Explosion Protection: A

Primer
Work in hazardous locations must be undertaken with the
Table of Contents
utmost care by persons who are thoroughly familiar with
technical issues, insurance coverage, and code
Primer
requirements-national, local, and, if appropriate,
Basics: faq
international.
Combustion triangle
Explosion prevention
Accordingly, this primer is intended only to provide an
Explosionproof and
overview for the unfamiliar or a reminder for the
Intrinsically Safe
experienced. Before undertaking work in hazardous
Comparison
locations, consult with engineering experts, either those
Certifying Agencies and
within your own company or consultants.
Certification Indicators
Quick guide:
When you're ready to buy, remember that Honeywell
abbreviations
Sensotec carries thousands of sensors appropriate for use
in hazardous locations. We also offer engineering support to
help you design your installation and select the proper
equipment. To go directly to our catalog, click here:
http://www.sensotec.com/catpages.shtml

Here's a quick guide to the abbreviations that you'll encounter

ATEX: Derived from the French "ATmosphere EXplosible" (explosive atmosphere). Refers
to Atex Directive 04/9/EC, the European regulation governing equipment and protective
systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres. >>More Covers all
mechanical and electrical equipment and protection systems used under ground, on the
surface, and in fixed offshore installations (excluding maritime usage). In force since July
1, 2003.

CE: Derived from the French "Conformité Européene" (European Conformance). Official
marking required by the European Economic Community EEC) for all electric and
electronic equipment that will be sold, or put into service for the first time, in any of the
EEC nations. The CE mark indicates that a product fulfills all essential safety and
environmental requirements as defined in the European Directives. Note, however, that
those directives do not address use in hazardous locations; thus, CE-marked products are
not necessarily safe for use in such locations [true?]. >>More The CE marking directive
(93/68/EEC) was adopted on 07-22-1993. Note that manufacturers who affix the CE
marking are solely responsible for ensuring that a particular product conforms to a
particular directive. By contrast, in the case of hazardous location approvals, the certifying
agency reviews the product and decides if it meets certification requirements.

CSA: Canadian Standards Association. Sets standards that govern various aspects of
product design and production, including eligibility for certification in hazardous locations
within Canada. More>> CSA also evaluates, tests, and inspects products on an ongoing
basis to ensure that they meet its standards. Through interlaboratory agreements, they
also assess products for conformity to American and European standards.

DNV: Det Norske Veritas, a Norwegian foundation that provides independent third-party
assessment of a product's conformity to national or international standards, including
standards for safe and reliable use in hazardous locations. >>More DNV works with many
industries worldwide but has particular expertise with maritime shipping, oil and gas
exploration, various process industries (petrochemical plants, oil refineries, etc.), and
transportation (rail and automotive). In addition to assessing products, DNV also assesses
systems, projects, and management systems with respect to their effectiveness in
managing risk.

Ex, XP: Markings used by manufacturers to indicate that a product has been tested and
certified as explosionproof or, in Europe and elsewhere, fireproof. More>> In the United
States and Canada, Underwriters Laboratories and Factory Mutual are the primary
organizations [true?] that certify products as explosionproof. The primary certifying
agencies in Europe and elsewhere [true?] are Cenelec (European Committee for
Electrotechnical Standardization) and IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission).

FM: Factory Mutual Research Corporation. Their Approvals Division determines whether
equipment and materials used in hazardous locations meet National Electrical Code
standards for safety and reliability. >>More Factory Mutual considers not only product
performance but also quality control standards in place during production. Like the
Canadian Standards Association (CSA), Factory Mutual has interlaboratory agreements;
they certify to Canadian and European as well as U.S. Standards.

XP: See "Ex, XP."

Explosion Protection Basics: Frequently Asked Questions

We've based this section on questions most frequently asked of our inside sales
representatives. If your question isn't answered here, call us at 1-800-298-9228. Our
technical support staff is ready to help.
Q: What is a hazardous location?

A: An area (building or premises) where fire and explosion could occur because volatile
(flammable, ignitable, or combustible) dust, gas, liquids, vapors, or fibers are present.
Likely candidates: industries that manufacture, store, or distribute volatile materials like
fuels, chemicals, paints, and grain. Government, industry, and professional and scientific
organizations have jointly developed systems for classifying hazardous locations according
to the nature and intensity of the hazards present. They've also developed techniques for
providing explosion protection in those locations.
International systems for classifying hazardous locations use zones and groups as
the basis for classification.
Canadian and U.S. systems use classes, divisions, and groups.

