Static Innovates for High Reliability

Shocking Technology!

Static Clean International has developed a new breed of transformer-based high-voltage line-frequency AC power supplies (e.g. TSN75A and TNS75E 7500Vac PSs) relying upon patent-pending technology for application in ionizing equipment. This new technology has been so far applied within SCI static-neutralizing equipment systems and within SCI ionizing blowers.

The longstanding conventional technology within the industry relies upon the use of sound-muffling and corona-resistant materials to pot over the underlying iron-core transformer. The high-voltage secondary winding of the iron-core transformer generates partial discharge of encapsulated air bubbles at normal operating voltages. This limits MTBF of such equipment due to eventual chemical breakdown of the organic polymers subjected to the continuous slow and insidious damage from corona.

The user HV connections (if applicable, as in some static-neutralizing systems with HV-cable user-mounted components) in the conventional power supplies also require proprietary methods and tooling to fabricate the secondary section of the transformer that are only used within the ionizing equipment industry for the most part.

Warning! High Voltage..

SCI’s new technology is a form of resistive coupling between transformer secondary winding and ionizing electrodes circuitry. It enables the use of more common transformer fabrication methods and raises the partial-discharge inception voltage (aka PDIV) to levels above normal operating voltage for the equipment. It provides some regulation (i.e. high-voltage stability) for non-ferroresonant HV transformer topologies, and it enables the quick-connect/disconnect de facto standard (threaded spring-contact) for ionizing equipment systems that contain a user-mounted HV-wire component as well as similar equipment-internal spring-contact HV connections that are desirable for assembly and reliability.

We at SCI believe that a superior cost-performance-quality trade-off can be achieved with the new transformer/resistive-coupling methods for some products, and are continuing with ongoing new product development based upon this proprietary technology and provides a high reliability solution.  New products in the field have demonstrated excellent robustness with respect to the common failure mode of HV-secondary dielectric breakdown.

A New Technology in Town

The “DC Only” myth

Static Clean has been proud to represent Shishido Electrostatic Limited for over eight years as they continue to set the bar high when it comes to innovative ionization technology used in static control. For years, most high technology companies, especially those in Semiconductor and Hard Disk Drive (HDD) have viewed DC Ionization as the only acceptable type of static controls devices in their ESD Sensitive fabs and processing line. The “DC Only” myth was created almost 20 years ago and since that time it has been an uphill battle for AC corona ionization to be considered. That is about to change.

Achieving Balance

Shishido’s new technology is called HDC-AC, which is a Hybrid Digitally Controlled AC power supply design. One of the major problems with all ionizer products is that the emitters or needles gather particles on the tips. This contamination problem reduces ion output production, which translates to slower static decay rates and it also upsets the positive and negative balance of the ions being created. Simply stated, an unbalanced ionizer can produce more ions in one polarity than the other, which can cause harm to sensitive electronic devices. With the HDC-AC design, less particles are attracted to the emitters in the first place, thus creating long-term stability and performance.

What actually is HDC-AC?

It is a unique, ultra-small, stable AC-type high-voltage power supply that is under patent pending status. It has superior features that are created by using digital control for the input of the wire wound transformer.   By using digital Pulse Width Module (PWM), it allows for greater control of the high-voltage output. How is the new technology implemented into ionizer products? So far, it has been incorporated into the CABX linear static bar, BF-XMB slim and lightweight benchtop ionizing air blower, the BF-X2MB unit, the BF-X4MB wide coverage (400mm) blower and the even wider coverage model BF-6MB, and the BF-OHP-3B Overhead Ionizing air blower. For information on these key products, please visit Static Clean at www.staticclean.com

The Waves

A thought provoking quote

“Does anyone know where the love of God goes when the waves turn the minutes to hours”? Gordon Lightfoot

The real meaning behind the lyrics

There are many kinds of waves, but obviously the waves mentioned above by Gordon Lightfoot are from the song titled, “The Wreck of the Edmund Fitzgerald”, about the iron ore ship tragedy on Lake Superior almost 39 years ago.  A carrier ship called the SS Edmund Fitzgerald sank during a bad storm on the lake in 1975.   The severe winter storm was said to have hurricane force winds and waves that were 35 feet high.  The sinking of the Edmund Fitzgerald is one of the best-known disasters in the history of Great Lakes shipping. It got me thinking about all the different waves that we encounter in our everyday lives and the ones that we deal with at our company, Static Clean and how it all might be related. We normally think of the motion of a disturbance of water in a lake or the ocean as a wave.   But, what about other mechanical waves, such as the stadium wave at a sporting event. One can image the fans following the shape of the water and it’s up and down movement. There are also light waves, sound waves and electromechanical waves, but the premise is the same.   The displaced energy in all forms returns to its original position.

What does it have to do with Static Electricity?

In the efforts to control static electricity, the most common power supply to create ions on various neutralizing apparatus is done using a 60 Hz. AC sine wave. In this case the AC stands for Alternating Current and it is mostly related to a specific voltage that is required for ions to occur.   The energy (sine wave cycle) goes between positive and negative and the swing time to complete the cycle is 1/60th of a second.   That means that every 1/120th of second, it is either in positive or negative mode. Static electricity problems are when a material is charged either positively or negatively.   The Static Clean Power supplies were designed to fight unwanted static electricity.   Because of the design, they  will put out energy, create bipolar ions and let nature take its course where opposites attract, thus cancelling out the static problem regardless of polarity.

We are Limited by Your Imagination!

Intelligence and Imagination

Albert Einstein once said, “The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge, but imagination” and an unknown author said, “Anyone who thinks the sky is the limit, has limited imagination. It seems like they were both “wicked smart”. A twist to being limited by one’s own imagination is being limited by someone else’s imagination. If a person can visualize something that seems impossible, there will most likely be someone who can actually make it a reality.  There are times when I mix up the two words innovation and invention. Innovation refers to the use of a better device, idea or a new process, while invention is the creation of the method or the product itself.

Static Clean’s new Model TSN75E is an example of an innovation that became an invention, which is now Intellectual Property (IP).   It is a high voltage line frequency 50/60 Hz transformer based AC Power Supply, with a special Resistive Output Coupler that provides optimal TSN75e-power-supplyvoltage limiting and load regulation, thus enhancing the reliability of the Static Neutralizing System.

Static Bars and Power Supplies

The number of static bars that can operate on a single power supply is dictated by the length of the static bars, the length of the high voltage cable and the construction of the high voltage cable. (Shielded or non-shielded).   The load is calculated in Pico farads (pF).   Customer kept asking us, can I add one more static bar to my existing power supply, so we created a matrix chart based on the new TSN75E that makes it easier for our customers to make the right choice.  To learn more send an email to techsales@staticclean.com or visit our website for a Live Chat, depending on the time of day.   With that said, have a good day dream and keep using that imagination.