AN ANTI-STATIC NON-METALLIC PIPE OR FITTING

Abstract: A non-metallic pipe or fitting (1), the surface of which is coated or treated with an electrically conductive composition (3). A network of grooves or corrugations (2) is formed in the surface of the pipe or fitting (1). This helps to ensure that even though the pipe or fitting may be subjected to a high degree of surface wear a latticework of electrical conductive paths remain, protected against wear by the ridges of the grooves or corrugations.

Description: The present invention relates to non-metallic pipes or fittings, and, in particular to non-metallic pipes or fittings which are not subject to the build up of static charges on the surface. The present invention also relates to a method of treating a pipe or fitting to prevent the build up of static charges on the surface thereof. The present invention is especially, although not exclusively, applicable to pipes and fittings comprised of uPVC (unplasticised polyvinyl chloride) material. Pipes and fittings made from non-metallic materials are widely used now in many industries and applications. Unlike metallic pipes and fittings which they are often used to replace, pipes and fittings made from non-metallic materials such as uPVC are resistant to chemical attack from a wide range of materials, have a much greater degree of flexibility and are lighter and easier to handle. However, non-metallic pipes and fittings tend to have a relatively high electrical resistance which makes it virtually impossible to earth each pipe or fitting over its whole surface, and as a consequence, they are prone to build up static charges on the surface. When the potential difference between pipe or fitting and ground reaches a high enough level the static charge discharges to earth through the air, but in doing so it generates a spark. In many applications, such as below ground in a mine, a chemical installation etc., static discharges can result in fires and/or explosions, and as such the wider use of non-metallic pipes and fittings in hazardous environments has been restricted. In this respect, it is difficult to produce some non-metallic materials, for example uPVC, which do not have a high surface resistivity and which are not subject to build up static charges on the surface without detriment to the physical and processing properties of the materials. By way of example, standard uPVC pipes and fittings have a surface resistivity in excess of 1 × 10¹⁰ ohms, whereas a limit of 3 × 10⁸ ohms normally applies in underground mining and similar environments. DE-A-2103394 discloses a plastic hose in which the problem of high surface resistivity is mitigated by embedding a plurality of electrically conductive profile strips in the outer surface of the wall of the hose. These electrically conductive profile strips which are comprised of a thermoplastic material to which carbon black or other conductive particles have been added, extend longitudinally the length of the hose and are uniformly spaced apart around the circumference of the hose. As will be readily appreciated, although the electrically conductive profile strips do indeed have the effect of reducing the surface resistivity of the hose and thereby preventing the build up of static charges thereon, any damage to the hose leading to the interruption of one or more of the profile strips would have the effect of rendering those profile strips ineffective. It is an object of the present invention to provide a non-metallic-pipe or fitting which has a relatively low surface resistivity and which is, as a consequence, not subject to a build up of static charges on its surface. It is a further object of the present invention to provide a non-metallic pipe or fitting in which surface wear does not substantially mitigate the anti-static properties of the pipe or fitting. According to a first aspect of the present invention there is provided a non-metallic pipe or fitting the surface of which is coated or treated with an electrically conductive composition, characterised in that a plurality of intersecting grooves or corrugations are formed in the surface of the pipe or fitting, and the electrically conductive composition fills these grooves to form a latticework of electrically conductive paths in the surface of the pipe or fitting. Preferably, the electrically conductive composition coats the entire surface of the pipe or fitting. Conveniently, the said plurality of intersecting grooves or corrugations are formed by knurling the surface of the pipe or fitting to be coated or treated. Whereas with a smooth surfaced pipe or fitting there would be nothing to prevent areas of the electrically conductive composition from wearing away completely, leaving them devoid of any anti-static properties, the grooves or corrugations in the surface of the pipe or fitting provide a latticework of electrically conductive paths which are protected against wear by the ridges of the grooves or corrugations. Preferably, the resistivity of the surface coating is less than 3 × 10⁸ ohms in accordance with I.S.O. 284/1975 "Conveyor Belts _ Electrical Conductivity _ Specification and Method of Tests". The electrically conductive composition may be based upon nitrile latex, nitrile being the common name for acrylonitrile butadiene copolymer. This composition bonds to the surface of a uPVC pipe or fitting, and effectively forms a composite material therewith. Particularly suited to the application of the present invention is a commercial acrylonitrile butadiene copolymer from BP Chemicals Limited, sold under the trade name Breon 1577 which comprises a third monomer, styrene. Other electrically conductive compositions may, however, be used. Since nitrile latex, and particularly the Breon 1577 mentioned previously, has a relatively low solid content, other compounds may be added to it as dispersions to achieve various finishes on the pipe or fitting, in addition to that achieved by the nitrile latex alone. A suitable mixture would be as follows: The dispersions may be produced by ball-milling for several hours using the following formulation: Bevaloid 35 is a trade name for a dispersing agent consisting of a sodium salt of a sulphated napthalene formaldehyde condensate. After mixing, the dispersions are stirred together with the nitrile latex in a suitable mixer. The resulting mix can then be applied to the surface of the pipe or fitting by painting, spraying or any other appropriate coating technique. According to a second aspect of the present invention there is provided a method of treating a non-metallic pipe or fitting to prevent the build up of static charges thereon, characterised in that the surface of the pipe or fitting is knurled to form a latticework of intersecting grooves or corrugations therein, and the pipe or fitting is then coated or treated with an electrically conductive composition so as to form a latticework of electrically conductive paths in the surface of the pipe or fitting. The electrically conductive composition may be advantageously applied to uPVC pipes and fittings which are in situ and makes it ideally suited for this use on existing installations as there is no need to remove the existing pipework for coating. Moreover, since nitrile latex is known which cures at room temperature there will usually be no need to apply heat. Where the electrically conductive composition is applied to existing pipework a knurling tool or groove cutting tool may be required to cut grooves or corrugations into the surface of the pipes or fittings to be coated or treated. A further advantage of the present invention is that nitrile latex can be compounded, so as to be fire resistant. An embodiment of the present invention will now be described, by way of example, with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which: Fig. 1 shows schematically an end section through a uPVC pipe treated in accordance with the present invention for use primarily in an abrasive environment; Fig. 2 shows a graph of the electrical resistivity characteristics of a uPVC material treated in accordance with the present invention against various levels of surface wear. Referring to Fig. 1 there is shown an end section through a uPVC pipe 1, the outer surface of which is covered with a criss-crossed latticework of grooves 2. The outer surface of the uPVC pipe 1 has been treated with an electrically conductive composition 3 comprising an acrylonitrile butadiene polymeric compound,which coats the whole surface of the uPVC pipe and fills the grooves 2. The composition 3 bonds to the outer surface of the uPVC pipe 1 and effectively forms a composite with it. In other words,under normal use,the coating composition 3 cannot be physically separated from the uPVC pipe 1. The acrylonitrile butadiene polymeric compound is electrically conductive and as such it conducts to earth any static charges which build up in the uPVC pipe 1. The accepted requirement for non-metallic materials in hazardous environments, such as underground mines in the UK and elsewhere, is that the surface resistance under specified conditions (laid down in ISO 284/1975) shall not exceed 3 × 10⁸ ohms and shall remain so for the working life of the material. In an abrasive environment the electrically conductive composition is prone to wear away and without protection a situation would soon be reached where it had worn away completely, leaving areas of the uPVC pipe 1 completely devoid of any anti-static properties. The uPVC pipe 1 itself though is,relatively speaking, resistant to wear. By providing grooves 2 in the outer surface of the uPVC pipe 1 protection against wear is afforded to the composition 3 lying within the grooves 2 and a latticework of conductive paths is left over the outer surface of the uPVC pipe 1 which ensures that the anti-static properties are retained. In a series of tests to prove the principle of the protection of a conductive path against surface abrasion, seven identical sheets of rigid uPVC were prepared, dimensions 200 × 200 × 5.9 mm. Six of the sheets were grooved in a regular criss-crossed pattern to a depth of 0.46 mm. The sheets were then covered with an anti-static coating bonded to the uPVC surface including the grooves created by the knurling. A typical formulation for the composition is as follows: Parts by weight per 100 parts of polymer. One of the prepared sheets was left intact but the surface of each of the remaining sheets was ground away by known amounts to simulate varying degrees of surface abrasion or wear. The surface conductivity of all seven sheets was then measured in accordance with I.S.O. 284 "Conveyor Belts _ Electrical Conductivity _ Specification and Method of Tests". The results are tabulated below: and illustrated graphically in Fig. 2. As stated previously, the accepted requirements for non-metallic materials in underground coal mines in the UK and elsewhere is that the surface resistance under specified conditions shall not exceed 3 × 10⁸ ohms and shall remain so in use. From the graph of Fig. 2, it can be seen that the resistance of 3. × 10⁸ ohms is only reached when, on this particular form of grooving, 0.38 mm has been removed amounting to 83% of the depth of the grooves over the whole surface which would be far greater than would be experienced during normal service. The surface conductivity has thus been maintained by the retention of a conductive path in the base of the grooves. Without the grooving, the electrically conductive composition would be vulnerable to damage or complete removal, creating an unacceptable hazard when used in potentially explosive atmospheres as are found for example in underground coal mines.

