UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE 

 BULLETIN No. 379 



Contribation from the Bureau of Chemistry, CARL L. ALSBERG, Chief, and the 

 Office of Public Roads and Rural Engineering, LOGAN WALLER PAGE, Director 



Washington, D. C. 



August 4« 1916 



DUST EXPLOSIONS AND FIRES IN 



GRAIN SEPARATORS IN THE 



PACIFIC NORTHWEST 



By 



DAVID J. PRICE, Engineer In Charge of Grain Dust Explosion Investi- 

 gations, Bureau of Chemistry, and E. B. McCORMICK, Chief, 

 Division of Rural Engineering, Office of Public 

 Roads and Rural Engineering 



CONTENTS 



Introduction 1 



Plan of Investigation 2 



Classification of Explosions 3 



Results of Field Investigation .... 6 



Static Electricity as a Cause of Explosions 9 



Experimental Field and Laboratory Work 11 



Nature of Dust Explosions 17 



Methods Developed for Preventing Ex- 

 plosions or Extinguishing Fires ... 19 

 Special Acknowledgments 22 



WASHINGTON 



GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE 



1916 



