BS EN 14491:2012

What is BS EN 14491-Dust explosion venting protective systems about?  

BS EN 14491 is a European standard on dust explosion venting protective systems that discusses the design requirements for dust explosion venting protective systems to ensure protection against dust explosion.  

It specifies the basic requirements of design for the selection of a dust explosion venting protective system.  

BS EN 14491 is one of a series including BS EN 14797 Explosion venting devices, and BS EN 14460 Explosion resistant equipment.  

The three standards together represent the concept of dust explosion venting. To avoid the transfer of explosions to other communicating equipment, users should also consider applying BS EN 15089 Explosion isolation systems. 

BS EN 14491 covers: 

• Vent sizing to protect an enclosure against the internal pressure effects of a dust explosion 
• Flame and pressure effects outside the enclosure 
• Recoil forces 
• Influence of vent ducts 
• Hybrid mixtures  

Note1: BS EN 14491 is not intended to provide design and application rules against effects generated by detonation reactions or runaway exothermic reactions.  

Note2: BS EN 14491 does not cover fire risks arising from materials either processed, used, or released by the equipment or from materials that make up equipment and buildings.  

Note3: BS EN 14491 does not cover the design, construction, testing, and certification of explosion venting devices that are used to achieve explosion venting. 

Who is BS EN 14491-Dust explosion venting protective systems for? 

BS EN 14491 on dust explosion venting protective systems is useful for: 

• Dust explosion venting protective systems manufacturers 
• Dust explosion venting protective systems designers 
• Dust explosion venting protective systems test personnel 
• Occupational health and safety departments  
• Risk assessment authorities  
• Quality assurance departments 

Why should you use BS EN 14491-Dust explosion venting protective systems?  

Dust explosions occur when combustible dusts build up in the air and combust rapidly, causing an intense pressure wave to form. They are a deadly hazard in a variety of workplaces, from grain silos to plastics factories. A dust explosion requires several factors to be present at once. 

BS EN 14491 provides you with guidance on venting of enclosures, sizing of vent areas, venting of isolated enclosures, pneumatic conveying of product with an axial introduction into vessels and silos, pneumatic conveying of the product with a tangential introduction into vessels and silos, pneumatic conveying of the product with a tangential introduction into vessels and silos, design of vent ducts and marking. 

The design requirements provided by BS EN 14491 assist you in improving the design of dust explosion venting protective systems, improving the performance and quality of dust explosion venting protective systems, and ensuring the prevention of the vessel from bursting and reduction in the risk of injuries due to dust explosion.  

With compliance to BS EN 14491, you can enhance dust explosion venting protective systems’ efficacy and manufacture a standardized high-quality product. 

What is changed since the last update?  

BS EN 14491:2012 supersedes EN 14491:2006, which is withdrawn. BS EN 14491:2012 has made some technical changes compared to the previous editions EN 14491:2006. These include: 

• Addition of normative references. Correction of definitions and introduction of new definitions 
• Rearrangement of formulae in the whole document, the renumbering of subsequent formulae 
• Additional information and requirements for pneumatic conveying with axial release into vessels and silos (Reduction of requirements for specific conveying conditions) 
• Additional information and requirements for pneumatic conveying of the product with tangential release into vessels and silos (Reduction of requirements for specific conveying conditions) 
• Introduction of revised formulae for the description of effect of vent ducts. Additional explanation and clarification on hybrid mixtures