Claims: 1. A non-metallic pipe or fitting the surface of which is coated or treated with an electrically conductive composition (3), characterised in that a plurality of intersecting grooves or corrugations (2) are formed in the surface of the pipe or fitting, and the electrically conductive composition (3) fills these grooves to form a latticework of electrically conductive paths in the surface of the pipe or fitting. 2. A non-metallic pipe or fitting according to claim 1, characterised in that the electrically conductive composition (3) coats the entire surface of the pipe or fitting. 3. A non-metallic pipe or fitting according to claim 1 or 2, characterised in that the said plurality of intersecting grooves or corrugations (2) are formed by knurling the surface of the pipe or fitting to be coated or treated. 4. A non-metallic pipe or fitting according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the resistivity of the surface coating is less than 3 × 10⁸ ohms. 5. A non-metallic pipe or fitting according to any preceding claim, characterised in that the electrically conductive composition (3) is comprised of nitrile latex. 6. A method of treating a non-metallic pipe or fitting to prevent the build up of static charges thereon, characterised in that the surface of the pipe or fitting is knurled to form a latticework of intersecting grooves or corrugations therein, and the pipe or fitting is then coated or treated with an electrically conductive composition so as to form a latticework of electrically conductive paths in the surface of the pipe or fitting. 7. A method for preventing the build up of static charges on a section of a non-metallic material according to claim 6, characterised in that the electrically conductive composition is applied to the pipe or fitting whilst in situ.

Inventors: BROADHURST, HENRY NEVILLE, NORMANTON, GEOFFREY
Applicants: J.H. FENNER & CO. LIMITED
Application year: 1988
Main classification: F16L11
IPC codes: F16L25, F16L9