Q: What is the "combustion triangle"?

A: The three basic ingredients necessary to cause an explosion:

1. An oxidizer (oxygen in the surrounding air)

2. Fuel (provided by the volatile material present in the hazardous location)
3. Energy (thermal or electrical) sufficient to cause ignition in the presence of the other
two elements.
Q: What is the basic principle of explosion protection?

A: Preventing the three elements of the combustion triangle from occurring in the same
place at the same time under both normal operating conditions and the most extreme
abnormal occurrence (or fault condition) known to be possible. This is accomplished by
specifying design and operational parameters for all electrical and electronic equipment
and wiring used in hazardous locations. "Most extreme abnormal occurrence" means that
the oxidizer and the fuel are both present in their most easily ignitable concentrations.

Q: What are fault conditions?

A: Opening, shorting, or grounding of any field wiring for any reason; electrical equipment
failure; miswiring; or application of higher voltages than intended for a particular circuit.

Q: How many ways are there to prevent explosions?

Three basic approaches are commonly used around the world:

1. Explosion confinement: Containing explosions within an enclosure able to prevent

electrical or thermal energy from the explosion from reaching the volatile
atmosphere outside the enclosure. Called "explosionproofing" in the United States
and Canada and "flameproofing" in Europe and elsewhere. Note that this is the only
one of the three basic approaches in which an explosion could actually occur.
 Several methods of explosionproofing are available; examples are filling the
containment enclosure with oil or surrounding the electrical apparatus with molding
(resin). See Honeywell Sensotec explosionproof sensors at
http://www.sensotec.com/index.shtml.
2. Ignition source isolation: Isolating the ignition source (the combustion triangle's
energy) from the volatile atmosphere by any of many available methods. In purging
(pressurization outside the United States and Canada), the most common method,
clean air or inert gas supplied to an enclosure reduces flammable gas and vapor
concentrations to acceptable levels and maintains those levels by positive pressure.
Other methods are restricted breathing, encapsulation, and oil immersion (which is
also a form of explosion confinement).
3. Energy release limitation: Designing electrical and electronic equipment that can be
exposed to volatile atmospheres because the thermal or electrical energy it
produces is insufficient to cause ignition, even under the most extreme abnormal
fault conditions. Most widely used techniques: designing equipment that is
nonincendive, intrinsically safe, or both.

Q: How does "nonincendive" differ from "intrinsically safe"?

A: Nonincendive devices, circuits, and components are incapable of generating thermal or

electrical energy sufficient to ignite a volatile atmosphere under normal operating
conditions-although sufficient energy for ignition could be generated under fault conditions.

Intrinsically safe equipment, circuits, and components are incapable of generating thermal
or electrical energy sufficient to ignite a volatile atmosphere under either normal or
abnormal operating conditions. Consequently, intrinsically safe systems have much wider
application than their nonincendive counterparts. Nonincendive systems are generally less
costly and easier to maintain than either explosionproof or intrinsically safe systems.

See Honeywell Sensotec intrinsically safe and nonincendive sensors at

http://www.sensotec.com/index.shtml.

Q: What's the difference between intrinsically safe and explosionproof?

A: It all boils down to the difference between preventing and containing. In an intrinsically
safe system or component, explosions are prevented-they cannot possibly occur under any
known fault conditions. In an explosionproof system or component, an explosion can
indeed occur, but a specially designed enclosure would keep the resulting flames, sparks,
or hot gases from reaching the volatile atmosphere outside the enclosure. To distinguish
these two approaches, just remember that the "proof" in "explosionproof" doesn't mean "will
prevent from happening." Instead, it means "will contain what does happen."

Q: So what's the safest approach to explosion protection?

A: Intrinsic safety is generally regarded as the safest. No known explosion has occurred in
an intrinsically safe system.
Q: Then shouldn't I just use intrinsic safety techniques instead of explosionproofing?

A: You may need one or the other or both, depending on your facility or operations. Both
methods have appropriate applications as well as benefits and drawbacks.

