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Old 16th Apr 2010, 19:11
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flapassym
 
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Nearly but not quite. Saharan dust is made of sand, blunted by many years of rubbing up against other dust particles. It has a melting temperature of around 1350 C.

Most turbine engine tgt's are around 850 C.

Volcanic ash has a melting temp of around 600 C. it melts all over the cooling ducts of turbines thereby blocking them causing overheating and eventual failure.

The abrasive properties are an issue but not the main one.
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