May 2021
TO PROTECT YOUR BAKERY & OVEN
FROM FIRES
A man of science, the Count investigated the cause of this disaster, and the conclusions drawn resulted in the first ever recorded combustible flour dust explosion, and he developing the combustion reaction model we still use today. Quick Suppression Systems (QSS) utilizing infrared detection and water mist designed for the baking industry are the next great innovation to keep commercial ovens in continuous production and safe from a combustion event.
According to the Dust Safety Science Academy’s 2020 Mid-Year Combustible Dust Incident Report, Food Products materials have been responsible for the fastest rising cause of combustible dust incidents. In fact, Food Materials have consistently been the leading category of all combustible materials under study, even more than wood product materials. Between 2017 and 2020, fires caused by food material saw a dramatic 11% increase.
The science of combustible dust mitigation, or the prevention of dust explosion, is 235 years old. And now, nearly two-anda-half centuries later, baking science has not stopped evolving at CV Technology, the world’s fastest and most reliable infrared combustible ignition threat detection system.
BAKESCAN™ AND OVENGUARD™
The science of combustible dust mitigation, or the prevention of dust explosion, is 235 years old. And now, nearly two-anda-half centuries later, baking science has not stopped evolving at CV Technology, the world’s fastest and most reliable infrared combustible ignition threat detection system.Until recently, there was a long-standing myth among bakery equipment suppliers and plant operators, that other than good housekeeping, dust control, and removing as many ignition sources as possible from the baking environment, there was nothing more you could do to protect your ovens.
Fires and explosions can break out in any part of the process plant, but most commonly during product loading and unloading, product transfer and storage. The most catastrophic fires, however, are the ones that occur the least; these are the conditions where the most critical piece of machinery blows up. When the grinder, hammermill, or commercial oven are at the epicenter, the result can be an extensive loss for the plant. Production downtime due to critical equipment damage, injuries, or worse can have devastating effects.
If you are a high-volume baker, using high-output conveyor transport bands, it is inevitable that you will burn product; more seldom, but still presenting a huge risk, you will start a fire. This situation could lead to a partial or full destruction of the most important piece of capital in your plant, the oven.
OVEN HAZARDS
Bulk material handling moves ingredients from the silo to the mixers, sifters, and grinders. If additional sweeteners, starches or binders are added to the mix changing the shape of the ingredient, reducing the overall size of the granule or flaking it, the Minimum Ignition Temperature (MIT) and the Minimum Ignition Energy (MIE) can demonstrate an increase in its combustible properties.The product types, by ingredient, content and mix, are more susceptible to fires than others. Dry powders, oils, fats, butter, shortening, sugars and sugar additives are all contributors of combustibility.
Variables such as transport speed, ventilation, and fuel sources caked inside the oven with accumulated dust, crumbs and grease can pose highly potential risks. Combined with a sudden belt stoppage, that ‘dinner roll’ now has the combustible potential.
How long a specific product type stays inside the oven while on the belt, and at a specific temperature, can also creates a highpotential risk. Low risk baking temperature levels are typically less than 480°F (250°C), and include items such as pre-bake items, which range between 370°F to 430°F (190°C to 220°C). Mid-level risk temperatures fall between 480°F (250°C), and 500°F (260°C). Lastly, high risk items are often in excess of 500°F (260°C)
2. DIRECT GAS
3. HYBRID
OVEN SAFETY
We have thoughtfully applied industrial protection savvy toward consumable food product applications in order to guard against threats that are controllable or uncontrollable.If it is possible that the safe operating temperature limit of the oven can be exceeded, or if oven processes combusitible material, provide an excess temperature llimit control requiring a manual reset, that is independent of automatic or manual temperature control.
Pay particular attention to cleanliness at heaters with steam coils, housings and ductwork since these are the hottest spots where charring and eventual ignition are most likely.
Measure the ventilation rate before making any process changes that would affect the rate of ventilation required. These include changing the character of the work by composition or weight, increasing batch loads, baking times, temperatures and conveyor speeds.
Symptoms of Inadequate Ventilation: A cold exhaust duct or stack while the oven is operating typically indicates reversal of flow in the exhaust and suggests inadequate ventilation.
Whether your business is pizza shells, bread loaves, muffins, bagels, biscuits, cookies, buns, rolls or crispened snack foods, or a combination of all or some of them, BakeScan™ will detect overheated, glowing and burning product on the transport band transporting product out of the oven.
OvenGuard™ conversely detects and suppresses fire incidents inside the oven, at the outlet of the oven, and extinguishes embers and flames in the extraction ducts. Stopping the fire at the inlet of the extraction ducts is critical, as they act as superhighways that will rapidly carry the firestorm throughout other areas of the plant, such as the warehouse, where finished product is stored and the chance of igniting a secondary dust explosion is high if good housekeeping standards are not maintained.
Both BakeScan™ and OvenGuard™ deliver ultra-fast acting, quick suppression or extinguishing solutions consisting of a full cone mist of water depending on the system design. Both systems are custom configured and flexible enough to adjust to your production requirements, as noted in FM Loss Prevention Data Sheets and NFPA Standards if you plan on using the same oven for varying product and ingredient mixture.
The IntuVision™ controller is the nerve center behind BakeScan™ and OvenGuard™. IntuVision™ provides constant reporting and analysis in real time of the number of incidents, when, and under what flow conditions to best run each of your baked products for maximum continuous output and will trigger a suppression solution in case of a detection
Best yet, its solid-state build comes standard with 4 protection zones, and the ability to accommodate 16 zones with one controller. It also can be operated remotely, or by phone app. So, a plant can protect its capital investment across a process array of ovens, grinders, mixers, conveyors, exhaust ducts, and dust collectors from a single controller. It also can connect and route commands to your PLC for extended safety responsiveness and operational effectiveness.