Explosion Protection and Intrinsic

Safety 101

Understanding Hazardous Locations and

Protection Methods

By: Pepperl+Fuchs Intrinsic Safety Experts

Edited by: Vicki Mewhinney
 Hazardous Locations and Methods
of Protection
Introduction
This document deals with the physical principles and fundamentals of explosion protection. In
addition, this document will cover the two Division Model used in North America and the Three
Zone Model used in Europe and International Electrical Code (IEC) countries of hazardous
(classified) locations. Regardless of geographic location, the physical principles of explosion
protection are identical. What differentiates one country from another are national deviations
and varying requirements associated with the explosion protection methods.

About Hazardous Locations

By definition, a hazardous (classified) location is an area in an industrial complex where the
atmosphere contains flammable concentrations of gases or vapors by leakage, or ignitable
concentrations of dust or fibers by suspension or dispersion.

The treatment of dangerous substances, where the risk of explosion or fire exists that can be
caused by an electrical spark, arc, or hot temperatures, requires specifically defined
instrumentation located in a hazardous location. It also requires that interfacing signals coming
from a hazardous location be unable to create the necessary conditions to ignite and propagate
an explosion.

The introduction of semiconductor devices, such as transistors and integrated circuits, along with
the reduction in working voltages and energy levels, made the energy-limitation protection
technique called intrinsic safety.

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 How it all Began

The Intrinsic Safety Story

In 1913, there was a disastrous methane
gas explosion at a coal mine in England.
The commission in charge of the
investigation debated whether or not the
explosion was caused by the low-voltage
signaling system used to advise the surface
crew when coal cars were ready to be
brought to the surface.

The signaling system was composed of a

set of batteries and a bell, which was
activated by shorting two bare conductors
routed along the mine’s galleries. The
system was considered safe because the
low voltage and current level in the circuit
were within recognized safety parameters.

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Research, however, revealed that the most
important factor in determining the safety of an
electrical circuit is the energy stored in the
circuit. Without the use of limitation methods, the
inductive energy stored in the bell and wiring
produced energy levels sufficient enough to generate
an electric arc that was able to ignite the dangerous
air/gas mixture.

This research lead to new circuit designs in which the

stored energy was reduced to a level that would
prevent the generation of arcs, sparks, or other
thermal effects that could ignite a potentially
hazardous atmosphere.

The first regulation for testing and certification of

signaling systems for mines was issued. Shortly
thereafter, the intrinsic safety concept was applied to
other industries where explosive atmospheres were
easier to ignite than methane.

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 Explosion Protection
Fundamentals
The Ignition Triangle
From a chemical point of view, oxidation,
combustion, and explosion are all exothermic Ignition
reactions with different reaction speeds. For Energy
such reactions to take place, it is essential
that three components be present
simultaneously in suitable proportions.
These components are:
z Ignition energy (electrical or thermal)
z Oxidizer (generally air or oxygen)
z Fuel (flammable vapors, liquids or
gases, or combustible dusts or fibers)

Once the reaction is ignited, and depending on

how the exothermic energy is released, the
results can be a controlled combustion, flame Oxidizer Fuel
wave or explosion.

All protection methods used today are based on There are materials that can explode
eliminating one or more of the triangle spontaneously without supplied energy.
components in order to reduce the risk of However, this document only deals with the
explosion to an acceptable level. prevention of explosions that can be ignited.

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Explosive Mixture Characteristics
Explosion characteristics of an energy source are evaluated to determine the minimum energy
required to ignite the air/gas mixture.

The following definitions will help you gain a better understanding of commonly-used words
when discussing hazardous locations:

z Minimum Ignition Energy (MIE)

There is a MIE for every fuel, which represents the ideal ratio of fuel to air where the
mixture is most easily ignited.

z Lower Explosive Limit (LEL)

When the concentration value is below the MIE, it has the smallest fraction of
combustible gas/fuel and, therefore, cannot be ignited.

z Upper Explosive Limit (UEL)

When the concentration value is above the MIE, it has the smallest fraction of
air/oxidizer and, therefore, cannot be ignited.

Order your copy of the Pepperl+Fuchs Engineer’s Guide for further details regarding
ignition characteristics and determining limits and risk.

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Evaluating the Potential for an Explosion
In any situation involving an explosive material, the risk of ignition must be taken into account
and an evaluation should involve industry specialists, safety and mechanical engineers, chemists,
and other critical personnel. Some of the most important factors to consider when making an
evaluation are:

z Knowing the nominal rating of materials under consideration

z Knowing the parameters related to the process, such as the
risk of an explosion caused by the evaporation of a liquid
z Knowing the atmospheric conditions that are present,
normally and abnormally

Although the physical principles of explosion protection are the same

worldwide, the methods are determined by national legislation. As
mentioned above, evaluating all hazards and determining hazardous
areas in a plant is normally performed by experts of various disciplines.

