amount of dust created when milling

[Crooked Arrow]

I'm working with an architect on building plans for a 1 BBL brewery and the local municipality has expressed concern about milling grain on site. They are asking how much dust will be generated is there any kind of industry standard that I can reference? I'm not really sure what to tell them.

[spetrovits]

I don't know if anyone has quantified the amount of dust created by the crushing process. Most of what I found was related to actual milling, that is, making flour, which is clearly not useful for brewers. I did find this thread, though>

https://discussions.probrewer.com/sh...-and-City-Hall

Maybe something in there will help. Good luck!

Edit: I noticed that the links in that thread are broken. The pic of crushed grain I can't help with, no idea where you could find another one (wink smiley not working), but the NC-OSHA document referred to is at http://cdm16062.contentdm.oclc.org/c...oll22/id/79893

[Jer]

This is an ongoing piss-off with inspectors and municipalities.

Where I live there are breweries (50HL) that mill in a “room” made of poly curtains, one that mills in a sea can on the owner’s driveway,, and they wanted me to build a 24’ tall, 12’x 12’ concrete block “chimney” to direct the blast skyward... I declined that suggestion.

I’ve looked and looked and looked, and could not find any data for a brewery mill. I did find the details of what is required to have a plant explosion - particle size, % in the air, etc - and a brewery mill could run uncleaned for decades before it’d even be close. My architect and I are actually planning on doing a journal article (with some test data using sieves) on this topic to try and put an end to the shit-show that this is.

After all my reading, I think that a few hours with a sheet-metal-smith to make an enclosure, and a basic grounded wood shop vac should be more than enough, and reasonable, and affordable, but hey, who am I??

JR

[GlacierBrewing]

I'm working with an architect on building plans for a 1 BBL brewery and the local municipality has expressed concern about milling grain on site. They are asking how much dust will be generated is there any kind of industry standard that I can reference? I'm not really sure what to tell them.

Hi Crooked Arrow,
When we were building out, our local/state governments required us to mill in an “explosion-proof” room: external light switch, sealed light housing, industrial external venting with make-up air, 2x6 walls. This was all due to the threat of a grain dust explosion.
Now when I actually grind in, I see little dust in the air, however, if I take my mask off I do smell it and feel it a little in my throat so it is present. I suggest you find the next closest municipality with a small brewery and find out their requirements and present that to your powers that be.

Prost!
Dave

[Jer]

Hi Crooked Arrow,
When we were building out, our local/state governments required us to mill in an “explosion-proof” room: external light switch, sealed light housing, industrial external venting with make-up air, 2x6 walls. This was all due to the threat of a grain dust explosion.
Now when I actually grind in, I see little dust in the air, however, if I take my mask off I do smell it and feel it a little in my throat so it is present. I suggest you find the next closest municipality with a small brewery and find out their requirements and present that to your powers that be.

Prost!
Dave

What makes up your external venting and make up air Dave??

JR