Abstract
Incorporating mineral dust into organic powders is a common practice in industries such as pharmaceuticals, food production, and cosmetics to enhance product functionality. However, these additions can significantly alter the ignition sensitivity and explosion severity of the mixtures, complicating risk assessments performed without comprehensive experimental testing. This study focused on animal feed products and developed empirical models to predict explosion safety parameters - Minimum Ignition Energy (MIE), maximum explosion overpressure (Pmax), and deflagration index (KSt) - for organic-mineral powder mixtures with varying chemical properties and particle sizes, in a control bounding approach. The experimental campaign was designed using a combined Design of Experiments strategy. Key factors for model development included inerting mechanisms (such as heat sink and scavenging of free radicals), characteristic Particle Size Distribution (PSD) diameters, and the fuel fraction in the mixture. The MIE model demonstrated an outstanding 98 % accuracy in recommending suitable types A and B Flexible Intermediate Bulk Containers (FIBC). Additionally, explosion severity parameters were reliably predicted within a confidence interval that extends 50 % beyond standard experimental variability. The proposed methodology and models thus provide a strategic and practical tool for implementing inherent safety principles during the formulation of powder mixtures.