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Understanding Hazardous Areas
Hazardous areas are most frequently found in places where there is a possibility of an emission
of flammable gas or dust. The hazardous area can occur in normal operation, in the event of a
fault (mechanical defect), or due to wear and tear of seals or other components. A hazardous
area ranges from the area of release to areas in which the affected substance is so diluted with
air that ignition is no longer possible (LEL). The extent of the area is dependent on the type
and quantity of released gases or dispersed dust, the degree of ventilation, or other similar
conditions.

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 Classifying Hazardous
Areas
The categorization of hazardous areas are carried out in North America in accordance with
the National Electrical Code (NEC) NFPA 70, article 500. The NFPA establishes area
classification using three factors: classes, division and groups. Hazardous areas are
dependent on the type of flammable material present and are first divided into one of the
following classes:

z Class I
Locations containing flammable gases or liquid mixtures,
liquid-produced vapors, or combustible liquid-produced
vapors.
z Class II
Locations containing combustible dust. Hazards associated
with dust are equally important to that of flammable gases
since dispersed dust can also lead to explosions. Such
explosion hazards can occur in various sectors of industry,
such as rubber, plastics, timber, and in food products (flour
and sugar).
z Class III
Locations containing fibers and flyings. Examples of
industries belonging in this class usually include parts of
textile mills, clothing manufacturing plants, cotton gins, and
woodworking plants. Fibers and flyings that are easily
ignitable include rayon, cotton, hemp, Spanish moss, etc.

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 Two Division Model

Classes are further categorized into Division 1 and Division 2 according to the probability of
occurrence of these materials being present in a potentially hazardous quantity. The table below
illustrates how hazardous areas are broken down.

Class I Class II Class III

(Gases and Vapors) (Flammable dust or (Flammable fibers or
powder) suspended particles)

In accordance with NEC In accordance with NEC In accordance with NEC

500.5 and CEC J18-004 500.6 and CEC 18-008 500.7 and CEC 18-010

Areas containing Areas containing dangerous Areas where dangerous

dangerous concentrations concentrations of flammable concentrations of easily
of flammable gases, dusts continuously or ignitable fibers or flyings are
Division 1 vapors or mist occasionally under normal continuously or occasionally
continuously or operating conditions. used, such as the handling
occasionally under normal and use in the manufacturing
operating conditions process.
Areas probably not Areas probably not Areas probably not
containing dangerous containing dangerous containing dangerous
concentrations of concentrations of flammable concentrations of ignitable
Division 2 flammable gases, vapors dusts under normal or suspended particles of
or mist under normal operating conditions. fibers and flyings, such as
operating conditions storage.

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 Class Subgroups

Class I and Class II hazardous areas are divided into subgroups based on the type of flammable
gas or vapor present. The chart below illustrates this subdivision. Class III is the exception – it
does not get divided into subgroups.

Group A Atmospheres containing acetylene.

Group B Atmospheres containing hydrogen and flammable process gasses with more than
30% hydrogen by volume, or gasses or vapors posing a similar risk level such as
butadiene and ethylene oxide.
Class I Group C Atmospheres such as ether, ethylene or gasses or vapors posting a similar risk
level.

Group D Atmospheres such as acetone, ammonia, benzene, butane, cyclopropane, ethanol,

gasoline, hexane methanol, methane, natural gas, naphtha, propane, or gasses or
vapors posting a similar risk level.
Group E Atmosphere containing combustible metal dusts, including aluminum, magnesium
and their commercial alloys, or other combustible dusts whose particle size,
abrasiveness and conductivity present similar hazards in the use of electronic
equipment.
Group F Atmospheres containing combustible carbonaceous dusts including carbon black,
Class II charcoal, coal, or coke dusts that have more than 8 percent total entrapped
volatiles, or dusts that have been sensitized by other materials so that they
present an explosion hazard.
Group G Atmospheres containing combustible dusts not included in Groups E or F, including
flour, grain, wood, plastic, and chemicals.

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 Classification Example

The picture above is an example of a typical classification of a fuel storage tank.

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Practices of the Division Method vs. Three-Zone Model
To have an understanding of the differences between the North American and European practices
regarding the classification of hazardous locations, refer to the table below. From a practical point
of view, the two systems have some minor differences but, for the most part, they are equivalent.

