Accidental thermal explosion

[MediumRare]

Hi

I have been informed that my one workshop where the finishing touches are done to aluminium brackets, plates, etc should be seperated from the mild steel parts. Finishing refers to filing, cutting, grinding and drilling to the final specifications. The hazard is the accidental ignition of the aluminium dust which burns at extremly high temperatures. Apparently, the burning aluminium is near impossible to stop and will be over before any fire prevention could happen. Is there any validity to the claim and any measures to prevent such an accident from happening?

Regards.

 

[25362]

http://stress.osha.eu.int/publications/reports/306/index_19.htm

http://www.aiha.org/abs06/po106.htm

paper 37.

 

[MediumRare]

Hi

Thanks for the refs. A more strict routine of extractor checking/maintenance and shop floor cleaning is going to introduced.A friend told me I'm making "Thermite" when the Al and Fe shavings mix. So, the metals are going to be separated to another work area.

Cheers.

 

[kenvlach]

Al and Fe shavings do not constitute thermit; that is a mixture of Al & Fe3O4,Fe2O3 balanced to produce Al2O3.
The hazard is proportional to the amount of Al fines generated. Keeping structural Al separate from steel is nonsense, unless you are using a blowtorch.
Side note: In the British destroyer Sheffield that was hit by an Exocet missle in the Falklands War, the aluminum superstructure didn't burn; it melted.

There's lots of info on the safe handling of aluminum fines (powder) available from the Aluminum Association, the NFPA & OSHA . See this page & references at bottom:

http://www.meridianeng.com/aluminum.html