RR1207: Area Classification for Oil Mists (MISTS2): Summary Report
Many types of industrial equipment can potentially produce an explosive oil mist if a fault develops. This includes almost all equipment where oil is under pressure, such as hydraulic systems, pressurised lubrication, oil-based heat transfer systems among others. These are in widespread use and appear in areas such as service plant rooms and production facilities in many industries.
As part of controlling the risk, the Dangerous Substances and Explosive Atmospheres Regulations (DSEAR) require risk based 'area classification' in places where oil mists can be produced. However, information on the conditions in which a mist can be ignited and continue to burn is limited.
This report summarises work carried out within the MISTS2 project. MISTS2 followed an earlier Joint Industry Project, MISTS [RR980 (2013), RR1107 (2017), RR1108 (2017), RR1109 (2017), RR1110 (2017), RR1111 (2017)]. Both MISTS and MISTS2 projects were set up to improve understanding of the conditions required for mist ignition and flame propagation. Such understanding is important for assessing the risks in each area where mists could be produced and determining where specific control of the risks is required.
Unlike the MISTS project, which considered more fundamental aspects of mist cloud formation and ignition, MISTS2 focused on situations where simple experimental results could be used directly to give the greatest improvement in understanding of mist explosion safety. The project programme was broken down into three work packages, each of which is more fully described in its own separate Research Report [RR1208, RR1209 & RR1210].
The research was carried out by specialists from HSE’s Buxton laboratory and Cardiff University’s Gas Turbine Research Centre in Port Talbot.
This report and the work it describes were funded by the Health and Safety Executive. Its contents, including any opinions and/or conclusions expressed, are those of the authors alone and do not necessarily reflect HSE policy.
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