While Division 2 and Zone 2/22 are comparable, the North American Division Method has no
direct equivalent to the European Zone 0. Instrumentation designed for a Division 1 location has
measures built in that usually allow them to be used in either Zone 0/20 or Zone 1/21. However,
instrumentation designed for Zone 1/21 cannot necessarily be directly used in a Division 1
location due to the inability to quantify the expressions, “long period of time” for Zone 0/20, “can
be present” for Zone 1/21 and Division 1, and “not normally present” for Zone 2/22 as defined in
the cited standards. Zone 0 is the most dangerous and any instrumentation designed for that
zone must be incapable of generating or accumulating sufficient energy to ignite the fuel mixture.

Classification Constant Risk Occasional Risk Risk only in the

Method case of a fault

Divisions Division 1 Division 2

(North America)

Zones (IEC/Europe) Zone 0/20 Zone 1/21 Zone 2/22

The Pepperl+Fuchs Engineer’s Guide has complete coverage on the European Zone
procedures.

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 Ignition Protection

Three Methods of Ignition Protection

In order to reduce the risk of explosion, eliminating
one or more of the components of the ignition
triangle is necessary. The three basic methods of
protection are: Ignition
Energy
z Explosion containment
The only method that allows the explosion to
occur but confines it to a well-defined area,
thus avoiding transmission to the
surrounding atmosphere. Flameproof and
explosion-proof enclosures are based on this
method.
z Segregation
A method that attempts to physically
separate or isolate the electrical parts or hot
surfaces from the explosive mixture. This
method includes various techniques, such as
pressurization, encapsulation, etc. Oxidizer
z Prevention
A method that limits the energy (electrical
and thermal) to safe levels under both
Fuel
normal operation and fault conditions.
Intrinsic safety is the most representative
technique of this method.

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Selecting a Protection Method
Things to consider when selecting a protection method are:

z The normal function of the apparatus

z Degree of safety required for the classified area
z Size of the equipment
z Power requirements
z Flexibility of the protection method for maintenance
z Installation costs

None of the protection methods can provide absolute certainty

of preventing an explosion. Choosing a specific protection
method depends on the degree of safety needed for the type of
hazardous location. When a standardized protection method
has been properly installed and maintained, the probability of
an explosion is so low that statistically, there has never been a
verified incident.

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 Protection Method Codes

Codes Make Identifying

Protection Methods Easy
In Europe, CENELEC and IEC standards refer Code
Protection Method
to protection methods with symbols, such as Designation
Ex d for the flame-proof method. Using the
Pressurization Ex p
symbol and labeling of the relevant apparatus,
the protection method in use can be easily Intrinsic safety Ex i
identified. These symbols are not used by the
United States and Canada for Division rated Flameproof Ex d
products. However, they are used when the
Oil immersion Ex o
CEC zone method or NEC 505 are used. As a
general rule, North America and Canada use Powder filling Ex q
only the top three code designations – Europe
and other countries are more accustomed to Encapsulation Ex m
using the other protection method codes.
Increased safety Ex e

Order the Pepperl+Fuchs Engineer’s Ignition protection Ex n

Guide to learn more.
Apparatus with optical op
radiation

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 Explosion Protection

All Protection Methods Are Not the Same

On the next several pages, we will outline several different protection methods which, as
discussed previously, should be chosen based on the degree of safety needed for your
type of hazardous location.

Flameproof and Explosion-proof Enclosures

This protection method is the only one based on the explosion containment concept.
This method allows the energy source to come in contact with the dangerous air/gas
mixture. As a result, the explosion takes place but is confined in an enclosure built to resist
the excess pressure created by an internal explosion.

The explosion proof protection method is one of the most

widely used and is suitable for electrical apparatus located in
Hazardous atmosphere
hazardous locations. However, high maintenance and
calibration costs make this method less cost effective than
that of intrinsic safety, a specialty of Pepperl+Fuchs.

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Purge and Pressurization Method
Purging and/or pressurization is a protection method based on the segregation concept. This
method does not allow the dangerous air/gas mixture to penetrate the enclosure containing
electrical parts that can generate sparks or dangerous temperatures. A protective air or inert gas
is contained inside the enclosure with a pressure slightly greater than the one of the external
atmosphere, preventing the flammable air/gas mixture from coming in contact with the electrical
components.

Hazardous atmosphere

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 Evaluating
the Pros and Cons

Below we evaluate of the pros and cons of two widely used protection methods used in North
America and Canada.

PROS CONS
• Explosion containment ● Explosion ruins expensive
Explosion Proof • High-power equipment equipment
• No electronics ● Installation and maintenance
errors
● Limited access
● Labor intensive maintenance
● Heat build-up
● Extremely heavy
● Promotes condensation leading to
corrosion
• Inhibits corrosion • Requires air supply
Purge and • Reduces heat build-up • Requires a hot permit
Pressurization • Low maintenance
• Equipment longevity
• No special enclosure
• Fast maintenance
• Continuous status indication

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 Intrinsic Safety

Intrinsic safety is based on the principle of preventing a source

of ignition. The electrical energy is kept below the MIE required
for each hazardous area. The intrinsic safety level of an
electrical circuit is achieved by limiting current, voltage, power
and temperature; therefore, intrinsic safety is limited to
circuits that have relatively low levels of power.

