STATIC ELECTRICITY

Prepared by

Dr. V.Shanmugavel

1.0 BACKGROUND ON STATIC ELECTRICITY

1.1 WHAT IS STATIC ELECTRICITY ?

Static Electricity is a phenomenon of electrification of materials through physical contact and separation and the various effects that result from the positive and negative charges so formed.

1.2 CONDUCTIVITY

2.0 THEORY OF STATIC ELECTRICITY

2.1 GENERATION
Generation of electric charge, usually occurs whenever a liquid, for instance a hydrocarbon, flow past a solid or another liquid. The degree of charge generation in the case of oil products is determined not solely by the nature of such liquids or solids but also by the type and concentration of certain trace compounds which are nearly always present in solution in oil products.

Static electricity is generated by the separation of like or unlike bodies. Electro-static charges, positive & negative, always occur in pair and are developed when any tow bodies that have been in contact are separated. The negative charges migrate to one body, leaving the other body with a positive
charge.

For sufficient charges to be developed, the bodies must become and remain insulated with respect to each other so that the electrons, which have passed over the boundary surface or interface, are trapped when separation occurs. Insulation may occur through complete physical separation o the bodies or because at least one of the bodies is an insulator. Petroleum products which have a low conductivity can serve
as an insulators

2.1.1 Generation due to fluid flow:

Of most importance in our operations is the contact and separation which takes place in flowing liquids. The liquid, prior to flow, contains equal quantities of ions, positively and negatively charged, and is electrically neutral. However, ions of one sign are preferentially absorbed by the surface of the container or pipe, leaving a surplus of ions of the opposite sign in the liquid at the interface.

Upon liquid flow, charging of the liquid occurs because the absorbed icons are separated from the free ions by turbulence. The opposite charge is usually conducted throughout the metallic pipe wall, in the same direction because of the natural attraction between opposite charges. Ioniza- ble impurities, such as water, metal oxide, or chemicals, increase the static generation characteristics.

The flow of electricity caused by he entertainment of charged particles in the flowing fluid is known as the streaming current. if this charged stream enters a container or tank, an equal but opposite charge will be induced on the inside surfaces of the tank, Also, a charge of the same sign as the incoming stream will be induced on the outside of the tank. These induced charges arise from charge separation within the tank wall following exposure to the electrostatic field created by the incoming charged liquid stream.

2.1.2 Generation due to settling.

Strong electrostatic fields may also be generated by droplets of sold particles settling in a medium of low conductivity, or by agitation of such particles within the medium. If a liquid in a tank containing ionizable impurities is subject to turbulence, the separation of ions
can result in electrostatic charging within the body.

Such charging may cause significant variations in voltage within the liquid or on the liquid surface. There is no change in the neutrality of total charge within the tank as long as no charged fluid flows into or out of the tank.

2.2 RATE OF GENERATION

The generating mechanism is related primarily to rat of flow, ionic content, materials turbulence, and surface area of the interface. The rate of electrostatic generation in a pipeline or hose increases with increasing length of pipe or hose to a maximum liming value. The maximum limiting value is related to liquid velocity and conductivity and will be greater for high velocities of liquid flow than for low velocities. The large surface area of filters causes them to be prolific generators of static electricity.

2.3 ACCUMULATION
The amount of electrostatic charge which may accumulate on an insulated body depends upon: l 1.The rate at which the static charge is being generated. 2.The resistance of paths by which the charge leaks off (dissipates).

2.4 SPARKS AND ARCS:

A spark is essentially a transient phenomenon & can be described as the passage of an electric charge across a gap between two points not previously in contact. An arc is defined as the flow of electric current that occurs at the instant of separation of two points previously in contact. Electrostatic discharges are usually sparks.

