Abstract
As a part of countermeasures against powder dust explosions, induced voltages in a loop antenna and voltages in a storage tank in the event of electrostatic discharge (ESD) were measured for the detection of ESD inside a storage tank. As a result of a full-scale experiment using a pneumatic conveying system for powders, it was possible to detect induced voltages due to ESD even if conductive electromagnetic noises existed. It was not possible to detect a precursory phenomenon before an incendiary ESD, such as bulking brush discharge occurring, because the high-level induced voltage due to a presumed incendiary ESD occurred suddenly without any precursory phenomenon. However, the continuous monitoring of induced voltages is considered useful to prevent electrostatic accidents because it is possible to decrease the probability of explosion accidents due to ESD by neutralizing charged powders with a static eliminator when a presumed incendiary ESD is detected.
