Titanium Metal Fire Safety

Information about the Safe Handling and Use of Titanium metal and powders. Metals in a combustible form, including titanium, can present fire and explosion hazards. However, risks can be minimized through proper housekeeping, planning, engineering, and training. The size and shape of the titanium products are key in determining the combustibility risks of the metal.

Large castings and ingots are generally not combustible under ordinary circumstances.  Housekeeping is one of the key factors in preventing fires and explosion hazards. It is critically important to minimize titanium dust and to isolate titanium in combustible forms. The importance of dust control cannot be overstated, as it is a significant component when dealing with titanium or any metal in a combustible form, to prevent incidents that can result in tragic outcomes. Proper operation and maintenance of equipment, and minimizing the amount of product that can become involved in a fire, are also important aspects of an effective housekeeping program.

Any fire involving titanium can present significant risks. The primary goal is to limit the potential of an event, but should an event occur, the goal is to successfully limit its impact and risks. “The most dangerous forms of combustible metals, with the exception of molten metal, are dust, powders, and machining swarf, (swarf is also known as chips or by other process-specific names such as turnings, that are the debris or waste resulting from machining) all of which have large surface areas relative to the amount of metal. Therefore, good housekeeping is a must:  A large number of incidents can be mitigated with proper housekeeping and by minimizing the amount of product that can become involved.  Planning for incidents with local emergency responders is also critical; this is important not only for primary manufacturers, but also for any facility handling titanium in a combustible form, such as secondary users, machine shops, and recycling facilities. “The proper handling of fires involving titanium and other metals in a combustible form does not occur by happenstance,” the chief emphasizes. “It is the result of detailed planning and a close working relationship between facility personnel and emergency responders.”

One of the most important concerns is to ensure that personnel alert local emergency responders prior to an event about titanium’s specific risks and hazards. These include the forms of the material that may become involved in an emergency incident, such as powders, dusts, or molten metal; as well as the potential involvement of chemicals that may be associated with processing. 

When a titanium fire is in its incipient stage, it is still possible to deal with it. However, titanium very quickly reaches extremely high temperatures, and the ability to extinguish a spreading titanium fire becomes very limited.” Because titanium’s burning temperature is over 7000°F, a titanium fire can result in a structure quickly becoming untenable. The high temperature results in the breakdown of water to its constituent elements of hydrogen and oxygen, resulting in hydrogen explosions. Therefore, the application of water to titanium fires (and most metals in a combustible form), is the same as adding an oxidizer and fuel source. The burning metal will also pull water out of concrete and any other material with which it comes in contact.

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