Challenge/Solution Case Study:

Mitigating Risk for Combustible Dust Deflagration

Result

EFI Group developed the approach, general arrangements and the mechanical designs necessary for the client to significantly reduce the risk and consequences of a dust deflagration in various sugar processing facilities. EFI Group and the client continue to develop and implement these improvements through multiple dust mitigation projects across the country.

Challenge

Recent events in industry have highlighted the risks associated with combustible dust explosions. EFI Group has worked with the client at various facilities to help mitigate the risk and the consequences of a dust deflagration. These efforts focus primarily on milling systems, dust collectors and bucket elevators..

Solution

EFI Group’s role in these efforts is to support the process and equipment portion of the client’s dust deflagration mitigation program. Often, EFI Group develops the project scope and cost for these efforts and then provides design details necessary to implement improvements.

EFI Group’s efforts have focused on three primary areas:

To recommend, design and help implement changes that minimize the risk of ignition sources developing inside equipment. Typically, this work entails the selection and implementation of vibration sensors, bearing temperature monitors, belt and pulley alignment sensors, magnets and metal detectors.
To determine the best approach to mitigating the impact a dust deflagration has on the facility. This entails evaluating changes in equipment type and determining whether venting or chemical suppression is the best approach for a given vessel.
To design new, or improve existing, dust collection systems in order to prevent the accumulation of dust in areas outside the process equipment.

Deliverables

Equipment recommendations and arrangement drawings depicting the modification of existing, or the installation of new, equipment.
Process flow and system P&ID drawings.
Network diagrams for the control system.
Mechanical and electrical scope of work documents.
Detailed project cost estimates.
Detailed design drawings suitable for a contractor to modify and install the equipment.

We hired EFI Group to help us figure out a project and scope it, and I felt confident they would keep a keen eye on it. They had to deliver quickly and they did it well. They are especially good at project management when you don’t have the resources to do it internally. Reliability is the word I would use to describe EFI Group.

— Coatings Industry Professional

EFI Group is timely. We’ve had a lot of situations when we’ve been in a time crunch and they’ve responded very quickly. They are detail oriented and efficient. They’re a good group of people who also have a lot of strength in pre-engineering — the thought process to get to preliminary design and making sure we’ve investigated all the potential asks of a project to ensure we didn’t miss anything. They have great attention to detail up front which is very important to any project because having that detail-oriented deep dive into the pre-engineering phase sets the stage for the success of the rest of the project, making the process smoother and making it much easier to keep the project on schedule and on budget.

— Mike Quigley, Engineering & Maintenance Manager, Food Industry

I’ve worked with EFI Group for a while, so I know they have a good, knowledgeable staff. We know we’re going to get the results from them we expect. From my interactions with all the different EFI team members I’ve worked with, I know they have knowledge across many industries. Equally, I never have to follow up with EFI Group and, in some cases, they keep me on track.

— Ryan Fredsall, General Manager, Pacer Minerals LLC

We view EFI Group as a team that can dimensionalize our capability to execute projects. We can articulate what it is we want to do and they can take that input and run with it without much intervention from us. They’re able to move a project along independently and only engage us when it’s time to bring us up to speed or get more input to drive a project to conclusion. That’s one of the reasons I view them as an excellent contractor.

— Environmental Engineering Industry Professional

EFI Group has good engineers and good customer service. We know when we get an EFI engineer on a project, we’re going to a get a good job from them and it’s been a productive relationship for both of us — I genuinely like the people.

— Corporate Director, Project Management in Food & Flavors Industry

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Challenge/Solution Case Study:

Mitigating Risk for Combustible Dust Deflagration

Result

Challenge

Solution

Deliverables

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