The present paper describes the development of a new CFD-code (DESC) for the assessment of accidental hazards arising from dust explosions in complex geometries. The approach followed entails the estimation of the laminar burning velocity of dust clouds from standardized laboratory-scale tests, and its subsequent use as input to the combustion model incorporated in DESC. The methodology used to obtain the Iaminar burning velocities is demonstrated by igniting turbulent propane-air mixtures to deflagration in a standard 20-litre USBM-vessel, and extracting the laminar burning velocity from the pressure-time curves; the results are compared with literature data. Laminar burning velocities for clouds of maize starch dust in air were estimated following the same procedure, and the resulting empirical model was used to simulate dust explosions in a 236-m(3) silo. (c) 2005 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.