Quantifying the effect of strong ignition sources on particle preconditioning and distribution in the 20-L chamber

•Computational fluid dynamics is used to investigate preconditioning of polyethylene particles in the 20-L chamber.•Ignition energy and particle size effects are analyzed using a one-dimensional spherically symmetric CFD model.•Particle temperature reaches the polyethylene melting point prior to flame propagation.•Local dust concentration up to two times the nominal loading value is observed prior to flame propagation.

Computational fluid dynamics is used to investigate the preconditioning aspect of overdriving in dust explosion testing. The results show that preconditioning alters both the particle temperature and distribution prior to flame propagation in the 20-L chamber. A parametric study gives the fluid pressure and temperature, and particle temperature and concentration at an assumed flame kernel development time (10 ms) for varying ignitor size and particle diameter. For the 10 kJ ignitor with 50% efficiency, polyethylene particles under 50 μm reach 400 K and may melt prior to flame propagation. Gases from the ignitor detonation displace the dust from the center of the chamber and may increase local particle concentration up to two times the nominal value being tested. These effects have important implications for explosive testing of dusts in the 20-L chamber and comparing to larger 1-m3 testing, where these effects may be negligible.