Static Electricity and Aircraft

Abstract

The accumulation of electrostatic charge, generating during flight on the outer surfaces of aircraft and inside aircraft piping systems, cannot be considered as an immediate danger for flight safety, but it has to be seriously prevented to avoid upset in flight communications and risks of explosion in fuel areas or during refueling operations. An overview of the methods adopted in aircraft industry to eliminate or reduce the electrostatic charge accumulation on insulating surfaces is presented: the most used techniques consist in applying coatings containing metal particles, “thermal spraying” metallic powders, or wires on nonconductive materials. The use of lightning protections, such as metallic mesh and expanded metal foil, on nonconductive composites also limits the static charge buildup, but it is foreseeable that, in the near future, nanocomposites will replace traditional lightning and shielding protection because of the wide range of possible electrical charging quantity and types. Another significant issue in aircraft life is the possible electrostatic charge accumulation during refueling operations: while the tires will discharge static electricity, because of the presence of carbon black within the rubber matrix, they are not relied on to earth the airframe; therefore, when buildup of static electricity is of concern, it is always important to use mechanical means to ground the aircraft. Lastly, the static charge control methods for electrostatic‐discharge‐sensitive (ESDS) equipment handling are introduced; in particular, instructions to avoid potential electrostatic charge accumulation during production and assembling, which could be a hazard to personnel and can damage equipment, are listed.

Comparison of Electrical Breakdowns Produced by a Nanosecond High-Voltage Pulse Applied to Metallic and Composite Material Electrodes

“…ITH the replacement of aluminum parts by composite materials, aircrafts face a change in the ignition threat, due to the potential charging of dielectric surfaces by static electricity [1]. The electrostatic charge accumulates through various processes including air friction during the flight, triboelectric charging as occurs during the filling of fuel tanks, or lightning events [2]. These phenomena tend to build up electrical potentials that can become high enough to cause This paper was submitted for review on February 12, 2019.…”

Feasibility of an Electrostatic Energy Harvesting Device for CFCs Aircraft

“…As a matter of fact, the carbon fibre composites (CFCs) have sufficient electrical conductivity to flow off the static electricity. So the static accumulation is not the problem for CFCs, while it is an issue for nonconductive composites [13].…”