LAUSR

This paper presents a theory demonstrating that flame propagation rates in clouds of light metal dusts are expected to be scale-dependent and that a KSt-value determined in a 20-l sphere may underestimate dust explosion effects on an industrial scale. The paper also presents a review of large- scale dust explosion experiments performed with light metal dusts supporting the theory. Finally, the paper suggests which metals can be considered as organic dusts when designing explosion protection measures, i.e. for which metal dusts one can use KSt-values determined in the 20-l sphere and for which ones one should not.