Students let it crash

Many older people in the state of Bremen still remember how devastating a flour dust explosion can be: in 1979, 14 people died in a detonation at the Rolandmühle in Bremen. On Tuesday afternoon at Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences, students on the degree programmes in Food Technology, Transport/Logistics and Sustainable energy and environmental technologies learned how industrial plants in the food industry can be made safe today. "Know your enemy", David Rasche implored the audience. "Especially in the food industry, swirling dust causes many accidents and even explosions." Rasche works as Team Leader Special Applications & Spare Parts in the Process Safety division at Rembe® GmbH Safety+Control. The company from Brilon in the Sauerland region of Germany develops customised safety systems that protect people and process systems from the effects of explosions and potentially dangerous overpressure and underpressure scenarios.

"The majority of explosions could be avoided"

At the invitation of Edgar Langenberg, Professor of Food Process Engineering and Food Physics at Bremerhaven University of Applied Sciences, the safety expert demonstrated various systems and explained how they work and their areas of application. ‘The majority of explosions could be avoided and the effects of any explosions that do occur can be greatly minimised,’ said Rasche, raising the students' awareness. He explained safety requirements and standards and encouraged the audience to actively ensure that the necessary protective systems are in place and ready for use in their future workplace. The students asked many questions, examined valves and so-called bursting discs that they had brought with them and finally took part enthusiastically in several outdoor demonstrations: Filmed by a Sat1 team, they let it rip on campus with Rashe's expert support and experienced live the effects of a dust explosion without and with special protective equipment.

(Translated with DeepL)