Application
Explosion Isolation in Food & Beverage
Answer in brief
Isolation is the measure most often missing in food plants, and the duct to the dust collector is the usual gap.
Venting the collector protects the collector; it does nothing for the mill connected to it by four metres of duct.
- List every duct between protected vessels.
- Check the distance each device needs, and measure it.
- Stop assuming the rotary valve does the job.
Reviewed October 21, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026
The problem
Food plants connect mills, sifters, silos and collectors with ducting, and a deflagration travels along it with a pressure wave ahead of the flame.
A standard process rotary valve under the collector is widely assumed to isolate, and it does not unless it was built and certified for that.
Desired outcome
Every connection between protected vessels either carries a tested isolation device or is shown not to need one.
Process approach
The assessment starts with a list of connections and the direction in which flame could travel in each.
Passive flap valves suit straight inlet ducts with sufficient length; chemical barriers suit short or bent ducts and work in either direction.
Certified isolation rotary valves exist, with defined clearances and pocket counts, and they carry documentation that an ordinary valve does not.
- Connection list with flow directions and duct geometry.
- Device selected within its certified distance range.
- Documentation checked for every device claimed as isolation.
Selection factors
- Duct length, diameter and the position of the first bend.
- Flow direction and whether reverse flow is credible.
- Explosion characteristics of the dust in each vessel.
- Whether suppressant contact is acceptable to the product.
- Maintenance access for flaps and detectors.
Common failure modes
- Collector vented but the duct to the mill left open
- Standard rotary valve recorded as an isolation device
- Flap valve installed closer than its certified distance
- Passive flap fitted against the possible reverse flow direction
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