저밀도 폴리에틸렌(Low-density polyethylene, LDPE)은 분진폭발 관련 특성치에 대한 기준이 제시되고 있지 않아 제조 및 취급설비의 안전한 설계가 어렵다. 이 연구에서는 LDPE 제조공정 중 Bag Filter에서 채취한 분진(LDPE 1)과 Silo 등의 설비 외부에 누설된 퇴적 분진(LDPE 2)에서 채취한 2개 시료에 대하여 분진폭발 시험을 수행하였고 그 중 LDPE 2 분진에 대하여 요약하였다. 입도분석 결과, 체적기준 평균입경은 95.04 μm, 수밀도는 0~1 μm로 나타났다. 최 대폭발압력(Pmax)은 6.6 bar, 최대폭발압력상승속도는 1500 g/m3에서 366 [bar/s]로 분진폭발지수(Kst)는 99.4 bar·m/s로 ST-1 등급임을 확인하였다. 또한, 최소점화에너지는 10 mJ이며 최소점화온도는 450℃로 나타났다. 현재, 제조 및 취 급 설계는 고밀도 폴리에틸렌(HDPE)의 특성값을 기초로 한다. 그러나, 시험 결과 LDPE 2 분진이 HDPE(입자지름 61.6 μm)보다 위험성이 높은 것으로 나타나 LDPE 제조공정에서 HDPE 설계기준을 적용할 때는 주의가 필요하다.

Ensuring safety in the designing of manufacturing and handling facilities for low-density polyethylene (LDPE) is difficult because there are no standards for the dust explosion characteristics of LDPE. In this study, a dust explosion test was performed on two dust samples collected from a bag filter (LDPE 1) during the LDPE manufacturing process and sedimentary dust (LDPE 2) leaked outside a facility such as a silo, and the LDPE 2 explosion test results were summarized. Particle size analysis showed that the volume-based particle diameter (median) was 95.04 μm and the number density was 0-1 μm. The maximum explosion pressure (Pmax) was 6.6 bar, and the maximum rate of explosion pressure rise was 366 [bar/s] at 1500 g/m3. Accordingly, the dust explosion index (Kst) was 99.4 bar·m/s, which was confirmed as ST-1 grade. Moreover, the minimum ignition energy and minimum ignition temperature was 10 mJ and 450℃, respectively. Currently, manufacturing and handling design is based on the characteristic values of high-density polyethylene (HDPE). However, as the test results show that LDPE 2 dust has a higher risk than HDPE (particle diameter 61.6 μm), caution is required when using the HDPE design criteria in the LDPE manufacturing process.

The explosion index for dust (Kst) The maximum explosion pressure rise rate ([dP/dt]max) The maximum explosion pressure (Pmax)

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