Electrostatics in Powder Handling – The Wolfson Centre

Course overview

Electrostatic charges generated during industrial powder handling processes may give rise to unwanted particle cohesion or adhesion, which in turn results in difficulties such as particle agglomeration, segregation, material build-up on equipment and ignition of explosion, etc. Its impact is felt in terms of lower production yields and increased process downtime, or high risks to safety in manufacture.

The charges are most likely generated by tribo-charging, which arises from particle-particle and particle-wall contacts. Its behaviour is erratic and not easy to predict. Nevertheless it is always desirable to characterize the charging tendency of raw materials so that corrective action can be taken prior to full scale manufacture.

Course content

This course discusses the causes and effect of electrostatic charge in bulk solids handling, and  the hazards caused to product quality control and risk assessment. Principal charge measurement techniques are reviewed and their use in the prediction and solution of problems discussed.