Fire Safety Science Digital Archive

The minimum surface temperatures for the ignition of several dusts, including tea fluff, have been determined for layers on a thermostatically controlled boiling plate. It has been ascertained that increase in the depth of the dust layer and decrease in the particle size of the dust lower the surface temperature required for ignition. Preheating tea fluff at 93.30C (200F) for 32 days lowered the surface temperature required for ignition. After the initial lowering of the temperature there was no tendency for further reduction as the preheating period increased. Tea fluff which had not been preheated was ignited by friction sparks from an ordinary flint gas lighter.