Video: Electrostatics Laboratory Tour Southampton
Electrostatic Testing
Protect against electrostatic hazards and harness electrostatic potential
Static electricity is omnipresent and can threaten the safety of your staff and operations. Electrostatic discharges pose fire and explosion risks, while charged components can complicate handling or bring production to a halt. Sometimes companies are unaware that static is behind these issues. On the other hand, electrostatic forces have many beneficial applications such as photocopying, ink jet printing, coating and air pollution control. Knowing how static electricity affects your business is the first step towards safety and progress.
Our electrostatic laboratory tests focus on hazard identification and reduction, problem resolution, and application innovation. Electrostatic hazard assessments, on-site measurements and charge elimination/control are all part of our focused, disciplined approach to minimizing the dangers of static electricity, in addition to a comprehensive range of laboratory tests. We are also enthusiastically engaged in electrostatic research in the fields of powder processing problems, environmental applications and biotechnology, among others.
We are passionate about sharing the knowledge we have gained over many years collaborating with our clients to promote safety practice and performance when it comes to electrostatic issues. As a result, industry and government depend on us for consulting, testing and research in this highly specialist field.
Your Benefits
- Extensive range of laboratory tests
- Independence for customers in dealing with electrostatic problems
- Focused approach to minimize electrostatic hazards
Our Approach
We support clients through consulting, research, training, and laboratory and on-site testing, enabling self-sufficiency in handling electrostatic challenges. On-site we conduct electrostatic hazards assessments, incident investigations and measurements.
In our accredited state-of-the-art and humidity-controlled laboratories, we carry out a complete range of tests in accordance with applicable industry accepted practices and standards such as ASTM D257, BS5958, NFPA 77, and IEC 61340-4-4.
Our comprehensive range of testing methods includes:
- Conductivity - Liquids
- Electrostatic Chargeability – Liquids, liquid sprays, powders
- Laboratory or on-site measurements
- Volume Resistivity – Solid materials, powders, liners, sheets, fabrics
- Surface Resistivity – Sheets, films, fabrics, foils, and coatings
- Charge Relaxation Time – Solid materials, powders, liners, sheets, fabrics
- Propagating Brush Discharge – Sheets, films, fabrics, foils, and coatings
- Breakdown Voltage – Sheets, films, fabrics, foils, and coatings
- Electrostatic Discharge
- Electrical Resistance-To-Ground - Shoes, gloves, clothing, and flooring
- Laboratory or on-site measurements
- Discharge Incendivity (Full-Scale) – Type D FIBC
- Measurement of Resistance to Ground – Type C FIBC
- Breakdown Voltage – Type B FIBC
- Surface Resistivity – Type L1, L2, L3 Liners
- Breakdown Voltage Measurement – Type L1, L2 (multi-layer), L3 (multi-layer) Liners
Why DEKRA?
- We specialize in consultancy, research, training, training, laboratory and on-site testing to give our customers independence in dealing with electrostatic problems.
- We support your business on site with electrostatic hazard assessments, accident investigations and measurements.
- We have accredited, state-of-the-art and humidity-controlled laboratories.
- We are experts at providing seminars for plant operators to assess ignition hazards.
Background information about electrostatic testing
Static electricity is the charge that is generated whenever any two materials make and then break contact. Static electricity is generated during many common processing operations in industry, for example when liquids flow relative to pipe walls or when powder particles come into contact with the surfaces of the processing and conveying equipment.
A great concern posed by static electricity in an industrial setting is the risk of fire and explosion due to the ignition of flammable atmospheres by electrostatic discharges. Flammable gases, liquids, and powders are used in many chemical processing operations and precautions are required to prevent their inadvertent ignition. If the energy of the electrostatic discharge is greater than the minimum ignition energy of the flammable atmosphere a fire or explosion hazard will exist, and measures should be taken to avoid the conditions under which such discharge could occur. If the exclusion or elimination of electrostatic ignition sources is not practical, other measures such as avoidance of flammable atmospheres or explosion protection must be considered.