Approach Benefits Drawbacks

 Enclosures are
 Eases design bulky, heavy, hard
concerns by to install, and
enabling the three expensive.
basic ingredients  All wiring into and
of the combustion out of the
triangle to coexist. enclosure must be
That is, certain in hardened
components can conduit system
be placed within with special seals
the hazardous and fittings
Explosionproof
location that installed according
otherwise would to regulations.
have to be placed  System requires
outside it. frequent integrity
inspections.
 Can be used with
systems and  Even slight failure
components of any part
requiring any eliminates
amount of power. explosion
protection.

Intrinsically  Safest approach to  Only components

Safe explosion that require less
protection. than 1 Watt of
 Compared with power can be
most other made intrinsically
methods, safe.
inexpensive and  Low power
easy to implement. requirement limits
 Integrity usage to
inspections are measurement and
unnecessary control circuits.
because energy  Does not protect
limitations are against risk of
designed into the explosion induced
component or by mechanical or
wiring-no electric sparking,
conceivable failure chemical reaction,
could cause a radio waves, or
problem.
  The low energy
involved eliminates
shock hazards and
enables instrument lightning strikes.
calibration and
maintenance while  Does not
power is flowing to guarantee safety
the system. unless used in an
intrinsically safe
 Easily adaptable to system.
both older
technologies and
modern systems.

Q: "Inherently safe" means the same thing as "intrinsically safe", right?

A: No, it does not-even though dictionaries identify these words as synonyms-and the
distinction is important in the safety world. Nothing related to electricity (circuit, device,
component, or wiring design) is inherently safe-that is, safe by its very nature. Rather,
electricity involves energy that can cause hazards under certain conditions and is therefore
inherently unsafe.

Electricity can, however, be made intrinsically safe-that is, safe because of the way it is
used. Therefore, an electrical circuit, device, component, or wiring design can be
intrinsically safe if (and only if) it is used in an intrinsically safe system; it cannot be
intrinsically safe by itself. (Exceptions: self-contained devices such as gas detectors.)

Q: What are the parts of an intrinsically safe system?

A: The device, component, or circuit itself; an "associated apparatus"; and interconnecting

wiring.

Q: How does the associated apparatus work?

A: The apparatus is a device that is placed outside the hazardous area so that it is between
the automated input/output modules and the field device, component, or circuit located
inside the hazardous area. The apparatus acts as a barrier that limits energy (current and
heat) available to the field device. These devices are classified by type: They can be either
"simple" or "intrinsically safe." A "simple apparatus" is one that cannot generate or store
more than 1.2 V, 100 mA, 25 mW, or 20 ?J; such an apparatus consists of a zener diode,
resistor or series of resistors, and fuse network; it is unamplified. The passive simple
apparatus requires no power supply but must be connected to a dedicated intrinsic safety
earth ground.
INTRINSIC SAFETY INSTALLATION

System Concept

The system concept states that an intrinsically safe field instrument is certified for use with
a specific intrinsic safety barrier (associate apparatus). This approach simplifies the
installation; however, it does not allow flexibility in the type and selection of barrier
supplies.

Entity Concept

The entity concept allows the safe connection of two independently certified pieces of
equipment. By comparing parameters assigned to each instrument, the intrinsic safety of
the system can be guaranteed.

Outside the United States and Canada, manufacturers commonly self-declare their device
to be a simple apparatus. Within the United States and Canada, users often prefer that a
device be certified by Factory Mutual (FM) as meeting all the requirements for a simple
apparatus. Insurance requirements and local codes also affect how a simple apparatus
must be wired and whether a system using a simple apparatus must be reviewed by an
approving authority. Whether users prefer FM certification also depends on the hazard
classification for their location: The more hazardous the location, the more likely that users
will want FM approval.

An "intrinsically safe" apparatus is one that provides intrinsically safe connections, has an
internal amplifier, and provides a galvanic barrier between the hazardous and
nonhazardous area circuits. Because of the isolating barrier, a dedicated earth ground is
unnecessary, but this active type of device does require its own power supply. An
intrinsically safe apparatus must be used if the electrical characteristics of the device being
installed in the hazardous area exceed those of a simple apparatus-that is, if the device can
store energy in excess of 1.2 V, 100 mA, 25 mW, or 20 ?J.

Which Honeywell Sensotec products work with simple apparatus and which work with
intrinsically safe? Almost all Honeywell Sensotec sensors can be fitted for use with either
type of apparatus. Those to be used with a simple apparatus are manufactured without
amplification (they consist only of a series of resistors). Those to be used with an
intrinsically safe apparatus are manufactured with internal amplifiers [and what else?
hardened circuits? pressure ports?].

