Flammable Liquids

Nonconductive plastics and other nonconductive materials should be avoided in areas where flammable vapors, gases or powders may be present since static charges can accumulate on nonconductors. However, it is not always possible to completely eliminate nonconductors, so the following lists some of the ways to reduce the static hazard associated with these materials: When…...

Cleaning small parts and portable equipment with solvents, either using an automatic device or manual cleaning, is a potentially extremely hazardous task relative to static generation and spark ignition of solvent vapors.  Significant static electricity charging can occur during cleaning by contact and separation resulting from the following activities: Solvent spraying, which can involve high liquid…...

One option for mitigating the static hazards associated with low conductivity liquids is to raise the conductivity of the liquid. This can be accomplished by either blending the low conductivity liquid with a conductive liquid (e.g., alcohol, ketone) or by adding a static dissipating additive into the low conductivity liquid.   When blending a low…...

Toluene is a widely used low conductivity flammable liquid. Toluene’s vapor pressure is such that one is assured of a flammable vapor/air mixture at the ambient temperatures found in most facilities. The Lower Explosive Limit (LEL) of toluene is 1% and is reached at a temperature of 40°F (4°C). The Upper Explosive Limit (UEL) is…...

Improper handling of low conductivity liquids is a source of static energy that causes flammable vapor ignition. Low conductivity liquids will accumulate a static charge from liquid shear charging at the pipe or vessel wall.  The charge in a low conductivity liquid can NOT be dissipated by grounding. Low conductivity liquids are typically derived from…...

Well I told you last week that I would scare the !@#$ out of a lot of you, so here it goes.  Nitrogen can be your ignition source if it is NOT applied and used properly…. Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a member? Log in here...

Now here is why bonding and grounding falls well short of being all the precautions we need when transferring NON-CONDUCTIVE FLAMMABLE LIQUIDS.  Bonding and grounding takes into account that we are equalizing the energy levels between the containers and therefore the static will not be released to the differently charged container.  This works when it…...

I know H2 is not a flammable liquid, but this shows how little it takes to set off a vapor or gas cloud…. Membership Required You must be a member to access this content.View Membership LevelsAlready a member? Log in here...

If you have a non-conductive flammable liquid and you are passing them through a filter, the hazard associated with static electricity generation can be up to 300X greater. This actually goes with any type of obstruction in the pipe/hose (orifice plate, partly opened valve, flow probe, etc). If you must have a filter/strainer in your…...

The most common generators of static electricity are processes involving flammable liquids. Static electricity is generated by liquids flowing through pipes, and in mixing, pouring, pumping, filtering, or agitating liquids. The rate of generation is influenced by the conductive of the liquids, the amount of turbulence in the liquid, the interfacial surface area between the…...

Here is the condensed version of what NFPA 2113 requires when FRC are determined to be needed: The organization shall define those facilities and areas of the workplace and tasks that require personnel to wear flame-resistant garments.  Organizations shall provide users with the instructions provided by the manufacturer on the care, use, and maintenance of…...