Experimental study on electrostatic hazards in sprayed liquid

d In this study, to evaluate ignition hazards in a paint process, electrostatic sparks in the sprayed area and the amount of charge while spraying were observed. With the objective of preventing accidents involving fires and/or explosions, we deal also with the ignitability due to an electrostatic spark of a sprayed liquid relative to the percentage of nitrogen (N-2), including compression in an air cylinder. For this study, an air-spray-type handheld gun with a 1-mm-internal-diameter orifice and a supply of air pressure in the range of 0.1 to 1 MPa were used. With regard to the materials, water, including some sodium chloride, was used to investigate the charge amount of the sprayed liquid, and kerosene was selected for ignition tests while spraying. Several electrostatic sparks in the sprayed region were observed while spraying. Some values of the electrostatic charge observed in the course of this study would be unsafe in the painting industry. Thus, if any of the conductive parts of the equipment are not grounded, incendiary electrostatic sparks can result. The ignitability of sprayed liquid was markedly reduced; the percentage of N2 in the air was substituted for pressurized pure air, and its efficiency increased with air pressure.