The risk of static electricity at handling diesel fuel

Abstract

Diesel fuel in motion when is transporting by pipes when is mixing, pumping, filtering, agitating or by pouring them from one vessel to another can generate static charges. Also, static electricity may occur if the liquid is splashes and forms a mist inside the tank. Accumulation of static electricity can, under certain conditions, be discharge and ignite the flammable/explosive atmosphere. Ignition hazards from static discharges can be eliminated by controlling the generation or accumulation of static charges or by eliminating a flammable mixture where static electricity may be discharged. Factors that need to be considered to reduce the risk of ignition sunt flammability characteristics of explosive atmosphere (the vapor pressure, flash point, temperature, and pressure) and the factors that determine the charging of static electricity (fuel type, electrical conductivity, sulfur content, viscosity, vehicle process: flow rate, pipe diameter, filters, pumps, spark promoters). In this paper are presented some aspects regarding the technical, organizational requirements and responsibilities of the personnel designated to prevent the formation and accumulation of static electricity when loading diesel fuel tanks, starting from a case study, respectively some explosions which occurred to a company during the loading operation.