Winter is fast approaching us here in Cincinnati, which can mean just about anything, temperature and weather wise. For instance, 2 years ago we had a very mild winter, with warmer than usual temperatures and very little snow. I can remember golfing in December, January and even in to February, which was awesome! But last year however was much different. We experienced a very harsh winter with extreme low temperatures (several -0°F days) and a steady amount of snowfall – I know I felt like I was shoveling the driveway and sidewalk about every 2 days! The weather was so bad that local schools ran out of snow days.
The lower temperatures mean turning up the heat on the thermostat, which is going to dry out the air. As a result of the dry air, a common problem is ESD (ElectroStatic Discharge) or static electricity. All of us at some point have probably brushed our feet on the carpet to build up a charge, then “reached out and touched someone” to give them a little jolt. While this may seem slightly humorous, the truth is, static electricity can be quite problematic.
Some common static issues:
- Spark or shocks to personnel
- Damage to sensitive electrical components
- Jamming of machines
- Particulate clinging to the surface of an object
- Unable to separate sheets or product sticking together
EXAIR offers an extensive catalog of Static Eliminators to eliminate these common issues:
Ion Air Knives – Provides a laminar sheet of high velocity, ionized airflow. Available up to 108” single-piece lengths.
Ionizing Bars – Capable of eliminating surface static within 2” of the bar.
Super Ion Air Wipe – 360° uniform ionized airflow, ideal for ionizing extruded shapes, hose, pipe, cable etc.
Ion Air Cannon – Concentrated ionized airflow, effective up to 15 feet.
Ion Air Gun – Static eliminating, hand-held air gun, allowing easy operation.
Ion Air Jet – Static eliminating spot cleaner, available in permanent or flexible mounting.
Ionizing Point – Single point ionizer, delivering a high concentration of positive and negative ions.
We also offer our Model # 7905 Digital Static Meter, allowing you to pinpoint the source of the static. Capable of reading up to +/- 20 kV with 5% accuracy (+/-) when measured at a distance of 1”.
If you are experiencing a static issue with your process, please contact an application engineer for assistance.
Justin Nicholl
Application Engineer
justinnicholl@EXAIR.com
@EXAIR_JN
Brrr! image courtesy Neil Turner Creative Commons License