ABSTRACT
This chapter presents a comprehensive treatment of the development and control of dust and gas explosions. It intends to address dust explosions alone, but since gas and dust explosion development is similar, and considers some facets of gas explosions. The work is an outgrowth of the research conducted primarily from 1940 through 1970 by the Dust Explosions Section of the US Bureau of Mines. The chapter addresses these research reports and extends the work with particular reference to explosions in closed and vented vessels. Precise statistical data on the number of explosions and the resulting injuries and fatalities occurring in the United States cannot be given because explosion incidents are not mandated to be reported to any agency. The gas explosion hazard is more prevalent than the dust explosion hazard because of the wide use of a variety of combustible gases in industry, and because natural gas is widely used in homes.
