION

STS Canada's specialists were thus called upon to take matters into their hands and design a customized system. STS's strategy was first to investigate the causes of these fires and explosion to find and deal with the source of the problem. After careful analysis, STS recommended a flame retardant injection system to make the products nonflammable.

RESULTS

The system is compliant with CNESST (Québec) and NFPA regulations for worker safety. The project was integrated to the smelter's operation in 2009 and has since required no additionnal labor. Since then, two fires have erupted in the crucibles and were properly managed by the fireproofing system. The total cost of this system was 75% of the traditional one aforementioned. Moreover, it has significantly reduced the amount of dust sent out into the environment.