The partnership hopes to guarantee the safety of industrial drying processes prone to fire and explosion hazards
Fike Corporation, a global manufacturer and supplier of industrial safety solutions, and Hobré International, specialists in the design and manufacturing of online process analysers and sample solutions, have partnered to guarantee the safety of industrial drying processes prone to fire and explosion hazards
Spray dryers are often necessary in food, beverage, and pharmaceutical manufacturing, and accounted for almost 18% of all reported fire and explosion incidents in 2023, according to the 2023 Combustible Dust Incident Report. The process conditions within cause the product to coagulate and form clumps, which can then smoulder due to their exposure to intense heat. If left undetected, the smouldering product could catch fire and ignite the dust cloud within the spray dryer.
Hobré’s Bicosys system can identify the early stages of smouldering by monitoring for anomalies in carbon monoxide levels, detectable up to 30 minutes before a fire occurs. The system monitors both the inlets and outlets of the spray dryer to determine differences in CO levels and prevents false alarms caused by trucks, exhaust pipes, and other sources.
Jan-Bart Seymortier, Fike director of Sales, Europe, said, “Hobré’s BICOSYS system fills an important role in Fike’s continued efforts of explosion prevention. By identifying the very early stages of combustion, a large-scale fire or deflagration may be avoided and prevents the suppression and explosion protection systems from being used, thereby reducing downtime if such an event were to occur.”
Humidity monitoring by Hobré’s HICOSYS system will also be available from Fike. Humidity insights facilitate accurate dryer control, decreasing the likelihood of sticky deposits forming within the dryer. Therefore, monitoring the humidity within the process reduces the possibility of product coagulation and, accordingly, also lowers the risk of smouldering.
Etienne Hunt, Hobré’s global sales manager, said, “With this collaboration, we are combining Hobré’s long-standing expertise in analytics with Fike’s proven safety equipment. Together, we’re introducing a convenient one-stop shop concept by delivering unified, end-to-end solutions that protect people and assets, while reducing OPEX and TCO without compromise."
