Static Electricity in the Chemical Industries.

What is static Electricity?

The electricity produced due to the nonmoving electrons called Static electricity.

How it will be produced?

Normally any electron is electrical stable as number of Electrons are equal to number protons
i.e. total negative charge equal to positive charge.
When the electrical insulating material surfaces are brought into contacts, electrons pass
across the interface in both directions. As long as contact is maintained there is no further effect
.However ,when surfaces are separated part of the charge is discharged into air , and the
remainder is left on the material. One of the two bodies has an excess of electrons and the
other has shortage of electrons ie the object are electrically charged with the same magnitude
of charged but opposite sign.( The object which loose electrons will become positively charged
and other which gain electrons will be negatively charged)
The density of static charge accumulated by an insulator is limited due to leakage through air ,
and therefore the attraction and repulsion of charged bodies are also limited. The break down
voltage of the air at atmospheric pressure is 30,000V/cm.The maximum charge that can exist on
a plane surface is about 3.3 x 10-9 Columb/Cm2., such charges are sufficient to hold only small
particles..
Increasing the density of the charge beyond the breakdown voltage of air cause discharge
through an electric spark.

The Static electricity will be produced by two types.

1.Tribocharging
2.Induction.

Tribocharging :- The electrons transfer can occur simply by touching the objects together and
then quickly separating them. The more objects are rubbed against each other the more
electrons are excited and greater the potential for electron transfer.

The following materials will exhibit the tribocharging while touching and separating each other
Wool, Nylon, Polyethene, Human-skin, Acetate, Chromium, glass, Human hair, steel, Hard
rubber, Teflon, Platinum, Triacetate, aluminum , Steel.

Induction:- If any uncharged body brought near to the charged body it will develop opposite
charge .This is due induction effect.

How the static electricity produce in the Glass Line reactor?

As glass is dielectric material , when the glass coated agitator making and breaking the contact
with chemical static electricity will produce on the either on the shaft or in the chemical .As the
reactor is earthed the generated charge will be earthed. But the pipes which are connected to
the reactor will generate electricity by induction effect. If the pipes flanges are not provided with
continuity jumpers one flange already charged with either +ve or –ve charge and the charge is
more in nature it will try to break the air to reach the other side of flange where spark will take
place.

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 Electrical spark

The flanges will be either

positively or negatively charged
due to induction from the
This pipe is
reactor. This pipe is negatively
But the reactor will get charge positively charged
due to tribocharging. ( making charged
and breaking contact of chemical
and the agitator)

If the reactor is provided with tentalum to ground the static charge, the net charge will be zero.

Due to static electricity 1V to 1000V will be produced.

The static electricity will be produced the due rubbing of the two surfaces.
1) Gas to Solid.
2) Dust and powder
3) Pneumatic conveying.

The following operation are very prone to produce the effect.

1) Pipe line flow.
2) Truck filling.
3) Agitation.
4) Dust powder handling.
5) Grinding.
6) Sieving
7) Pneumatic conveying
8) Steam cleaning.
9) Steam leak.
Moving Equipment
1) Conveyor Belt.
2) Bucket Elevator.
3) Human body.

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The following are the examples for static electricity with various surfaces.

Liquid- solid Flow of liquid through pipes .

Filter splash , Filling of the tanks
Liquid-Liquid Mixing of immiscible liquids.
Settling of drops one liquid through
another
Gas- Liquid Cleaning with wet steam.
Spray with water.
Leakage of wet steam.

Gas-Solid Pneumatic conveying.

Fluidized bed.
Solid-Solid Belt drive.
Conveyor belt.
Reeling of paper or plastic.
Human body.
Liquidinsidethe tank w
positivelyor negativelychar
tanker movements.

Tyres arenonconducting
materials hence Theelec
produced will not bezero
Case study.
1) An operator was adding charcoal impregnated with catalyst from a plastic bag into a
reactor containing caustic soda Blanketed with nitrogen. The coal dust ignited and
there was flash fire.
2) Dried material from a double drum steam drier was passed a bag packer via a nozzle with
cotton apron to a lever pack. A small dust explosion occurred at the apron and lever pack. It
was considered from investigation that the dust had been ignited by a spark discharge of
static electricity. The cotton apron was nonconducting and the bag packer was not earthed.
3) A metal chute transfer a powder fropm a metal hopper into metal vessal was replaced by a
plastic hose .the flow of powdert down the chute caused a charge of staticelectricityt to build
up in the hose and although the hose was conductor the polypropelene end piece used to

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 connect it to the hopper and the vessel were not , and the charge was unable to dissipate . a
spark occurred and the dust was ignited.
4) A tank truck was being loaded with ethylaccetate. The loader heard what he described a
szzling sound and looked in, but could see nothing.Soon after an explosion occurred .The
investigation showed that the eathing arrangement on the truck tank were good order.The
evidence suggested that the explosion was caused by static electricity charge on the
surface of the liquid.
5) A employee was repairing a blower on the vent stack of a dissolver. Where he had finished
the work, he switched the machine on, but observed that it is not operating. He reached into
stack to give the fan blades a turn and there was an explosion . The vent stack had
contained a flammable mixture which was ignited by by static electricity from the man,s
body.

SE in the liquids

Double layer theory

Liquid
Liquid

Liquid
Solid

Oil to water
Liquid

Charge
Pipe
line

Charge separation as water drops falls through oil

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Static electricity can act as a source of ignition giving to a fire or explosion only under the
following conditions.

1. Flammable atmosphere exists

2. Electrostatic charge is generated, accumulates and produces a electric field strength
which exceeds the critical value for break down.
3. The resultant spark has an energy greater than the ignition energy of the flammable
atmospohere.

Pre-causions:

1. Elimination of flammable atmosphere

2. Control of charge Generation
3. Control of charge Accumulation.
4. minimization of spark discharge.

In the handling of liquids the following precautions may be used.

1. Elimination of flammable mixtures

2. Bonding & earthing.
3. Modification of liquid conductivity.
4. Limitation of flow velocity.
5. Avoidance of splashing & settling
6. Avoidance of earth probe.
7. Earthing of personnel.
8. Measures associated with low conductivity containers.

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