POWER May 2010 - 58

PLANT SAFETY
A Burning Concern: Combustible Dust
If not properly controlled, coal and coal dust can cause fires, explosions, and
implosions at power plants. Strategies for promoting safer management
of these combustibles include actions such as training personnel exposed
to the hazards of coal and coal dust about safe handling methods.
By Bob Taylor, American Electric Power
" T
he serious losses in life and property
resulting annually from fires
cause me deep concern. I am sure
that such unnecessary waste can be reduced.
The substantial progress made in the science
of fire prevention and fire protection in this
country during the past forty years convinces
me that the means are available for limiting
this unnecessary destruction. "
That statement was made 63 years ago as
part of President Harry S. Truman's address
to attendees of the President's Conference on
Fire Prevention. Truman's perspective on fire
prevention is as valid today as it was then.
Thirty-seven years ago, a group of topic
experts summarized their findings and recommendations
about fire prevention in a report
titled America Burning (Figure 1). Much of
this report focused on the three Es of safety:
engineering, enforcement, and education.
However, the significance of this 1973 report
was that it was the first time the federal
government focused on and recommended a
more coordinated approach to fire protection
and fire prevention. America Burning and its
follow-up, America Burning Revisited (1987),
provided a roadmap for improving fire safety.
My father, who gave me my own copy of
America Burning, spent a lifetime both starting
fires and preventing them. During his 58 years
in the fire service, he started fires in a controlled
environment to learn about fire's behavior and,
more importantly, to train others how to effectively
mitigate the losses once one started. At
the same time, he used that knowledge to drive
change. He hoped to change people's behaviors
so they would prevent and survive fires, and he
sought to modify regulations so that they are
clear and helpful. In that spirit, the goal of this
article is to draw our industry's attention to a
fire danger that often remains unacknowledged:
combustible coal dust.
Our Goal: " Zero Harm " from
Combustible Coal Dust
The struggle to minimize fires continues today.
In our industry we are primarily concerned
with fires in power plants, and coal plants are
particularly suceptible to fires because of the
presence of combustible dust (Figure 2).
Many entities must work together to create
a culture in which coal is safely and efficiently
burned in a steam generator: federal, state, and
local governments; standards-making organizations;
and industry (Figure 3). Substantial
progress has been made in the past 10 years by
one particular organization-the PRB Coal Users'
Group (see sidebar). This organization succeeds
by regularly bringing together users and
potential users of Powder River Basin (PRB)
coal plus other interested parties who share best
practices, educational and networking opportunities,
and a forum to support each other in the
safe and efficient handling of PRB coals. This
is evident in their collaborative efforts related
to developing recognized best practices, such as
those concerning mill inerting, coal silo/bunker
fire protection, electrical practices, and risk assessment
tools. The group is also responsible
for high-quality programming at its annual
meeting on combustible coal dust.
It should be clear that coal is combustible. After
all, we use it because its combustion can be
used to produce steam. We also know that many
fires, and even implosions and explosions, occur
in our industry that damage people and property
PRB Coal Users' Group Meets in Baltimore
The PRB Coal Users' Group was formed
in 2000 to meet the needs of generating
companies using, or considering the use
of Powder River Basin coal. Its objective
is to encourage the safe, economical use
of the resource. The highlight of the year
is the annual meeting that traditionally
58
attracts more than 300 delegates. The
group's annual meeting, co-located with
the ELECTRIC POWER Conference & Exhibition,
is May 18-20, 2010, in Baltimore,
Md. More information on the annual meeting
and PRBCUG membership is available
at www.prbcoals.com.
www.powermag.com
POWER | May 2010
while causing financial and productivity losses.
It is clear that the federal government recognizes
the importance of addressing combustible dust,
1. A burning issue. The National Commission
on Fire Prevention and Control published
America Burning in 1973. The report
sought to bring attention to the serious issue
of losses of life and property caused by U.S.
fires. A pdf of the report is available at www.
usfa.dhs.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/
fa-264.pdf. Courtesy: The National Commission
on Fire Prevention and Control
2. Dust collector detonation. This
explosion was caused by combustible coal
dust in a dust collector. Courtesy: American
Electric Power
http://usfa.dhs.gov/downloads/pdf/publications/ http://www.prbcoals.com http://www.powermag.com
POWER May 2010

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