In certain hazardous locations, it is acceptable to use a sensor or other device that is self-
declared by the manufacturer (as opposed to certified by an approving agency that has
tested the sensor or device) as appropriate for use with an intrinsically safe apparatus. The
sensor or device will carry an ATEX marking (see Certifying Agencies and Certification
Indicators http://www.sensotec.com/certificates.html applied by that manufacturer and be
shipped to the user with the manufacturer's document of conformity. Honeywell Sensotec
will self-declare certain sensors as intrinsically safe if requested and if appropriate for the
particular sensor, but you are ultimately responsible for making sure that such a sensor is
appropriate for use in your operation.

For a complete listing of models that can be made intrinsically safe, click here:
http://www.sensotec.com/pdf/intrinsicallysaferated.pdf

Which Sensotec products are certified as explosionproof? The 811 (for gauge or absolute
pressure) and the 911 (for differential pressure) are enclosed in housings that are certified
as explosionproof by Factory Mutual (FM). These housings are fitted with conduit fittings for
attachment to the required hard conduit to carry wiring back to your system and with
pressure ports for connection to the device you're monitoring. [Insert diagram from catalog
page PR-16]

Honeywell Sensotec does sell components that can be assembled by system integrators
into explosionproof housings that can be kept intrinsically safe by purging (see Ignition
source isolation [make this a link]). But such housings add considerable expense to system
installation, and for the 811 and 911, they are completely unnecessary.

What do the terms "loop" and "entity" mean? These terms refer to the two different methods
for approving intrinsic safety equipment. >>More Under a loop (or system) approval, every
component is specified and the approving body certifies the entire system. Any change to
any component voids the approval.

Under an entity (or parametric) approval, the approving body evaluates each device
separately and assigns it a separate set of entity (or safety) parameters. With this type of
approval, you can, for example, connect a field device to any associated apparatus (barrier)
with compatible safety parameters.

Does the method for connecting sensors depend on the kind of explosion protection I'm
using? Whether you're using explosion confinement (explosionproofing), ignition source
isolation (purging), or energy release limitation (intrinsic safety) as a safety approach, the
principal for connecting sensors is the same: You must make keep the sensor from
generating energy in quantities sufficient to cause ignition.
To limit energy generation within the sensor, you must match the capacitance of the sensor
to the capacitance of your system's associated apparatus (barrier). In other words, the
capacitance parameters for the sensor must be less than or equal to the capacitance
parameters of the barrier. Here's the formula:

sensor capacitance + sensor inductance ? barrier capacitance + cable capacitance +

cable inductance

Every sensor Honeywell Sensotec sells is shipped with an installation drawing and that
provides the necessary parameters and a manual that provides information about sensor
connections under all major codes, anywhere in the world. In the United States, you should
also refer to the National Electrical Code before beginning your connections.

Following is a sample installation drawing. [Insert drawing 001-0799-01 from Web site; or
see Steve Vicars]

How do I know what barrier to choose for a particular explosion protection sensor? This is
simply the converse of the preceding question. As with the connection of sensors, you must
limit the amount of energy that can be generated in the sensor by matching the energy
parameters of the barrier with the energy parameters of the sensor. You can use any
barrier for which the capacitance parameters are greater than or equal to the energy
parameters of the sensor. Here's the formula from the barrier point of view:

barrier capacitance + cable capacitance + cable inductance ? sensor capacitance +

sensor inductance

Barrier capacitance consists of open voltage, cross circuit voltage, allowable inductance,
and allowable capacitance. [Is this right? Shouldn't it be barrier energy?]

How do I design the installation for an intrinsically safe sensor? Our 2N intrinsically safe
amplifier (which can be used with almost any Honeywell Sensotec sensor) has been
certified by Factory Mutual (FM) and the Canadian Standards Association (CSA) with entity
parameters (see What do the terms "loop" and "entity" mean? [make this a link]. Therefore,
to design your installation to accommodate our intrinsically safe sensors, you simply need
to make sure that your system matches the parameters shown on the installation drawing
that accompanies the sensor when it is shipped to you-or you can check the catalog [give
link] or call us at [give number] to check the parameters in advance,

Certifying Agencies and Certification Indicators

Various certifying agencies issue standards and directives stating what requirements
equipment and wiring must meet to be considered safe for use in hazardous locations. In
addition, manufacturers affix markings to their products to indicate that those products are
in conformity with certain standards.