Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 89.djvu/848

 This Destructive, Gnawing Fire, in a Mammoth Cirain Elevator

���When the big grain elevator at St. Bernard, Ohio, caught fire, it was a year later before the fianies were finally quenched. The fire worked its way to the very bottom of the grain bins. Water seemed

��Preventing Dust Explosions and Fires in Grain-Separators

UNUSUAL interest has been awakened in the Pacific Northwest during the last two seasons by the large number of fires and explosions in grain-separators. These fires and explosions were most frequent in the wheat-growing territory in eastern Wasliington and northern Idaho. Similar explosions have occurred in scat- tered localities throughout the territory lying west of the Mississippi River.

���A SmUttlusI rxliloM..!: in 1 in ■ ..ihlTW I'lu phcilii

graph was taken ul the inslunl ol llie explusion and lire

��For some time the Dtpartmeiit of Agriculture has been studying dust explo- sions in grain mills, elevators, and similar plants. The close relation of thre>her explsi(jns to the general stutly of grain- dust explosions led to the inauguration of a special in\'estigation of this allied problem in the northwestern tiekl during the 11)15 season. As a result of this study one hun- dred and sixty-six tires were in\esligaled and reported.

The investigation indicated that the wheat crop c o n t a i 11 e d a large ])ercentage of smut (a torm of \er\- line, dry dust) and that the explosions and lires in man\- cases were due to the formation of an explo- si\e n)ixluri' oi snmt-dust and fc^ J air and ihe igniliiin of this

niixlure by sialic electricil>' (hiring the lhre>hing opera- lions. In almost all cases the llame from the explosion and tire was blown into the straw >pread to llu- slacki'd grain .m<l also In llie nnlhri'sluti grain in ihe field. .'\s a resllll several hundred .uri's nf
 * )ile, and in m;in\- instances

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