http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-33302243

I would think everyone should know that corn flour is explosive.

"dennis@home" wrote in message
.com...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-33302243

I would think everyone should know that corn flour is explosive.

Isn't "everything" that burns explosive if you get the particulate size and
oxygen mix right.

Of course, they don't necessarily self combust

tim

dennis@home a écrit :
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-33302243

I would think everyone should know that corn flour is explosive.

Most (all?) powders will combust, if the particle size and oxygen
levels are correct. Ignition source need only be static.

On 28/06/2015 13:36, Harry Bloomfield wrote:
dennis@home a écrit :
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-33302243

I would think everyone should know that corn flour is explosive.

Most (all?) powders will combust, if the particle size and oxygen levels
are correct. Ignition source need only be static.


Not all. Only those that can be oxidised. So, iron filings will combust
(in the right conditions), but not rust (which is iron oxide), no matter
how finely you powder it.

However, there are lots of things that you don't normally think of as
combustible that can be oxidised in the right conditions. Have there
been any flour mill explosions in living memory?

On 28/06/2015 13:45, GB wrote:
On 28/06/2015 13:36, Harry Bloomfield wrote:
dennis@home a écrit :
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-33302243

I would think everyone should know that corn flour is explosive.

Most (all?) powders will combust, if the particle size and oxygen levels
are correct. Ignition source need only be static.


Not all. Only those that can be oxidised. So, iron filings will combust
(in the right conditions), but not rust (which is iron oxide), no matter
how finely you powder it.

However, there are lots of things that you don't normally think of as
combustible that can be oxidised in the right conditions. Have there
been any flour mill explosions in living memory?



Yes.
Here is a couple and some older ones.
Tens of people killed too.

http://www.brighthub.com/education/h...es/122532.aspx

On 28/06/2015 13:45, GB wrote:

Have there
been any flour mill explosions in living memory?

When in the sixth form many moons ago we were taken to a flour mill in,
from memory, Selby where, we were told, there had previously been an
explosion. Sort of calmed us all down.

--
F

www.vulcantothesky.org - 2015, the last year to see a Vulcan fly

"dennis@home" wrote in message
web.com...
On 28/06/2015 13:45, GB wrote:
On 28/06/2015 13:36, Harry Bloomfield wrote:
dennis@home a écrit :
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-33302243

I would think everyone should know that corn flour is explosive.

Most (all?) powders will combust, if the particle size and oxygen levels
are correct. Ignition source need only be static.


Not all. Only those that can be oxidised. So, iron filings will combust
(in the right conditions), but not rust (which is iron oxide), no matter
how finely you powder it.

However, there are lots of things that you don't normally think of as
combustible that can be oxidised in the right conditions. Have there
been any flour mill explosions in living memory?



Yes.
Here is a couple and some older ones.
Tens of people killed too.

http://www.brighthub.com/education/h...es/122532.aspx


Can rhetorical questions explode?

--
Adam

"ARW" wrote in message
...
"dennis@home" wrote in message
web.com...
On 28/06/2015 13:45, GB wrote:
On 28/06/2015 13:36, Harry Bloomfield wrote:
dennis@home a écrit :
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-33302243

I would think everyone should know that corn flour is explosive.

Most (all?) powders will combust, if the particle size and oxygen
levels
are correct. Ignition source need only be static.


Not all. Only those that can be oxidised. So, iron filings will combust
(in the right conditions), but not rust (which is iron oxide), no matter
how finely you powder it.

However, there are lots of things that you don't normally think of as
combustible that can be oxidised in the right conditions. Have there
been any flour mill explosions in living memory?



Yes.
Here is a couple and some older ones.
Tens of people killed too.

http://www.brighthub.com/education/h...es/122532.aspx


Can rhetorical questions explode?

No, they implode.

GB a écrit :
Have there been any flour mill explosions in living memory?

Yup, I seem to remember hearing about one a few months ago.

F a écrit :
When in the sixth form many moons ago we were taken to a flour mill in, from
memory, Selby where, we were told, there had previously been an explosion.
Sort of calmed us all down.


--

That one is closed now I think.

On 28/06/2015 13:27, tim..... wrote:

"dennis@home" wrote in message
.com...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-33302243

I would think everyone should know that corn flour is explosive.

Any kind of fine powder that is flammable.

Isn't "everything" that burns explosive if you get the particulate size
and oxygen mix right.

Of course, they don't necessarily self combust

Yes. One of the nastier dust big industrial explosions I remember from
the late 60's was of a milled additive product that was sold as an
antioxidant for inclusion in Vulcanised rubber for car tyres.

