Laser ignition of dust clouds

International audienceIn a previous paper [1], the possibility of igniting a combustible dust-air mixtures by a light beam in contact with a substrate made of an inert matter and heated by a light beam was investigated. The objective of the present work is to produce more data on the subject. The available results suggest a strong similarity between combustible dust-air mixtures and explosible gas-air mixtures within the scope of the investigated ignition phenomena. In particular a relationship between the standard ignition temperature of dust clouds and the temperature of the target at the minimum incident power at ignition (continuous irradiation) has been highlighted which seems to be similar to the one obtained for gases. If confirmed, this would imply that the knowledge of these standard parameters would help in predicting the danger of igniting any kind of explosible mixtures including hybrid mixtures (combustible gas-combustible dust-air) or oxygen depleted/enriched mixtures