Explosion Venting: NFPA 68 Compliant Pressure Relief Solutions

When a deflagration occurs, pressure can build to catastrophic levels in milliseconds. Explosion vent panels provide the engineered solution — creating a controlled pathway for expanding pressures and flames to safely escape before reaching maximum destructive force.

As one of the most cost-effective protection methods available, explosion venting transforms your vessel’s greatest vulnerability into its primary defense. When properly designed and installed, these systems can mean the difference between a manageable incident and a facility-leveling disaster.

Advanced Protection Features:

• Burst indicators that signal process control systems to initiate emergency shutdown.
• Immediate response to prevent cascading failures and secondary explosions.
• Engineered weak point design that activates precisely when needed.

Suppression Systems, Inc. (SSI) exclusively uses Fike explosion vents — one of the original manufacturers of NFPA-compliant explosion protection solutions. With over 40 years of proven field performance, Fike products are rigorously tested, validated, and engineered to perform reliably when your facility’s safety depends on it.

Explosion Venting Features: Engineered for Real-World Industrial Demands

Industrial environments don’t offer second chances. Our explosion vents are designed to perform under the harshest conditions your facility can generate:

• Hygienic Applications: Clean-in-place (CIP) compatible for food processing and pharmaceutical facilities.
• Extreme Temperatures: Reliable performance in high-heat manufacturing processes.
• High Vibration Environments: Maintains seal integrity in dynamic industrial settings.
• Pressure Cycling: Proven durability under vacuum and positive pressure fluctuations.
• Severe Weather Resistance: Built to withstand outdoor industrial environments.

Engineering Advantages:

• Flexible sizing and shapes for cost-effective installation even in space-constrained applications.
• Simple installation with minimal ongoing maintenance requirements.
• Non-fragmenting design — no dangerous projectiles during activation, protecting personnel and equipment.
• Full NFPA 68 compliance ensuring adherence to the highest industry safety standards.

Because when explosion protection activates, there’s no room for equipment failure.

Fike Explosion Vent Panel Technologies

• CV (Concentric Vent): The industry standard for reliable, general-purpose applications. Proven versatility and consistent performance across diverse industrial environments.
• V-Max: Fike’s premium high-performance solution featuring a single membrane, multi-dome surface design. This delivers the longest service life under harsh conditions including:
  • Pulsating or cycling pressures
  • Higher operating pressures
  • Strong vacuum applications
  • Corrosive environments
• Eleguard: Engineered for efficiency with weld-free installation. Ideal for challenging applications like bucket elevators where quick, secure mounting is essential for both safety and operational continuity.

Each technology is backed by decades of real-world performance data and continuous engineering refinement.

Flameless Venting: Safe Indoor Explosion Protectio

Traditional explosion venting requires outdoor discharge — but what happens when that’s not possible?

Flameless venting units install directly on top of standard explosion vent panels, creating a revolutionary solution that extinguishes flames while maintaining pressure relief. This allows for safe indoor venting that’s fully compliant with NFPA guidelines (specifically NFPA 68 for flameless venting requirements).

Proven effective for diverse dust types:

• Organic dusts and high-temperature metal dusts
• Fine, coarse, and fibrous materials
• Melting dusts and other challenging combustibles

Fike Flameless Venting Solutions:

• FlameQuench II: Engineered for round vent applications.
• FlameQuench II Square: Designed for rectangular vent configurations.
• EleQuench: Specifically developed for use with Eleguard vent systems.

When outdoor venting isn’t feasible, flameless technology ensures your facility stays protected without compromise. You can compare this solution with active suppression on our Explosion Suppression page.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Explosion Venting

What is explosion venting?

Explosion venting is a passive explosion protection method that provides an engineered weak point in a vessel or enclosure. When a deflagration (explosion) occurs and internal pressure rapidly builds, the explosion vent panel opens, safely releasing the expanding gases and flames. This action prevents the pressure from reaching destructive levels, protecting the vessel and minimizing damage.

How do explosion vent panels work?

Explosion vent panels are designed to open at a predetermined, low pressure (known as Pstat). When a deflagration initiates inside a protected vessel, the pressure wave triggers the vent panel to burst open. This creates a pathway for the excess pressure and flames to escape in a controlled manner, preventing the vessel from rupturing and reducing the explosion’s impact. All SSI-installed panels are non-fragmenting, enhancing safety.

When is flameless venting necessary?

Flameless venting is crucial when traditional explosion venting to the outside is not possible or practical. This typically occurs in indoor environments, laboratories, or areas where venting flames and hot gases to the exterior would create a new hazard. Flameless venting units extinguish the flame while still allowing pressure relief, making indoor protection safe and compliant with NFPA 68 guidelines.

Are explosion vents compliant with industry standards?

Absolutely. SSI’s explosion venting solutions, including Fike vent panels and flameless vents, are fully compliant with rigorous industry standards. Most importantly, they adhere to NFPA 68: Standard on Explosion Protection by Deflagration Venting, which governs the design, installation, and maintenance of deflagration venting systems.

What types of dusts can be protected by explosion venting?

Explosion venting is effective for a wide range of combustible dusts, including organic dusts (like flour, sugar, wood dust), metal dusts (such as aluminum and magnesium), as well as fine, coarse, fibrous, and melting dusts. Proper combustible dust testing helps determine the specific venting requirements for your material.

What maintenance is required for explosion vent panels?

Explosion vent panels require minimal maintenance but do necessitate regular inspection to ensure their integrity and proper function. Periodic visual inspections for damage, corrosion, or blockages are essential. While the panels themselves are generally maintenance-free until activated, proper inspection protocols are key to ensuring readiness. SSI offers service programs to assist with these inspections.

How does explosion venting compare to explosion suppression?

Explosion venting is a passive protection method that safely releases the explosion’s pressure and flame, while explosion suppression is an active method that rapidly detects and extinguishes the explosion before it fully develops. The choice between them depends on factors like vessel location (indoor vs. outdoor), the type of material, and the acceptable level of post-incident downtime and cleanup. Often, both are used together for comprehensive explosion protection.

Partner with SSI for Proven Explosion Protection

Explosion protection isn’t just equipment — it’s engineering certainty when lives and assets are at stake.

Since 1983, SSI has been the trusted partner for industrial facilities requiring uncompromising safety solutions. Our customers consistently choose SSI because they can rely on our team’s proven experience, technical knowledge, and unwavering commitment to integrity.

Why facility managers choose SSI:

• 40+ years of specialized explosion protection experience.
• NICET-certified engineers and factory-trained technicians.
• Comprehensive approach from initial assessment through ongoing maintenance.
• Coast-to-coast service with deep understanding of regional code requirements.

Contact us today or call 1-800-360-0687 for expert consultation.

Great Knowledge, Great Service… It’s That Simple!