In normal operation and in the event of a fault, no sparks or

thermal effects may occur that could lead to the ignition of a
potentially explosive atmosphere. Intrinsically safe circuits may
be connected and disconnected during operation, even when
live, as they are guaranteed to be safe in the event of a short
circuit or disconnection. Intrinsic safety is the only ignition
protection class that allows connectors to be opened and
intrinsically safe apparatus to be removed and replaced by an
equivalent device in a hazardous area. Because intrinsic safety
offers an unmatched level of freedom, it has become one of the
most important methods of protection in the industrial
automation industry.

When making a comparison of the three most widely used

protection methods (Ex i, Ex d, Ex p), it is evident that intrinsic
safety, where applicable, is preferred for safety and
reliability reasons.

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 Intrinsic Safety
Pros and Cons
Below we evaluate of the pros and cons of intrinsic safety. After reviewing the pros and cons on
the comparison chart for explosion protection and purge and pressurization, you can determine
which protection method is most preferred and why.

PROS CONS

• Least expensive and easiest • Documentation required for

Intrinsic Safety to install of all the protection IS circuits and installation
methods • Only suitable for low-power
• Inherently safe devices
• Eliminates the possibility of
explosion
• Ideal for low power devices
• Little to no maintenance
required
• Live maintenance without
required hot permit

The Engineer’s Guide will explain why Pepperl+Fuchs is the world leader in intrinsic
safety.

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 Other Protection Methods

Below are several segregation protection methods. Each method protects in relatively the
same manner – by separation of the electrical components from the external atmosphere.
However, it is the material in which the electrical components are housed that makes it the
protection method of choice for any given circumstance. As a note, segregation methods are not
normally used in North America or Canada.

Encapsulation Hazardous Atmosphere Oil-Immersion Hazardous Atmosphere

Oil
Resin

Sand-Filled (Powder-Filled) Hazardous Atmosphere

The Pepperl+Fuchs Engineer’s Guide covers

in-depth information on the Encapsulation,
Powder
Oil-Immersion and Sand-Filled Protection
Methods.

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 Prevention

Increased Safety
As you might guess, increased safety is based on prevention. This method requires that
measures must be applied to the electrical apparatus to prevent the possibility of reaching
excessive temperature or generating arcs or sparks inside and outside the apparatus during
normal operating conditions. Increased safety is achieved by means of design parameters, such
as air distances or tensile strength of connections and cable glands.

Hazardous atmosphere

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 In Summary

We hope you enjoyed this overview on explosion protection and intrinsic safety. Here’s a
summary of key points:

z A hazardous location is an area in which the atmosphere is explosive or anticipated to

be explosive
z Intrinsic safety dates back to 1913 following a disastrous mine explosion in England
z The Ignition Triangle consists of three components (fuel, ignition energy and oxidizer)
that must be present simultaneously, and in suitable proportions, to cause an explosion.
z Minimum Ignition Energy (MIE) is the ideal ratio of fuel to air where the mixture is most
easily ignited
z Any area above or below the Minimum Ignition Energy contains a smaller fraction of air
or combustible gas/fuel and cannot be ignited
z Hazardous areas in North America are broken down into three classifications: Class I
(flammable gases or liquids), Class II (dust), and Class III (fibers and flyings)
z The classifications are further broken down in Division 1 or Division 2 based on the
probability of the materials being present in a potentially hazardous quantity
z The Division Method of North America is comparable to the Three-Zone Model practiced
in Europe
z There are three basic methods of explosion protection: containment, segregation, and
prevention
z Intrinsic safety is the principle of keeping the electrical energy below the MIE and is the
preferred method of explosion protection for low power devices

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 Want to Learn More?

This e-book provides an overview from one chapter of our Interface Technology Engineer’s
Guide, Edition 3.1. The entire Guide will teach you about:

z Basic principles of field signals

z Functional safety (SIL)
z Applications and practical solutions
z Isolated barriers
z Zener barriers
z Surge protection
z HART interface solutions
z Signal conditioning

You can obtain a free copy of the Engineer’s Guide on CD by visiting our website. The CD
will be delivered within 5-7 business days.

Do you have questions about what you learned? Do you want to discuss a potential application?
Make an inquiry through Ask an Expert. A team of professionals is ready to help answer your
product, application or technical questions.

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