3.0 COMMON SOURCES OF STATIC ELECTRICITY

Some common sources of static electricity which are experienced in oil industry are as follows: a) Pulverized materials passing through chutes or pneumatic conveyors, e.g. catalyst handling. b) Steam or air/gas flowing from any opening in a pipe or hose, when steam is wet or the air or gas stream contains particulate matter, e.g. steaming of hydrocarbon tanks while cleaning or use of steam eductors for tank degassing/ ventilations & use of steam/air lances. c) c) Non-conductive power transmission belts or conveyor belts in motion. d) Moving vehicles

e) Motion of all sorts that involve changes in relative position of contacting surfaces, usually of dissimilar liquids or solids, e.g. Loose wooden /metallic pieces/ projections in tanks / pipes / vessels, etc. f) Hydrocarbon flow through micro-filters made of paper/felt elements. g) Hydrocarbon liquids flowing at high velocities in pipes/nozzles/fittings, etc. h) Spraying/splashing and misting, such as: - Free fall of liquid droplets through vapour spaces. - Splash loading of hydrocarbon liquids. i) Agitation/mixing & blending including mechanical mixing/agitation with air /steam/gas/ jet nozzles.

j) Water entrainment, e.g. free presence of water in hydrocarbon products or in tanks. k) Switch loading (term used to describe a product being loaded into a tank or compartment which previously held a product of different vapour pressure) can result in ignition when low vapour pressure products are put into a cargo tank containing a flammable vapour from previous usage, e.g. Furnace Oil loaded into a tank which last carried gasoline.

GENERAL GUIDELINES FOR CO-NTROL OF STATIC ELECTRICITY

4.1 GENERAL : In order for an electrostatic charge to be a source of ignition, four conditions must be fulfilled : - There must be a means of electrostatic charge generation. - There must be an accumulator of an electrostatic charge capable of producing an incendiary spark. - There must be a means of discharging the accumulated electrostatic charge in the form of an incendiary spark such as a spark gap. - There must be a flammable vapour within the spark gap. - Ignition hazards from electrostatic sparks can be eliminated by controlling the above.

4.2 FILTERS : 4.3 GAUGING AND SAMPLING : 4.4 INSULATED CONDUCTIVE OBJECTS : 4.5 PROJECTIONS AND PROBES :

4.6

BONDING :

Sparking between two conducting bodies can be prevented by an electrical bond attached to both bodies. This bond prevents a difference in potential across the gap be-cause it provides a conductive path through which the static charges can recombine. No charge, therefore, can accumulate & no spark can occur. (Bonding of a tank or container has no effect on the liquid bulk charge within the tank or container).

Static bond wires are usually comparatively large because of mechanical considerations; therefore, bond wire remittances are low. Such low resistances however, are not needed for static dissipation because electrostatic currents are usually in the order or microamperes (millionths of an ampere). A bond resistance of 1 megohm (1 million ohms) is entirely adequate for these small electrostatic currents since the resultant voltage difference appearing across the bond wire terminals is too low for sparking.

Bolted connections within the bond wire or at the bond wire terminals are entirely adequate for static dissipation. Soldered or brazed connections are unnecessary. Parts of metallic fill pipe assembly form a continuous electrically conductive path and bond or jumper wires are not needed around flexible joints or swivel joints. Tests and experience have shown that resistances of these joints are low enough to prevent static charge accumulation. Conventional U clamps or other equivalent means for supporting riser pipes on metallic loading racks provide an adequate conductive path and permit one end of a bon wire to be fixed to the metallic loading rack rather than directly to the loading piping.

4.7

GROUNDING :

The earth may be used as part of the grounding system. Where the only gaps over which hazardous static sparks can occur are between an insulated object and grounded object, such as between electrically insulated vessels and grounded piping, the electrical insulation may be by passed by rounding the vessel. This will prevent the accumulation of static charge on the vessel. However, grounding of a container or tank cannot prevent the accumulation of charges on the surface of a liquid in the container if the liquid has a low conductivity.

4.8 4.9

USE OF ADDITIVES: INTERNAL COATING :

Ensure gauging/sampling of tank after product transfer is done only after relaxation time of 30 min. unless Dip pipes extend to bottom of tank.

Induced Charge And its Behaviour

Charged Conductor Uncharged Conductor

Start
Induced Like Free Charge Induced Opposite Bound Charge

Insert Charged Ball

Like Charge Removed by Ground Opposite Bound Charge Remains

Temporary Ground

Ground
Original Charge Free Opposite Charge

Distant

Ground

Voltage

Remove Ball