What Is a Flame Arrester & Why Is It Important?
When storing or dispensing gasoline, solvents, and other flammable liquids, the liquid itself isn't the only concern. Flammable vapors can ignite when exposed to a spark, flame, or other ignition source. A flame arrester is a safety component designed to help stop a flame from traveling into a container and igniting the vapors inside. Flame arresters are commonly incorporated into flammable-liquid safety equipment, including many safety cans.
How Does a Flame Arrester Work?
In a typical safety can, the flame arrester is located inside the fill or dispensing opening. It contains small passages that allow liquid and vapor to move through but are designed to dissipate heat from a flame before it can continue into the container.
If vapors outside the can ignite, the flame arrester absorbs and dissipates heat from the flame front, helping prevent it from reaching the flammable vapor space inside the container. You can think of it as a protective barrier between an outside ignition source and the flammable contents of the can.
Why Is a Flame Arrester Important?
A safety can may contain both flammable liquid and vapor. If an external flame were able to travel through the opening and ignite those vapors, the result could create a serious fire hazard. A flame arrester helps interrupt that path. This makes the flame arrester an important part of a broader set of safety features rather than a stand-alone solution.
How Does It Work with Other Safety Can Features?
Flame arresters work alongside other components designed to address different hazards associated with flammable liquids.
A safety can may also incorporate:
- A self-closing lid to help keep the container sealed and reduce spills and vapor release.
- Pressure-relief capabilities designed to relieve internal pressure if pressure rises inside the can.
- Durable, leak-resistant construction designed for the storage and handling of compatible flammable liquids.
Together, these features are what distinguish a purpose-built safety can from an ordinary storage container.
Should You Clean a Flame Arrester?
Yes. Since liquid passes through the flame arrester, debris or residue can accumulate and potentially restrict flow over time. Flame arresters should be inspected and maintained according to the safety-can manufacturer's instructions.
Never drill, puncture, remove, or modify a flame arrester simply to make a can pour faster. Altering a safety component could compromise the can's intended protection or its approved configuration.
If the arrester becomes damaged or excessively corroded, check whether the manufacturer offers an appropriate replacement component. Justrite, for example, offers replacement flame arresters for certain safety-can models.
Are Flame Arresters Required on Every Safety Can?
Requirements can depend on the application and applicable standard. OSHA's construction standard includes a flash-arresting screen in its definition of a safety can, while the general-industry definition differs. OSHA has also issued enforcement guidance addressing this distinction and the requirements of different approval organizations. For that reason, businesses should select approved safety cans that meet the requirements applicable to their workplace rather than assuming that every container marketed for fuel storage provides the same protection.
A Small Component with an Important Job
A flame arrester may be one of the least noticeable parts of a safety can, but it performs an important function. By helping prevent an external flame from reaching flammable vapors inside the container, a flame arrester adds another layer of protection when flammable liquids are stored and dispensed.
Combined with a self-closing lid, appropriate pressure relief, correct storage, ignition-source control, and safe handling procedures, the flame arrester helps make a properly designed safety can a safer choice for handling flammable liquids.