Fike, Hobré Partner to Enhance Safety in Industrial Drying Processes
Fike Corporation and Hobré International have announced a partnership to improve the safety of industrial drying processes susceptible to fire and explosion hazards.
Fike, a global manufacturer of industrial safety solutions, and Hobré, a provider of online process analyzers and sample solutions, said the partnership focuses on protecting spray dryers commonly used in food, beverage and pharmaceutical manufacturing.
According to the 2023 Combustible Dust Incident Report from dustsafetyscience.com, spray dryers accounted for nearly 18% of fire and explosion incidents in 2023. These processes are particularly vulnerable due to the potential for product coagulation and clumping, which can smolder under intense heat and, if undetected, may ignite dust clouds within the dryer.
According to the announcement, the partnership will make Hobré’s Bicosys system available through Fike. The system reportedly detects early stages of smoldering by monitoring anomalies in carbon monoxide levels up to 30 minutes before a fire occurs. It continuously monitors both inlets and outlets of the dryer and prevents false alarms caused by trucks, exhaust pipes and other sources, the company said.
Jan-Bart Seymortier, Fike Director of Sales, Europe, said in a press statement, “By identifying the very early stages of combustion, a large-scale fire or deflagration may be avoided and prevents the suppression and explosion protection systems from being used, thereby reducing downtime if such an event were to occur.”
The partnership will also provide Hobré’s humidity monitoring system, which reportedly supports accurate dryer control and reduces the likelihood of sticky deposits and smoldering.
Chemical Processing has numerous resources available on combustible dust safety and prevention efforts. Most recently, the publication hosted a Combustible Dust Roundtable webinar to share insights from experts on managing hazards, strengthening safeguards and protecting workers across combustible solids processing industries.
About the Author
Amanda Joshi
Managing Editor
Amanda Joshi has more than 18 years of experience in business-to-business publishing for both print and digital content. Before joining Chemical Processing, she worked with Manufacturing.net and Electrical Contracting Products. She’s a versatile, award-winning editor with experience in writing and editing technical content, executing marketing strategy, developing new products, attending industry events and developing customer relationships.
Amanda graduated from Northern Illinois University in 2001 with a B.A. in English and has been an English teacher. She lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband and daughter, and their mini Aussiedoodle, Riley. In her rare spare time, she enjoys reading, tackling DIY projects, and horseback riding.