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HazardousAreaBasics

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HazardousAreas

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TypesofProtectionExplanation
(NewPage)

ElectricalApparatusandHazardous
Areas
(Published2007)
Thisbookgivesfullinformationofbothelectricalandnonelectrical
hazardousareatechnology
andcoversterminology,equipmentmarking,ATEX,DSEAR,Area
Classification,TypesofProtectionetc.

Clickherefordetails

Hazardousareasaredefinedbythreemaincriteria:
Thetypeofhazard
Thelikelihoodofthehazardbeingpresentinflammableconcentrations
The(auto)ignitiontemperatureofthehazardousmaterial

Thetypeofhazard(Groups)
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Thehazardwillbeintheformofagas,vapour,dustorfibre.

GasesandVapours
Gasesandvapoursarecategorizedintermsoftheirignitionenergyorthemaximum
experimentalsafegap(inrespectofflameproofprotection).Thiscategorization
leadstotheGasGroups:

Mining
GroupI
Methane

IIA
Propane

SurfaceIndustry
GroupII
IIB
Ethylene

IIC
Hydrogen

(Thegasesnotedinthetablearetypicalgasesforeachgroup.)
GroupIICisthemostseveregroup.Hazardsinthisgroupcanbeignitedveryeasily
indeed.
EquipmentmarkedassuitableforGroupIICisalsosuitableforIIBandIIA.
EquipmentmarkedassuitableforIIBisalsosuitableforIIAbutNOTforIIC.
Ifequipmentismarked,forexample,ExeIIT4thenitissuitableforallsubgroups
IIA,IIBandIIC.

DustsandFibres(GroupIII)
GroupIIIissubdividedintothreesubgroups:
IIIACombustibleflyings
IIIBNonconductivedust
IIICElectricallyconductivedusts
Dustsandfibresarealsodefinedintermsoftheirignitionpropertiesincludingdust
cloudignitionproperties.
BACKTOTOP

Thelikelihoodofthehazardbeingpresentin
flammableconcentrations(Zones)
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Thelikelihoodofthehazardbeingpresentinflammableconcentrationswillvaryfrom
placetoplace.Alocationveryclosetoanopensourceofhazardwillhaveahigh
likelihoodofaflammableatmosphere.Ontheotherhand,outsideaflangedpipe
containingaflammableliquid,thelikelihoodofaflammableatmospherebeing
presentismuchlowersinceitwillonlyoccuriftheflangeleaks.Ratherthanwork
withaninfiniterangeofpossibilities,threezonesaredefined.

GasesandVapours
Therearethreezonesforgasesandvapours:

Zone0
Zone1
Zone2

Flammableatmospherehighlylikelytobepresentmaybe
presentforlongperiodsorevencontinuously
Flammableatmospherepossiblebutunlikelytobepresent
forlongperiods
Flammableatmosphereunlikelytobepresentexceptfor
shortperiodsoftimetypicallyasaresultofaprocessfault
condition.

Zonezeroisthemostseverezone(thehighestprobabilityofflammableatmosphere
presence).Equipmentforthiszoneneedstobeverywellprotectedagainst
providingasourceofignition.

Dusts
Therearethreezonesfordusts:

Zone20

Dustcloudlikelytobepresentcontinuouslyorforlong
periods

Zone21

Dustcloudlikelytobepresentoccasionallyinnormal
operation

Dustcloudunlikelytooccurinnormaloperation,butifit
does,willonlyexistforashortperiod

(Thepresenceofdustlayersdoesnotautomaticallyleadtothedustzone.The
likelihoodofthedustlayerbeingdisturbedtocreateacloudneedstobeconsidered.
Dustlayersalsoneedcarefulconsiderationintermsofignitiontemperature.
Becausethedustlayercanmaketheequipmentunderithotterthennormal,afactor
ofsafetyisappliedtothelayerignitiontemperature.)
Zone22

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BACKTOTOP

The(auto)ignitiontemperatureofthehazardous
material(TemperatureClasses)
Aswellasconsideringtheprotectionagainstelectricalarcsandsparksignitinga
flammableatmosphere,considerationneedstobegiventothesurfacetemperature
ofequipment.(Mostelectricalapparatusdissipatessomeheat!)Flammable
materialsarecategorizedaccordingtotheirignitiontemperature.Again,ratherthan
workwithaninfiniterange,sixtemperatureclassesaredefinedasfollows:

TClass

Hazardswhichwillnotigniteattemperaturesbelow:

