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Non-sparking materials?

Non-sparking materials?

Non-sparking materials?

(OP)
Hello,
I have also posted this in the Pump engineering forum.
Would somebody be able to tell me if ductile iron and stainless steels are considered to be "non-sparking" materials?  Our pump data sheet calls for non-sparking materials but the listed materials are A 536 (ductile iron) and 17-4 PH stainless steel.

I appreciate any help you can provide!

RE: Non-sparking materials?

Are any other materials listed?  I see the two routinely used in "non-sparking" specifications if brass, Cu-Be alloys, etc are also included.  Ductile/galvanized or ductile/SS without anything else is what I usually see if non-sparking is not specified.   

RE: Non-sparking materials?

(OP)
Mr168,
Thank you for your response.  The pumps were requested to have all non-sparking materials for the process-wetted components.  The rotor and casing were specified to be ductile iron and the shaft to be 1045 steel.

The vendor came back with A 216 (WCB) rotor and A 105 casing with 17-4 PH shaft.  I have been just told that the shaft will not see the process fluid, so I guess it's just the rotor and the casing which need to be non-sparking.  I do not know what the materials are of the other components.

I would have thought that any iron based materials would NOT be considered as non-sparking, therefore all these listed materials would not be suitable (ductile iron, 1045 steel, carbon steel, and 17-4 PH steel).  Can ductile iron be considered non-sparking, if I do not know what the materials of construction of the other components are?

RE: Non-sparking materials?

I would think just about everything could "spark" in some fashion, given some conditions e.g. see http://www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/prevention/flammable_static.html (However, I guess there should be some standard explaining exactly what kind of cvoltage/current/spark, grounding conditions etc. may be involved in the application and how they must be resisted )?   

RE: Non-sparking materials?

Almost nothing is "non-sparking".  One company conducts tests to determine what kinetic energy (i.e. a fall from what height) can produce significant sparking, and designs/guidance are prepared accordingly.  

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