Environmental, Health & Safety :: Plant & Personnel Safety :: Fire Protection

April 1, 2014

Static Electricity Discharge and Fire Prevention

When flammable or combustible atmospheres are present, uncontrolled discharges of static electricity
are potentially dangerous or even catastrophic. A significant portion of industrial explosions and fires
are attributable to static electricity each year. In theory, controlling static electricity by grounding
potential sources is simple, but in practice, doing so effectively requires thorough knowledge of
processes and operations, sound engineering controls, properly specified safety equipment and
properly trained operational staff. This column provides information on potential sources of static
electrical discharge.

Static risk

Static electricity discharges are possible almost continuously in the chemical process industries (CPI),
because static electricity is generated whenever surfaces come into contact and then separate. In
most cases, the charging currents generated over time in industrial processes are small typically
no greater than 1 104 Amps. However, in hazardous areas, even small charges can be a
problem when the allowed to accumulate on objects that are not at ground (earth) potential. If
no ground is present, voltages in excess of 30 kV can develop. Depending on the capacitance
of the object, this may result in significant levels of energy being available for discharge. If
the energy equals or exceeds the minimum ignition energy (MIE) of the surrounding
flammable atmosphere, the potential for an explosion and fire exist. Many commonly used
solvents and other flammable chemicals have MIEs that are relatively low on the order of
1 mJ or less (Table 1).

Table 1. Typical MIE values

Material (gas/vapor or powder/dust) Minimum Ignition Energy (MIE), mJ
Carbon disulfide 0.009
Methanol 0.14
Xylene 0.20
Toluene 0.24
Propane 0.25
Ethyl acetate 0.46
Zirconium 5.00
Epoxy resin 9.00
Aluminum 10.00
Sugar 30.00
Wheat flour 50.00
Note 1: Minimum ignition energy (MIE) is defined as the minimum energy that can ignite a mixture of a specified flammable material with air or
oxygen, measured by a standard procedure. Note 2: MIE values are provided for guidance only specific MIE data for any material should be
verified. Source: NFPA, IChemE

Isolated conductors

Isolated conductors are electrically conductive objects that are either inherently or accidentally
insulated from earth. During day-to-day operations at industrial facilities, isolated conductors are
probably the most likely source of static ignition incidents.
The insulation effectively keeps any static electricity buildup from safely discharging, thereby resulting
in accumulation of charge on the object. If the isolated conductor then comes into proximity with
another object at a lower potential, energy could be released in the form of an incendive spark.

Isolated conductors may arise from metal flanges, fittings or valves in pipework systems; portable
drums, containers or vessels; tanker trucks, railcars and intermediate bulk containers (IBCs); and
even people.

Many modern industrial paints, coatings, gaskets, seals and other non-conductive materials are
sufficiently insulating, so as to to possibly prevent the proper dissipation of static charge.

Static discharge sources

Static discharges come in several forms, the most important for CPI interests being spark and brush
discharges. A spark is a discharge from a charged isolated conductor to another conductor at lower
potential. A brush discharge occurs from an electrostatically charged insulator to a grounded
conductor.

Typical possible sources of static electrical discharges include the following:

Spark discharges from any conductive, but not earthed (grounded), bag, bin, drum, container and so
on, from which a powder is transferred into a reactor

Brush discharges from any non-conductive bag, bin, drum, container, and so on, from which a
powder is transferred into a reactor

Spark discharges from any conductive, but not earthed, auxiliary device used in the transfer
procedure, including, but not limited to, shovels, funnels, chutes and pipes

Spark discharges from the operator, if he or she is not adequately earthed

Brush discharges from any non-conductive auxiliary devices, such as shovels, funnels, chutes and
pipes

Brush discharge from the dust cloud formed within a reactor during powder transfer

Spark discharges from any conductive, but not earthed, fixtures and fittings within a reactor

Brush discharges from the charged solvent, suspension or emulsion preloaded in a reactor

Brush discharges from the powder heap formed on top of the liquid phase within a reactor

Cone discharges from the powder heap formed on top of the liquid phase

Liquids flowing through pipelines or filling into drums and tanks

Persons walking across an insulating floor

Static discharge prevention

Where recommendations tend to converge is in the recommendation to always use conductive or

static dissipative materials, and to ensure effective bonding and grounding. For information on
grounding best practices and examples of preventing static electrical discharge, consult National Fire
Protection Association (NFPA; Quincy, Mass.; www.nfpa.org) standards 77 and 30.
In this context, the term conductive would apply to metal materials, such as stainless or carbon
steel, aluminum and others; and static-dissipative may indicate rubber or plastics that have been
formulated with some added semi-conductive additives. Bonding means linking these objects
together by means of a suitably strong conductor (wire), and grounding refers to a true
ground/earth connection that is applied to one or more of the bonded objects.

When one or both of these techniques is applied, and while a low resistance connection between the
objects and ground is maintained, operators are able to prevent dangerous levels of static charge
from accumulating. In the case of fixed installations such as pipe work, storage tanks and so forth,
grounding is relatively simple to implement.

However, these preventive measures are more difficult to implement with portable objects, such as
drums, IBCs and tankers. In these instances, purpose-designed temporary grounding and bonding
devices must be used, with strict procedures to ensure that they are always in place prior to starting
the process. For instance, specific types of clamps and devices for grounding and bonding portable or
mobile plant equipment, drums and containers are recommended in NFPA 77, and such grounding
clamps and devices generally should employ sharp contact points. These contact points should be
made of a wear-resistant material, have positive spring pressure, and be universally adaptable to a
wide range of plant objects.

References

1. Tyers, G., Avoiding Static Sparks in Hazardous Atmospheres, Chem. Eng., June 2009, pp. 4449.

2. Glor, M., Preventing Explosions During the Transfer of Solids into Flammable Solvents, Chem.
Eng., October 2007, pp. 8895.

Editors note. This edition of Facts at your Fingertips was adapted from information in the two
articles referenced above.

Tomado de
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@20/Junio/2014