In wood pellet plants, there is a risk of combustible dust deflagration propagation through interconnected equipment due to presence of ignition sources and generation of combustible dust.

Deflagration isolation is the technique for interrupting pressure and flames between connected equipment.

This report and fact sheets is a result of WPAC, BC Forest Safety Council (BCFSC), and Dalhousie University partnering on an initiative to improve pellet industry practices regarding equipment isolation.

Process safety and hazard analysis expert Kayleigh Rayner Brown, P.Eng., M.A.Sc., director of Obex Risk Ltd., was commissioned to analyze deflagration isolation for safer operations and conducted the work alongside BCFSC safety advisor Bill Laturnus. Funding for the project was provided by Dalhousie University, arranged by Dr. Paul Amyotte.

Read the fact sheet to the left. If you are an operator, the action sheet in the middle is for you. If you want to dive deeper, the full report is to the right.