T1
T2
T3

450C
300C
200C

T4
T5
T6

135C
100C
85C

ThebiggertheTnumbertheloweristhetemperature.
TheTemperatureclassificationwillbemarkedonitemsofequipment.Ifthe
hazardousareainwhichyouareinstallingequipmenthasgasesorvapourswitha
lowautoignitiontemperaturethenyouwillneedequipmentwithabiggerTNumber
soastoensurethatanyhotsurfacesontheequipmentwillnotignitethehazard.
Forexample,ifahazardhasanautoignitiontemperatureof180C,thenitwouldbe
safetouseequipmentwhichismarkedT6orT5orT4.Itwouldnotbesafetouse
equipmentmarkedT3orT2orT1asthisequipmentcouldexhibitsurface
temperatureswhicharehotenoughtoignitethehazardousatmosphere.
Don'tforgetthat,unlessthecertificationdocumentsstateotherwise(inwhichcase
therewillbeanadditiontotheTClassificationcodeontheequipmentlabelsuchas
T4(60CAmb))theequipmentisonlycertifiedinambienttemperaturesupto40C.
Ifexposedtohighertemperaturestherearetwopossibledangers.FirstthestatedT
Classtemperaturemaybeexceededandsecondlysafetycomponentswithinthe
equipmentcouldfailtoanunsafecondition.Ifyouexpectequipmenttobesubjected
totemperaturesabove40C(suchasindirectsunshineorinaroofspace)you
shouldinstallequipmentwhichiscertifiedforahigherambienttemperature.
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BACKTOTOP

ProtectingElectricalApparatustomakeitsuitableforuse
inhazardousareas
Electricalapparatusforuseinhazardousareasneedstobedesignedand
constructedinsuchawaythatitwillnotprovideasourceofignition.Thereareten
recognizedtypesofprotectionforhazardousareaelectricalapparatus.Eachtypeof
protectionachievesitssafetyfromignitionindifferentwaysandnotallareequally
safe.InadditiontotheequipmentbeingsuitablefortheGasGroupandthe
TemperatureClassrequired,thetypeofprotectionmustbesuitableforthezonein
whichitistobeinstalled.Thedifferenttypesofprotectionandthezonesforwhich
theyaresuitableareasfollows:

Forinformationonequipmentmarking,clickhere(opensnewpage)

TypesofProtectionforGas/VapourHazards
SeealsoinformationonTypesofProtection,Clickhere(opensnewpage)

Equipment
Code
Exia
Exib

Intrinsicsafety'ia'
Intrinsicsafety'ib'

Suitablefor
zones...
0,1,2
1,2

Equipment
Category...
1G
2G

Exic

IntrinsicSafety'ic'

3G

Exd

Flameproofprotection

1,2

2G

Exp

Purge/pressurizedprotection

1,2

2G

Expx

Purge/pressurizedprotection
'px'

1,2

2G

1,2

2G

3G

1,2
1,2

2G
2G

0,1,2

1G

Description

Exe
Exm

Purge/pressurizedprotection
'py'
Purge/pressurizedprotection
'pz'
Increasedsafety
Encapsulation

Exma

Encapsulation

Expy
Expz

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Exmb

Encapsulation

1.2

2G

Exmc
Exo
Exq

Encapsulation
Oilimmersion
Sand/powder(quartz)filling

2
1,2
1,2

3G
2G
2G

Exn
Exs

Typenprotection
Specialprotection

2
Normally1and2

3G

EquipmentcomplyingwithEuropean(CENELEC)standardswillfrequentlybearthe
codeEEx(asopposedtoEx)ButnotethattheuseofEExisbeingphasedout,and
equipmentdesignedandcertifiedtothelatesteditionsoftheEuropeanStandards
willbecodedEx...(asopposedtoEEx...).
Ingeneral,theEuropeanstandardsforhazardousareaelectricalequipmentare
technicallyidenticaltotheIEC(InternationalElectrotechnicalCommission)
standards.Equipmentmanufacturersoftenhhavetheirequipmentdesignscertifiedto
boththeEuropeanandIECrequirementssothattheycanmarkettheirequipment
worldwide.Thisdoes,unfortunatelymaketheequipmentlabellingplatemore
complex.

TypesofProtectionforEquipmentforDustHazardLocations

Equipment
Code
tDA20
tDB20
iaD

Protectionbyenclosure
Protectionbyenclosure
IntrinsicSafety

Suitablefor
Zones...
20,21,22
20,21,22
20,21,22

Equipment
Category..
1D
1D
1D

maD
tDA21
tDB21
ibD
mbD
pD

Encapsulation
Protectionbyenclosure
Protectionbyenclosure
IntrinsicSafety
Encapsulation
Pressurization

20,21,22
21,22
21,22
21,22
21,22
21,22

1D
2D
2D
2D
2D
2D

tDA22
tDB22

Protectionbyenclosure
Protectionbyenclosure

22
22

3D
3D

icD

IntrinsicSafety

22

3D

Description

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BACKTOTOP

EquipmentProtectionLevelsEPL
From2007onwards,theIECTechnicalStandardsintheseriesIEC60079,andin
particularIEC60079Part14,haverecognisedthattheremaybeoccasionswhereit
isnecessarytoincrease,abovethenormallevels,theprotectionagainstignition
sources.Thisconceptallowsforconsiderationofrisk(ieconsequencesofan
explosion)asopposedtojusttheprobabilityofaflammableatmosphereexisting
theconventionalselectioncriteriabetweenthetypesofprotectionandthezoneof
use.
ThreeEquipmentProtectionLevelsarespecifiedasshowninthetablebelow.
InnormalcircumstancestheeffectoftheseEPLswillbetoretainthenormal
zone/equipmentprotectionrelationship.If,however,theriskisconsideredespecially
severe,thentherequiredEPLforthezonemaybeincreased.Similarly,iftheriskis
deemedtobeespeciallysmallornegligible,theEPLmaybereducedfromthenorm.
ThefollowingtwotablesshowthenormalrelationshipbetweenEPLandzone,and
theEPLawardedtoeachtypeofprotection.

