Spontaneous combustion
Materials such as coal, cotton, hay, and oils should be stored at proper temperatures and moisture levels to prevent spontaneous combustion.[2] Spontaneous combustion can occur when a substance with a relatively low ignition temperature such as hay, straw, peat, etc., begins to release heat.Combustion will begin when a sufficient oxidizer, such as oxygen, and fuel are present to maintain the reaction into thermal runaway.Hay[3] and compost piles[4] may self-ignite because of heat produced by bacterial fermentation, which then can cause pyrolysis and oxidation that leads to thermal runaway reactions that reach autoignition temperature.Rags soaked with drying oils or varnish can oxidize rapidly due to the large surface area, and even a small pile can produce enough heat to ignite under the right conditions.[5][6] Coal can ignite spontaneously when exposed to oxygen, which causes it to react and heat up when there is insufficient ventilation for cooling.Pistachio nuts are highly flammable when stored in large quantities, and are prone to self-heating and spontaneous combustion.[14] A striking example of a cargo igniting spontaneously occurred on the ship Earl of Eldon in the Indian Ocean on 24 August 1834.In the presence of excess moisture that is just below the level required for germinating seed, the activity of mold fungi is a likely candidate for generating heat.Preventing spontaneous combustion can be as simple as not leaving materials stored for extended periods of time, controlling air flow, moisture, methane, and pressure balances.
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