“Hose arcing” occurs when static generated inside a hose overloads the dielectric strength of the hose tube. This propagating of brush discharge is a problem in process industries.
The consequences of an electrostatic discharge can range from personnel experiencing serious physiological shock to the ignition of a potentially fatal dust-cloud explosion.
This thermoplastic material-handling hose safely dissipates static charge in extremely high-static material-transfer applications, and is said to be the only thermoplastic material-handling hose that does so. Its makers, Schaumburg, Ill.-based Kuriyama of America, say it responds to demand for a thermoplastic hose with static dissipative properties on a level with metal- and carbon black-filled rubber hoses.
The hose is being successfully used at DuPont, Monsanto, Glaxo Smith Klein and other prominent corporations in the process industries.
Its makers say this thermoplastic hose has wall-thickness sufficient to support the double-layer charge needed to produce propagating brush discharges, yet possesses a charge decay-time constant of less than one second, thereby eliminating the risk of such discharges.
The solution is meant for use at any facility handling powders, pellets or other granular materials. The hose introduces a lightweight and flexible alternative to cumbersome metal and rubber hoses; providing ease of handling for worker safety.
