Anti-Static Additive
Cestoil Chemicals' solution to fuel conductivity problems
It is widely known that electrostatic charges can be frictionally transferred between two dissimilar, nonconductive materials. When this occurs, the electrostatic charge thus created appears at the surfaces of the contacting materials. The magnitude of the generated charge is dependent upon the nature of and, more particularly, the respective conductivity of each material.
Perhaps the most well-known examples of electrostatic charge build-up include those which occur when one shuffles across a carpeted floor or when one runs one's hand across another's hair or the fur of an animal. Although it is less commonly known, electrostatic charging can also occur when a solid is mixed with a liquid and when water settles through a hydrocarbon solution. It is the latter situations that are of greatest interest to the petroleum industry, for when such charges are built up in or around flammable liquids, their eventual discharge can lead to incendiary sparking, and perhaps to a serious fire or explosion.
While incendiary sparking is a ubiquitous problem in the petroleum industry, the potential for fire and explosion is probably at its greatest during product handling, transfer and transportation. For example, static charges are known to accumulate in solvents and fuels when they flow through piping, especially when these liquids flow through high surface area or "fine" filters and other process controls such as is common during tank truck filling. Countermeasures designed to prevent accumulation of electrostatic charges on a container being filled and to prevent sparks from the conducting container to ground can be employed, such as container grounding and bonding. But it has been recognized that these measures are inadequate to deal successfully with all of the electrostatic hazards presented by hydrocarbon fuels.
Alone, grounding and bonding are not sufficient to prevent electrostatic build-up in low conductivity, volatile organic liquids such as distillate fuels like diesel, gasoline, jet fuel, turbine fuels and kerosene. Similarly, grounding and bonding do not prevent static charge accumulation in relatively clean (i.e. contaminant free) light hydrocarbon oils such as organic solvent and cleaning fluids. This is because the conductivity of these organics is so low that a static charge moves very slowly through these liquids and can take a considerable time to reach the surface of a grounded, conductive container. Until this occurs, a high surface-voltage potential can be achieved which can create an incendiary spark. Ignition or explosion can thus occur in an environment of air-hydrocarbon vapor.
One can directly attack the source of the increased hazard presented by these low conductivity organic liquids by increasing the conductivity of the liquid with additives. The increased conductivity of the liquid will substantially reduce the time necessary for any charges that exist in the liquid to be conducted away by the grounded inside surface of the container.
Cestoil Chemical invented a cost effective product that are compatible with most of the additives used in diesel and gasoline. It can also effectively resist the contaminant usually found in gasoline and diesel, ie, organic amine, fatty acid.
Cestoil Chemical Served the downstream industry for many years, we provide chemicals and technical support to enhance plant processes, improve productivity, manage water treatment and resolve environmental issues
