ASSESSMENT OF INDUSTRIAL ELECTROSTATIC HAZARDS USING FINITE-ELEMENT ELECTRIC-FIELD ANALYSIS

Charged clouds, generated in industrial processes, can lead to large v alues of space potential and electric field inside a vessel. Isolated masses of airborne liquid within can carry induced charge to the wall resulting in electrostatic discharges. Critical values of space potent ial can be found using a relationship between the jet safety factor an d the material hazard coefficient. A computer package is described whi ch allows complex space potential profiles and electric fields to be m odelled for a prescribed space charge density. This allows the central space potential, a key indicator of electrostatic risk, to be evaluat ed. Examples are presented of two recent hazard investigations made by Wolfson Electrostatics.