Experimentation on minimum ignition temperature for boron blended fireworks flash powder dust cloud at normal and inert environmental conditions

Summary In fireworks industries, mixing and filling of chemicals are being done manually and hence, dust formation is inevitable. Due to inherent nature of ingredients like aluminium metal powder, which has more combustible and the possibilities of dust explosion are merely high. Nowadays, the use of boron as a replacement of aluminium in firecracker mixtures is being researched upon. Hence, this paper aims at measuring the minimum ignition temperature (MIT) of existing and boron blended firework composition by using Godbert Greenwald furnace. Nowadays, many firework industries are employing automation. In such places, by limiting the level of oxygen supply with Nitrogen gas, the accidents can be avoided. Hence, the limiting oxygen concentration (LOC) is also measured. It has been concluded that the probability of ignition is higher when the replacement level of aluminium with boron is less than 70% at a concentration of 1456 g/m3 with less than 75% inert gas level. The safe margin has been found which will be useful for risk assessment study.