Re: Hodowanec (was re: Capacitors self charging?)
Billy M. Williams ( (no email) )
Wed, 13 May 1998 16:51:15 -0400
I work for Reynolds Aluminums Reynobond Manufacturing Plant here in
Eastman, GA.
We manufacture Reynobond sheets which is 2 .20 aluminum gauge metal with a
poly plastic core sandwiched between.(You might have seen this on
skyscrapers, buildings or new service stations like Texeco, BP or Exxon)
Brightly colored sheets also.
Anyway...we have a thing that happens during the manufacturing process that
gets terrible on humid days here in Georgia. Static builds up between the
sheets as this is a almost perfect dielectic.
Each sheet is anywhere from 39.35" wide to 62" wide and are 240" to 85" in
length. We stack at least 30 per skid, sometimes more. As it's moving down
the line the static charge is increased by the heavy guage film we apply to
the top surface. It comes in rolls and carries a static charge as it's
wound off the roll. I've been popped quite a few times. Anyway I'm
digressing...
The sheets are cut on a shear then a copper wire hanging down discharges
the static buildup into the grounded machinery, when the edge comes into
contact with the copper wire.
I've grabbed a sheet before it hit the wire and happened to have my other
hand on the machinery...needless to say my hand and arm hurt for awhile.
Funny thing is...not all the charge gets taken out and the panels stacked
on the skid will BUILD more charge....it's like a huge capacitor 62" wide,
240" long and 2' high.
You can run a knife blade down the sides and blue sparks will jump several
inches.
Just a interesting note on static electricity...
P.S. This machinery draws lightning during thunderstorms, the mechanics say
it;s the static charge the whole machine is carrying while it's running.
Billy M. Williams
The very purpose of our life is happiness - the Dalai Lama