Do the fire water pipes in the ethylene oxide tank area require static bonding?
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Recently, experts came to the factory for a safety inspection and pointed out that the fire protection water pipes in the ethylene oxide tank area did not have static electricity bonding installed. The reason given was that according to clause 2.0.4 of the General Code for Fire Protection Facilities (GB55026), static electricity bonding must be added to the fire protection pipelines within the factory’s explosion-proof areas. Water is a conductive fluid – is an electrostatic bridge still needed?
Based on the information you provided, ethylene oxide is a flammable and explosive chemical, and its storage and usage areas are considered explosion-proof zones. In explosion-proof areas, all equipment and piping systems, including fire hoses, must take into account static electricity safety issues. Although water is a conductive fluid, the fire hoses in explosion-proof areas may be made of metal or non-conductive materials such as plastic. If non-conductive materials are used, or if there are potential insulating joints between metal pipes (such as flange connections), it is possible for static electricity to accumulate. Electrostatic bonding (also known as electrostatic grounding or electrical connection) involves establishing a conductive link between pipeline systems or between pipelines and the ground, in order to keep their potentials equal. This prevents static electricity from building up to a level that could result in spark discharge, which might ignite flammable vapors present in the environment. Therefore, even if the fire hose contains a conductive fluid, it may still be necessary to add static discharge bonds to ensure explosion-proof safety. In particular, in accordance with the requirement specified in the General Code for Fire Protection Facilities GB55026 that \"fire protection pipelines within explosion-proof areas should be equipped with static electricity bypass devices,\" factories must comply with relevant regulations and take necessary safety measures. Specifically, whether static bonding is necessary requires a professional assessment and design based on the actual conditions of the factory. Please consult the relevant security experts and fire engineers before making any changes. .
Clause 2.0.4 in GB55036-2022 does indeed stipulate requirements for static electricity dissipation; it is recommended to carry out such dissipation.
It needs to be connected; static electricity can also be generated under special circumstances! ! !