Spray dryers are often required in food, beverage and pharmaceutical manufacturing and in 2023 accounted for nearly 18% of all reported fire and explosion incidents (2023 Combustible Dust Incident Report – dustsafetyscience.com). They are particularly susceptible to these hazards because the process conditions within cause product to coagulate and form clumps, which then may smolder due to their exposure to intense heat. If left undetected, this smoldering product may then catch fire and ignite the dust cloud within the spray dryer.
Hobré’s BICOSYS system identifies the very early stages of such smoldering by monitoring for anomalies in carbon monoxide levels, which may be detected around 30 minutes before a fire occurs. The system continuously monitors both inlets and outlets of the spray dryer to identify differences in CO levels and also prevents false alarms caused by trucks, exhaust pipes, and more.
“Hobré’s BICOSYS system fills an important role in Fike’s continued efforts of explosion prevention,” said Jan-Bart Seymortier, Fike Director of Sales, Europe. “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 by Fike. Readily available humidity insights allows for accurate dryer control without the likelihood of sticky deposits accumulating within the dryer. Therefore, monitoring the humidity within the process reduces the chance for product coagulation and accordingly also smoldering.
Etienne Hunt, Hobré’s Global Sales Manager, said this partnership with Fike supports both organizations’ collective efforts of reducing the number of reported incidents per year that originate within spray dryers.
“With this collaboration, we are combining Hobré’s long-standing expertise in analytics with Fike’s proven safety equipment,” Hunt said. “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.”
