AC Equipment
AC powered static eliminators operate at supply frequency (50/60HZ). The mains voltage (110v to 240v) is increased through a transformer to generate voltage between 4.5kV and 7kV, depending on the equipment in use. This high voltage is carried to the ionizing pins through the HT cable.

During the positive cycle of the AC current, the electrode pin will be at a positive voltage compared to the grounded casing. This generates a strong electric field between the two, which is highly concentrated at the sharp point of the electrode pin. These molecules are then repelled from the pin due to their like charge. On the negative half of the cycle, the opposite occurs and negative ions are created at the electrode pin.

Thus, around the electrode, a very intense, compact cloud of ions is produced. Anything with a static charge passing near the proximity of this cloud will attract ions of the opposite polarity, therefore rendering that material neutral. In the absence of any statically charged material, these ions will either neutralize each other or dissipate to ground.

Pulsed DC Equipment
Similar to AC equipment, Pulsed DC also operates by using high voltage. However, Pulsed DC operates at a much lower supply frequency (2-20Hz). This low frequency of operation lends Pulsed DC equipment to long range neutralization without the use of air.

Pulsed DC Bars are composed of a series of ionizing pins with alternating polarities. During the positive AC cycle of current, a large positive cloud of ions is produced at the positive emitters only. During the negative cycle, negative ions are produced. Since the bar itself has no proximity to earth, as in the AC bar, the similar charge of the ion and emitter drives the ions away from the bar. The distance between the positive and negative ions close to the bar greatly reduces the rate of ion recombination.

An additional benefit of the pulsed DC system over the AC systems is that the ion output can be controlled. Meaning, that if the static charge to be neutralized is known to be negative, the operator can adjust the ion output of the Pulsed DC system to create more positive ions to neutralize the negative charge on the material.

Static Generation
Static Generation is a technique used to offer a clean, non-marking and inexpensive method of temporarily bonding materials. The power unit converts the primary electrical supply into a high voltage, low amperage output. This energy is transferred to the charging bar through the HT cable. The ionizing pins in the bar emit this energy in the form of a single polarity ion stream (either positive or negative). The high voltage current flow is to the nearest ground or opposite polarity.

Non-conductive materials passing within this ion corona will become statically charged. This will allow the material to either be pinned against the ground reference (Fig. 1) or be bonded to another material if between two opposite charges (Fig. 2).