When it comes to resources, here at EXAIR we always try to stay on the forefront of availability, quantity, and quality. This why we have released yet another amazing resource to our site. The EXAIR Whitepapers section is the newest knowledge sharing section of our platform.
The Whitepapers section is going to house PDF files which contain in depth, subject matter expert explanations for topics common within industry. This library will also continue to expand over the years just as our blogs, videos, and even our product offering does. Currently, you can gain access to the library after registering for our site and select from a number of topics. My personal favorite is: Understanding Compressed Air Safety and Savings.
This file can easily be downloaded then shared throughout the facility to anyone that has a hand in utilizing compressed air, or implementing point of use applications. This will help to educate on the potential uses as well as safe and efficient methods to perform tasks at hand.
Best of all, the PDF’s are actually interactive and linked directly to our site which easily lets the reader transition to the location where the most information available for specific products is located. Then, should questions arise, you can easily select to chat with an Engineer or even select one of us to email from the contact us page.
If you would like to discuss any of the EXAIR Whitepapers, point of use applications, or any EXAIR product, please feel free to contact us, we’re always here to help.
EXAIR published a whitepaper, Basics of Static Electricity, explaining what causes static electricity, how it is generated, and steps to eliminate it. Download it now by clicking the link, and begin to eliminate the static problems on your plant or process.
In this blog, I would like to expand on the subject about how static can be generated. On a molecular scale, the outer electrons that are orbiting the nucleus can be “stripped” and redistributed from one atom to another. This will cause an electrical charge imbalance called static. An additional electron will create negatively charged static while atoms losing an electron will create a positively charged static. With non-conductive materials like plastic, paper, rubber, glass, etc, the electrons cannot move back to the original atom. There are three common methods of static generation that will cause this phenomenon to occur. I will explain each one in brief detail below:
Contact – Whenever objects hit each other, electrons can be passed to or received from the surface of another object. The number of electrons being transferred is based on the type of triboelectric material. But, with plastic bottles or trays bumping into each other on conveyor belts, static is being generated.
Contact
Detachment – when one material is being separated from another material by peeling, electrons may not able to return back to the original molecule. Adhesive tape and protective films are prevalent in generating static charges by detachment because of the larger surface areas. As an example; when the backing material is being removed from labels, the static will cause the labels to be misaligned.
Detachment
Frictional – This is one of the most common reasons for generating large static forces. It is caused by two non-conductive surfaces being rubbed together. The amount of force being applied to the material as it slides back and forth will create higher static charges. It is definitely noticed when you rub a balloon on your hair. The more times that you rub the balloon against your hair, the stronger the static forces, allowing the balloon to “stick” to the wall. It is also noticed as sheets of material are stacked or running over rollers.
Friction
Static tends to propagate. The more contact, detachment, and friction that occurs; the higher the static charges. Even when the static is removed from the surface, static charges can still regenerate by the mechanisms above. So, controlling the static can be determined by the treatment process as well as the location.
Another variable that affects the static generation is humidity. Most process problems are noticed during the winter seasons as the ambient air is drier. With a lower relative humidity, the development of static is enhanced; making it easier to produce static as well as creating a higher static force. We always refer to winter as static season.
Production problems with static can occur like dirty surfaces, tearing, alignment, jamming and shock to personnel. EXAIR has a number of Static Eliminators to remove these process snags and down time that will cost your company money. You can contact an Application Engineer at EXAIR to discuss any static issues that are being generated.
