The database CHEMSAFE® contains recommended safety characteristics of flammable substances (gases, liquids and dusts) and their mixtures. These recommendations are given by the experts of two Federal Institutes of Germany (BAM and the Physikalisch-Technische Bundesanstalt (PTB)). This database is available all over the world as an online version through the internet (http://www.dechema.de) and through STN International and as an in-house version for PCs and workstations in German and English, developed by DECHEMA, Frankfurt/Main. The in-house version also uses graphical representation of the data in x-y or in triangular diagrams.

The explosion range of gas mixtures containing flammable, inert and oxidizing gases can be plotted in the same triangular diagram, using the measured data from different authors or from measurements under different temperature and pressure conditions. These diagrams can be used, for example, for the estimation of the flammability of gas mixtures, which is very important information for customers from chemical and process industries or also for transport companies.

The database CHEMSAFE® - includes among others over 200 gas mixture systems measured at initial conditions up to 100 bar and 673.15 K. These data can be used to develop estimation methods for safety characteristics. The explosion range and the characteristic values of many ternary systems containing flammable gas, inert gas and air were stored in the database.

The explosion limits and flash point are known for many flammable substances, but the limiting oxygen concentration values are rather rare, these values are also stored in this databank. The main highlights of the databank are the following:

·Stability pressure limits for chemical instable gases ·Data for safety characteristics of the constructive explosion protection as P_max, (dp/dt)_max, and K_G values. ·Safety characteristics data outside of the atmospheric conditions (in higher temperature and/or pressure) as initial conditions ·Using oxidizing agents besides air, like pure oxygen, N₂O, NO, Cl₂ ·Calculation methods are also included in the database for vapor pressure, flammability of gas mixtures, oxidizing potential for gases (s. ISO 10156) and experimental safe gaps for mixtures.

Explosion protection needs all this information to design safety devices, to avoid explosive atmospheres, etc. The most data are measured according to the German and European Standards but some of them by ASTM. In this paper a comparison of the results gained by testing according to different standards will be also given.

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