Antistatic, Conductive or Dissipative Big Bags
The friction between particles of some elements when they are charged or discharged in the Big Bags can generate static electricity that can cause sparks of electric discharge. This is especially dangerous if the products handled are explosive or if there are flammable products or gases in the work environment. Therefore, the Antistatic, Conductive or Dissipative Big Bags have elements that allow static electricity to be discharged, allowing safe handling of their contents. From the point of view of the risk of electrostatic ignition, Big Bags can be classified into four different types according to their fabric and mode of construction:
Information label of a Big Bag of type C or Conductive
Below is a table with the different types of Big Bags and their characteristics:
Type A | Type B o Antistatic |
Type C o Conductive |
Type D o Dissipative |
|
---|---|---|---|---|
Description | Type A Big Bags do not have any special characteristics for the discharge of static electricity and therefore should not be used in environments with flammable or potentially explosive dusts or vapors. | Type B or Antistatic Big Bags are similar to Type A and are made from fabric of antistatic polypropylene, which must withstand a breakdown voltage of 4 kilovolts or less. | Type C Big Bags are constructed of fabric electrically conductive or standard fabric with electrically conductive or antistatic coating. Alternatively, standard fabric with some conductive yarns may be used. In either case, there is a conductor that discharges to a ground, which must be connected during filling and emptying of the Big Bag. | Type D Big Bags have antistatic or static dissipative properties without the need for grounding. Unlike type C designs, the yarns are not interconnected and in most cases have a static-dissipative coating. For the safe use of these Big Bags, it is necessary to follow some procedures and regulations such as the grounding of machinery and people around them and some restrictions regarding the environment in which they are handled. |
Application | Non-combustible products in non-flammable environments. | Some flammable products when loaded and unloaded in environments with NON-explosive or flammable gases or vapors. | Some flammable products loaded or unloaded in environments with flammable gases or vapors of ignition energy greater than or equal to 0.14 mJ. | Some flammable products loaded or unloaded in environments with flammable gases or vapors of ignition energy lower than 0.14 mJ. |
Types of Big Bags to be used depending on the surrounding environment, especially when filling and emptying:
Minimum Ignition Energy (EMI or MIE) |
Non-flammable atmosphere | Explosive dust atmosphere | Explosive gas or vapor atmosphere |
---|---|---|---|
EMI > 1000 mJ | A, B, C and D | B, C and D | C and D |
1000 mJ > EMI > 3 mJ | B, C and D | B, C and D | C and D |
EMI < 3 mJ | C and D | C and D | C and D |
Summary of electrostatic characteristics:
General Warnings:
- Do not use Big Bags in the presence of flammable atmospheres with ignition energies lower than 0.14 mJ.
- Do not use Big Bags in the presence of hydrogen, acetylene and carbon sulfide (group IIC according to EN 50014).
- To avoid incendiary spark discharges on the surface of Type B and D Big Bags, they must not be contaminated or coated with conductive materials (e.g. water, grease, or oil).
- Additional precautions are required in the presence of flammable gas or vapor atmospheres (e.g., in the case of dusts, wet solvents).
- It is important to follow the best safe working practices and regulations in force with any type of Big Bags working in environments with combustible dust and/or flammable vapor and gas atmospheres, using grounding on all conductive materials, equipment and personnel in the vicinity of the Big Bags.
- All conductive objects in the vicinity of a Type D FIBC must be grounded.
- Consult Multisac for more information on the use of Antistatic, Conductive or Dissipative Big Bags.