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Safety Management Services, Inc. (SMS) manufactures the Koenen Test apparatus for clients who require in-house testing to determine the sensitivity of solid and liquid material to intense heat while under confinement. Data obtained from the Koenen test can be used in determining a substance's shipping classification and for evaluating the degree of venting required to avoid an explosion during processing operations.
This test uses a non-reusable open-ended flanged steel tube, reusable closing device with an orifice through which gases are vented, industrial propane cylinder, four burners, and a protective welded box.
For the test, a substance is loaded into a flanged steel tube and a threaded collar is slipped onto the tube from below. A closing plate with orifice, through which the gases from the decomposition of the test substance escape, is fitted over the flanged tube and secured with a nut. The tube assembly is suspended between two rods in a heating and protective device. Heating is provided by four (4) propane burners that are lit simultaneously.
The test is completed upon rupture of the tube or after heating the tube for a minimum of 5 minutes with no reaction. After each trial, the fragments of the tube, if any, are collected and weighed. The reaction is evaluated as an explosion if the tube is fragmented into three (3) or more pieces (see figure below).
Examples of Explosive Effect Types from the UN Manual
SMS provides the Koenen Test Apparatus with several enhanced safety features that are invaluable to the safety of test personnel:
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