Explaining the Principle of Static Electricity Eliminators
Generally, there are four ways to protect against static electricity hazards:
1. Static grounding;
2. Humidification of the air; when the relative humidity exceeds 65%, static electricity is difficult to generate;
3. Antistatic modification of materials;
4. Application of static electricity eliminators. Spatial static electricity elimination is the most effective measure to prevent static electricity damage.
Static electricity eliminators can be divided into two categories: corona discharge type and light irradiation type.
Corona discharge type includes self-discharge type and voltage-based type static electricity eliminators.
Working principle of self-discharge type:
Self-discharge type static electricity eliminators have a simple, highly conductive structure. Carbon or other conductive fibers are bundled together and grounded. When a charged object approaches the static electricity eliminator, electrostatic induction occurs. Charges with opposite polarity to the object's charge flow from the ground and accumulate at the tips of the conductive fiber brushes. When the accumulated charge exceeds a certain level, corona discharge occurs. The resulting air ions are attracted to the charged object and combine with its charge, causing the object to become neutral. Self-discharge electrostatic eliminators do not require high-voltage power supplies and are inexpensive, thus enjoying widespread use. A typical example is the electrostatic eliminator used in fax machines and photocopiers, which eliminates static electricity on paper. However, the capability of a self-discharge electrostatic eliminator depends on the amount of charge on the object and the distance between the eliminator and the object. If the distance is too great or the amount of charge is too small, corona discharge will not occur. Therefore, voltage-type electrostatic eliminators are more suitable for applications requiring high precision in electrostatic elimination.
