Electrostatic Hazards in the Process Industries

Abstract

Static electricity continues to be the cause of fires and explosions in the process industries. A major problem is the lack of understanding of the fundamentals of electrostatics, and even the common misconception that static electricity is unpredictable. This paper provides a short overview of the subject of electrostatic hazards. It includes a discussion of some of the basic concepts, and also covers some of the ways in which static hazards can be addressed. Some of the issues are illustrated, and further developed, with reference to a range of realistic processing scenarios.