Static electricity ⚡️

Edit: mats outside room walking in.

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Yeah, I asked my buddy real quick. Discharge outside of room). We have flex seal rubber for walls inside the room we’re building. Just got the 12” 863cfm c1d1 fan, and wiring that up tomorrow. Then plexi for lights to be sealed off… all in the far back of the container

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Grounding is something I’d have expected to be a feature on any big extractor.

When hydrocarbons pass through tubing they can create static which can then explode.

@MagisterChemist I’m curious if your membrane skids that recover heptane are grounded?

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I agree. On mine, I put grounding on all columns and racks, number 14 wire, then number 6 green wire from the whole set up to a panel outside the room.

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I got a shock from the critter I’m currently bringing online…just a couple of days ago.

200psi air rushing out of the pour spout not only cooled the pour spout below freezing, it ripped a respectable number of electrons from their former homes.

Ive received larger shocks, but this was the first solid nip I’ve gotten from an extractor (excluding the 600V AC the fuge I’m sitting in delivered…) in seven years of playing this game.

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Yes, they are. It’s not exactly a hard thing to include though — you should be able to do it yourself on any extractor that doesn’t already haveit.

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That’s scary. Knowing it is possible is one thing…but when possibility becomes reality…

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This event was scarier.

Included ignition.

I was working the problem with @CuriousFurious via text when he solved it.

He’s agreed to share what happened in greater detail shortly.

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Here’s what FM Global (heckin big insurance company) has to say about static electricity. Their data sheets are very helpful.

2.2 Occupancy
2.2.7 Solvent Extraction Plants
2.2.7.1 Apply Recommendations in Section 2.3.1, and bond together all tanks, vessels, motors, pipes, conduits, and building frames within the process.

2.3 Electrical
2.3.1 Bonding and Grounding
2.3.1.1 Bond and ground all conductive objects. This is frequently the least expensive method of preventing the accumulation of a static charge.
2.3.1.2 Make sure bond wires are mechanically strong. They need not have large current carrying ability,as the currents involved are minute. Uninsulated bonding and grounding conductors are preferred becausetheir condition is easily determined by a visual inspection.
2.3.1.3 The resistance of the ground connection should not exceed 10^6 ohms. Ground electrodes used for lighting or power circuits or for lightning protection are more than adequate for static grounding purposes. Other grounding methods such as connecting to a sprinkler system, electric conduit system, and the steel frame of a building also are acceptable.
2.3.1.4 Shafts, metal rollers, or similar moving parts on a machine should be grounded as illustrated in Figure 1.
2.3.1.5 All isolated metal parts of the equipment should be bonded and grounded.
2.3.1.6 Shafts that turn at high speeds should be bonded to the journal housing.
FMDS0508.pdf (207.3 KB)

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Seen an explosion from liquid alkanes entering a vacuum pump.

The lab I was visiting had 1 vacuum pump with a T leading to their vacuum oven AND evacuating their CLS post extraction.

Well…one day they forgot to close the evac line and flooded the system.

When I noticed the vacuum pump spitting hazy clouds of liquid I pointed it out and went to close the evac valve. The other guy went to turn off the vac pump…big mistake…soon as he touched it a fireball erupted in his face

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Damn what a traumatizing event to witness @Mosaic_Co-Labs glad u didn’t get hurt.

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awesome!

it is not the first time that the possibility of leaving the vac open during injection has come up in this thread…and I’ve personally made that mistake since I bought it up.

seeing frozen vac lines is never a good thing…

@Mosaic_Co-Labs: hope the other guy recovered from that mistake. was the switch the source of ignition? was it enclosed at all?

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Don’t want to derail too much here but he was wearing a fuzzy sweater and when he touched the pump I saw the static spark and subsequent explosion materialize in the form of a lightning bolt-like electrical beam going from the cuff of his sweater to the pump and then a fireball shot back out from the pump and up his arm, over his shoulder and right by my head.

It was a short-lived flame thrower until I closed the isolation valve

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thank you. feel free to “janitor” that particular interaction to one of the “static” threads. documenting ignitions can presumably save lives…

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Edit: moved from original topic

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well done sir.

I’ve been told that “flaring” is remarkably safe…you’ve just got to make sure to ignite early rather than late.

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I’ve got a good one. I intend to make a thread for it. Its just hard to find the time when I’m in the emotional space to write and post it. It will come soon.

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I found this in my cabinet. This apartment was my grandma’s so there’s still stuff around and all I gotta say is thank goodness she was a seamstress

https://www.amazon.com/Static-Guard-Spray-5-5oz-4-Pack/dp/B01GBC3KZC

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