As long as there is static electricity in the environment, it will cause damage to the product or even personnel. Generally, one of the two types of air ionization is used to dissipate static charge-α or corona. Over the years, corona has become the standard, and most organizations are familiar with it.
Corona is the most common in history of ionizer used in high-tech manufacturing. The corona ion generator generates ions by applying a high voltage to a tip (± 5,000-20,000 V). The strong electric field at the tip of these emitters generates ions and releases them from the emitter. The ions are driven by a magnetic field, about 1 mm. However, beyond this distance, the position is too weak to effectively push the ions, so additional push is necessary to move the ions to the target, such as a fan or compressed air.
Corona ionizers require regular maintenance, including cleaning and balancing, because the launch site will draw dust and contaminants from the accumulated air and eventually block the ionization process. Most ionizers must also adjust their positive and negative high voltages to balance the ionizer.
Ideal uses for corona include:
·Most applications in semiconductor packaging and testing, including plastics, carding, processing, textiles
·Applications that do not require extreme temperatures and have enough space to install blowers in the process
Alpha ionization uses Pol-210, a natural radioisotope found in soil, plants, vegetables, etc. Pol-210 is particularly effective as an ion source for neutralizing static electricity. It releases an energy called alpha energy. Alpha particles collide with surrounding air molecules to produce a pair of positive and negative ions. Moreover, since only airflow is used to move ions, no external energy is required. Unlike corona, alpha ionization is not limited to a single point, so it is a very effective and predictable ionization method. The static power supply is neutralized and the ionization process is balanced.
The 210 will not cause harm to workers or materials, although safety issues are always related to alpha. It is firmly locked in the foil inside the ionizer. Moreover, because alpha energy cannot penetrate paper, it is impossible to cause external exposure to the human body. Although the alpha ionizer does not require the same maintenance or balance as the corona, it needs to be replaced every 12-15 months and is subject to government regulations. It turns out that this approach can provide better results because it allows the Alpha ionizer to perform at its highest level.
Ideal uses of Alpha include:
·Extreme temperature (-40 ° C to 180 ° C) application
·Narrow areas, such as porters
·Applications involving level 0, highly electrostatic sensitive components
·In the fields of high technology, electronics manufacturing and testing