It came as a big surprise to them when the milling facility was
destroyed (not by the first dust explosion that just disturbed the dust
from all the beams and rafters but by the secondary dust explosion).

When they rebuilt it there was one sacrificial double skinned tissue
paper end wall and as far as possible no exposed horizontal surfaces to
collect dust. Much greater attention was paid to cleaning too.

The standard dust explosion demo is a biscuit tin with a night light
candle in it, small pile of baking flour and a rubber tube through a
hole in the side leading off to a balloon. Open the tap and bang!
(don't stand too near and make sure the lid is loose fitting)

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

Lots of things are, flour mills used to go up like torches a lot in the
olden days, its this airborne dust.
Coal dust is much the same but more so.

They have obviously never watched Myth busters.
Brian

--
From the Sofa of Brian Gaff Reply address is active
"dennis@home" wrote in message
.com...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-33302243

I would think everyone should know that corn flour is explosive.

On 28/06/2015 21:26, ARW wrote:
"dennis@home" wrote in message
web.com...
On 28/06/2015 13:45, GB wrote:
On 28/06/2015 13:36, Harry Bloomfield wrote:
dennis@home a écrit :
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-33302243

I would think everyone should know that corn flour is explosive.

Most (all?) powders will combust, if the particle size and oxygen
levels
are correct. Ignition source need only be static.


Not all. Only those that can be oxidised. So, iron filings will combust
(in the right conditions), but not rust (which is iron oxide), no matter
how finely you powder it.

However, there are lots of things that you don't normally think of as
combustible that can be oxidised in the right conditions. Have there
been any flour mill explosions in living memory?



Yes.
Here is a couple and some older ones.
Tens of people killed too.

http://www.brighthub.com/education/h...es/122532.aspx


Can rhetorical questions explode?


If you are referring to my question, it wasn't intended to be
rhetorical. I just thought that, as the origins of flour mill explosions
are better understood, they would be a thing of the past. It's sad that
that is not the case, really.

On Sunday, 28 June 2015 13:27:39 UTC+1, tim..... wrote:
"dennis@home" wrote in message
.com...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-33302243

I would think everyone should know that corn flour is explosive.

Isn't "everything" that burns explosive if you get the particulate size and
oxygen mix right.

Of course, they don't necessarily self combust

tim

I once saw a dust explosion in a laundry.
I was right in the middle of it.
Fine fibres from laundry activity in this case.
The dust was on steam pipes, an explosion flashed round the building in a fraction of a second. The explosion created a "front" of airborn dust particles that was self sustaining.

"GB" wrote in message
...
On 28/06/2015 21:26, ARW wrote:
"dennis@home" wrote in message
web.com...
On 28/06/2015 13:45, GB wrote:
On 28/06/2015 13:36, Harry Bloomfield wrote:
dennis@home a écrit :
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-33302243

I would think everyone should know that corn flour is explosive.

Most (all?) powders will combust, if the particle size and oxygen
levels
are correct. Ignition source need only be static.


Not all. Only those that can be oxidised. So, iron filings will combust
(in the right conditions), but not rust (which is iron oxide), no
matter
how finely you powder it.

However, there are lots of things that you don't normally think of as
combustible that can be oxidised in the right conditions. Have there
been any flour mill explosions in living memory?



Yes.
Here is a couple and some older ones.
Tens of people killed too.

http://www.brighthub.com/education/h...es/122532.aspx


Can rhetorical questions explode?


If you are referring to my question, it wasn't intended to be rhetorical.
I just thought that, as the origins of flour mill explosions are better
understood, they would be a thing of the past.

But you know what thought did.

It's sad that that is not the case, really.


That is why I thought you were taking the **** and asking a rhetorical
question.

--
Adam

On Sun, 28 Jun 2015 13:58:48 +0100, dennis@home
wrote:

On 28/06/2015 13:45, GB wrote:
On 28/06/2015 13:36, Harry Bloomfield wrote:
dennis@home a écrit :
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-33302243

I would think everyone should know that corn flour is explosive.

Most (all?) powders will combust, if the particle size and oxygen levels
are correct. Ignition source need only be static.


Not all. Only those that can be oxidised. So, iron filings will combust
(in the right conditions), but not rust (which is iron oxide), no matter
how finely you powder it.

However, there are lots of things that you don't normally think of as
combustible that can be oxidised in the right conditions. Have there
been any flour mill explosions in living memory?



Yes.
Here is a couple and some older ones.
Tens of people killed too.

http://www.brighthub.com/education/h...es/122532.aspx


Here are two links giving details of an explosion much nearer home.

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?...66351& type=3

https://www.paisley.org.uk/paisley-h...lson-disaster/

I worked at the factory a few years after that event.