What are the recommended procedures for grounding and bonding fiberglass piping in chemical atmospheres?

Are there any available documents, or publications that can be used by operator's?

Joe,

Are you referring to minimizing static electricity?

Redsy:

Yes, that's one the reasons for this question.

The facility uses various highly flammable fluids, such as acetone, methanol, and ethanol.

Joe,
I don't understand how nonconductive piping can be bonded or grounded?
Don

Don,
In an explosive atmosphere you MUST bond your plastics because of the static, you create one VERY big problem if you don't

Joe, I always had to rely on the manufactures info for this. There is so little in the code, and even IEEE documents that you had to rely on the UL ratings and user guides.

NFPA 77 can be very instructive in this case as well.

Geroge,
I know that sometimes a metallic path is provided to discharge static along a nonmetallic transfer system, but I don't consider that bonding or grounding of the nonconductive piping system. You can not make an effective grounding or bonding connection to a nonconductive object.
Don

Wouldn't the static buildup inside the piping, where the fluid flow is??? So wouldn't it follow that some type of wire inside the piping, possibly bonded to the core of the pipe. I've seen and installed lots of fiberglass piping. Never seen a static strap except on plastic(HDPE) piping that connected to a brass fitting at a termination

I found a position paper from the "Fiberglass Pipe Institute" that verifies the hazards and supports some of the positive comments made here.

Joe,
That makes a lot more sense. Now we are bonding or grounding a conductive object, not just a nonconductive pipe. There is some information in the IEEE Green Book that says a bonding/grounding path with a resistance of up to 1,000,000 ohms is sufficient to prevent the build up of static charges.
Don

Don,
There are many instances where a simple piece of PVC can harbor sufficient static to create an explosive atmosphere, especially along the inside wall of the pipe.

In these cases, you can also ty-wrap a simple piece of #12 alongside the outer edge to dissipate your charge. As long as it is continuous, the ohmic value can be as great as 1 meg with no harm to the value of the ground.

What !!! never made a rubber battery?

I seem to remember seeing something about a conductor installed inside piping to eliminate static buildup. I don't remember any thing more about it though.
http://www.ameronfpd.com/FP701.pdf
http://www.fiberglasstankandpipe.com/static.htm

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[This message has been edited by Redsy (edited 10-23-2003).]

Redsy,
You might be referring to the practice of putting a bare wire inside nonmetallic piping for dusts, grain, and the like. Most dust extractors for woodworking equipment have that setup. I have seen the fiberglass pipe with the conductive fibers in use, but not designed one. Usually, the system or mechanical engineer does the design. In all of these cases, proper bonding of the electrical installation is critical so that the static wire doesn't inadvertently become a lit fuse in case of a fault.