[Digestion] Biogas Accident

Paul Harris paul.harris at adelaide.edu.au
Sun Mar 6 17:20:47 CST 2011


G'day Duncan,

 

Good points!

 

Once upon a time there were seven(7) flour mills in Gawler, but today only
one is standing as all 7 suffered explosions/massive fires (some more than
once). Perhaps we should start spreading information about the hazards of
flour.

 

Remember the most dangerous thing we can do is breath, as a lot of the
people who breathed are now dead and those breathing today will probably not
be alive in 100 years!

 

Happy digesting,

HOOROO

 

Mr. Paul Harris, Room S116b, Waite Main Building Faculty of Sciences, The
University of Adelaide, Waite Campus, PMB 1, Glen Osmond SA 5064 Ph    : +61
8 8303 7880      Fax   : +61 8 8303 4386
<mailto:paul.harris at adelaide.edu.au> mailto:paul.harris at adelaide.edu.au
<http://www.adelaide.edu.au/directory/paul.harris>
http://www.adelaide.edu.au/directory/paul.harris

 

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From: digestion-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org
[mailto:digestion-bounces at lists.bioenergylists.org] On Behalf Of Duncan
Martin
Sent: Friday, 4 March 2011 1:04 AM
To: For Discussion of Anaerobic Digestion
Subject: Re: [Digestion] Biogas Accident

 

Stephen's report suggests two explanations - neither of them connected with
AD. 

 

The biogas community must make sure that accurate reports are published
ASAP, before false rumours spread and take root.

 

1. Gas is the obvious scapegoat for any explosion - but was the cause gas at
all? Many fine powders can explode if suspended in air - which can easily
happen in a poorly-run factory with a dust-laden atmosphere. Starch has been
known as an explosion hazard for decades. I recall a major explosion many
years ago at the Bird's Custard Powder plant in Banbury, England - and
custard powder is 99% corn starch. Almost identical to tapioca starch!

 

2. However, if the cause was gas, a gas explosion at the point of use is
just that - a simple gas explosion. It could as easily happen with natural
gas, LPG, hydrogen or any gaseous fuel. The source of the gas would only be
relevant if biogas was more explosive than other commonly used fuel gases -
which it is not. It's safer than many in fact.

 

Could someone with good local connections offer to  get the facts - then
nail the rumours! 

 

In the meantime, I would suggest we avoid discussing the matter on this list
- or we'll just feed the rumours. We should also avoid discussing it
anywhere as a "biogas explosion". It's just an "explosion" unless proven to
be due to gas. And it's just a "gas explosion" unless evidence emerges that
the nature of the gas is relevant. 

 

Duncan Martin PhD

Cloughjordan Ecovillage

Ireland

www.thevillage.ie

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

On 1 March 2011 03:48, Dr Stephen P Etheridge <spe at biotrix.asia> wrote:

Fellow AD Listmembers

 

I wrote a note on 29th Jan re: Biogas explosions, a subject that could
potentially affect everyone in this sector. I did not realise that I would
have to revisit the subject so soon.

 

Last Friday at 4.30pm a major biogas explosion at a Tapioca Starch Factory
in Thailand injured 31, 18 seriously. Since that time 7 have died of burns
injuries and this number is expected to increase. 

 

See: 

http://www.baanmaha.com/community/blogs/entry470.html

http://www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/446507-40-workers-injured-in-gas-explosi
on-in-chaiyaphum/

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/31-workers-injured-in-gas-explosion-in-
Chaiyaphum-30149629.html

http://www.ethailand.com/news/five-more-workers-killed-raising-gas-explosion
-toll-to-seven-91356.html

http://koratfart.com/isaan-news/chaiyaphum-31-workers-injured-in-gas-explosi
on/

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2011/03/01/national/Factory-death-toll-hits-
seven-30149747.html

 

Clearly this has the potential to affect everyone in this sector but
certainly those of us woking in Thailand and S E Asia. As far as I am aware
this would be the worst biogas accident globally.

 

The biogas plant was built by P&S Designs Co., Ltd. -
http://www.psbiogas.com/eng/intro.html , however the explosion was not at
the digester, but at the starch bagging plant where the biogas is used.

 

The english language press indicates that burning wild grass entered a
biogas pipe, which seems strange since biogas pipes are sealed. The Thai
language press indicates that "hot work" (i.e. welding) was taking place
over a biogas pipe. It is common in Thailand to use HDPE pipe for biogas but
usually only up to the building where the "point of use" is. After that it
should be, and usually is, stainless steel. However, if welding was taking
place near an HDPE biogas pipe then this could have resulted in inital
ignition.

 

There have been two prior small explosions here with faulty burner gas
valves but this can happen with any gas boiler coupled with poor maintenance
(Previous explosions detailed in Appendix 2
http://www.eeec.eng.ku.ac.th/files/Handbook-BiogasSafety-IndustryFactory.pdf
). From personal experience in the Thai Tapioca sector the bagging area
rarely gets the respect it deserves as a potentially explosive area
(http://www.youtube.com/user/Jermani099#p/a/u/2/s02zYPE_AgM ). Having said
that, there are more than 200 large scale Tapioca biogas plants in Thailand
and a biogas explosion has not happened before. 

 

I suspect that biogas may have ignited and that this may have triggered a
starch explosion in the enclosed bagging area, but without substantial
information this is pure speculation at this point.

 

I will let the group know if there are substantive developments and I am
sure we would all wish to express our sympathies to those involved.

 

 

Stephen Etheridge 

spe at biotrix.asia


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