EquipmentProtectionLevel
(EPL)
Ga

NormalApplicableZone(s)
0(and1and2)

Gb
Gc

1(and2)
2

EquipmentCode
Exia
Exib
Exic

Description
Intrinsicsafety'ia'
Intrinsicsafety'ib'
IntrinsicSafety'ic'

EPL
Ga
Gb
Gc

Exd

Flameproofprotection

Gb

Exp
Expx
Expy
Expz

Purge/pressurizedprotection
Purge/pressurizedprotection'px'
Purge/pressurizedprotection'py'

Gb
Gb
Gb
Gc

Exe

Increasedsafety

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Purge/pressurizedprotection'pz'

Gb
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Exm
Exma
Exmb
Exo
Exq
Exn

Encapsulation
Encapsulation
Encapsulation
Oilimmersion
Sand/powder(quartz)filling
Typenprotection

Exs

Specialprotection

Gb
Ga
Gb
Gb
Gb
Gc
Refertoequipment
markingand
documentation

Fordusthazards,theEPLsareasfollows:

EquipmentProtectionLevel
(EPL)

NormalApplicableZone(s)

Da
Db

20(and21and22)
21(and22)

Dc

22
BACKTOTOP

Standards
Therearevariousstandardswhichgivedetailsofhazardousarearequirements.In
themain,theIECstandardsarenowparallelvotedbyCENELEC(Europe).New
standardsarebeingintroducedatabewilderingrateanditisalwaysworthchecking
against,forexample,theBSIwebsite.(SeeUsefulLinksPage)
ItisimportantforequipmentdesignerstodesigntothelatesteditionofATEX
harmonisedstandardstheuptodatelistcanbefoundontheECATEXwebsite.
(SeeUsefulLinksPage)
Gradually,thetechnicalstandardsforthetechnologyforgas/vapourhazardsand
thosefordusthazardsarebeingincorporatedintothesameseries.ForexampleIEC
6007910coversareaclassificationIEC60079101dealswithgas/vapourhazards
andIEC60079102dealswithdusthazards.Similarnumberingwillapplyforother
aspectssuchasinstallation.

Toplevelstandard
EN11271Explosiveatmospheres:Explosionpreventionandprotection.Part1:
Basicconceptsandmethodology

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StandardsforEquipment

IEC60079ELECTRICALAPPARATUSFOREXPLOSIVEGASATMOSPHERES

Part0Generalrequirements
Part1Constructionandtestofflameproofenclosuresofelectricalapparatus
Part2Electricalapparatustypeofprotectionp
Part3Sparktestapparatusforintrinsicallysafecircuits
Part4Methodoftestforignitiontemperature
Part5Powderfillingq
Part6Oilimmersiono
Part7Increasedsafetye'
Part11Constructionandtestofintrinsicallysafeandassociatedapparatus
Part15Electricalapparatusforexplosivegasatmospheres,typeofprotectionn
Part18Encapsulationm
Part25Intrinsicallysafesystems
Part26Specialrequirementsforconstructiontestandmarkingofzone0electrical
apparatus
Part27Fieldbusintrinsicallysafeconcept(FISCO)

StandardsforInstallationetc.(gasesandvapours)

IEC60079ELECTRICALAPPARATUSFOREXPLOSIVEGASATMOSPHERES

Part10Classificationofhazardousareas
Part14Installation(andselection)ofequipmentinhazardousareas
Part17Inspectionandmaintenanceofequipment

Notethatthe60079seriesofstandardswillgraduallyaddressdusthazardsaswell
asgas/vapourhazards.Thestandardnumberwillhaveanadditionalsuffix1or2.
Thus,forexample,6124114(seebelow)willbereplacedby60079142[installation
forequipmentindusthazards],with60079141dealingwithinstallationsin
gas/vapourhazards.

StandardsforDustHazardEquipmentandInstallation
IEC61241ELECTRICALAPPARATUSFORUSEINTHEPRESENCEOF
COMBUSTIBLEDUST
Part0GeneralRequirements
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Part1ProtectionbyenclosuretD
Part21Methodsfordeterminingtheminimumignitiontemperatureofdusts
Part22Methodfordeterminingtheresistivityofdustinlayers
Part23Methodfordeterminingminimumignitionenergyofdustairmixtures
Part4TypeofprotectionpD
Part10Classificationofareaswherecombustibledustsareormaybepresent
Part11ProtectionbyintrinsicsafetyiD
Part14Selectionandinstallation
Part17Inspectionandmaintenance
Part18ProtectionbyencapsulationmD

BACKTOTOP

ATEXDirectives

FordetailedinformationonATEX,pleasenavigatetotheATEXpagesonthis
website
BACKTOTOPHexagon_Technology

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