This report presents a theory and supporting data that coal dust flammability and inerting requirements by powdered inhibitors depend upon a parameter called the specific absorption. The theory and data show that at the lower flammable limit, the product of specific absorption and mass concentration of coal dust is constant for a fixed coal volatility. Theory and data also support the fact that a device called the Rock Dust Meter may be more appropriately termed a dust explosibility meter for coal dust/rock dust mixtures. And, both theory and data indicate that the ratio of coal specific absorption to rock dust specific absorption allows for an a priori prediction of the mass fraction of rock dust necessary to inert a particular coal dust.
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