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Area Classification

Hazardous areas are classified into zones based on the likelihood and duration of an explosive atmosphere. Zone 0 has a continually present explosive atmosphere, Zone 1 is likely to have an explosive atmosphere for up to 100 hours per year, and Zone 2 is not likely to have one except for less than 10 hours per year. Electrical equipment used in hazardous areas must have appropriate protection for the zone and gases present, such as flameproof enclosures, intrinsic safety, or non-sparking protection. Equipment is also classified based on its maximum surface temperature and ingress protection. Proper area classification, equipment selection, installation, and maintenance are required to prevent explosions in hazardous locations.

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157 views12 pages

Area Classification

Hazardous areas are classified into zones based on the likelihood and duration of an explosive atmosphere. Zone 0 has a continually present explosive atmosphere, Zone 1 is likely to have an explosive atmosphere for up to 100 hours per year, and Zone 2 is not likely to have one except for less than 10 hours per year. Electrical equipment used in hazardous areas must have appropriate protection for the zone and gases present, such as flameproof enclosures, intrinsic safety, or non-sparking protection. Equipment is also classified based on its maximum surface temperature and ingress protection. Proper area classification, equipment selection, installation, and maintenance are required to prevent explosions in hazardous locations.

Uploaded by

Sandeep Gupta
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© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Area Classification

Hazardous areas are classified with respect to the


potential danger of an explosion and the areas are
divided into zones:
Zone 0: An area in which an explosive atmosphere is
continually present or present for long periods, typically
over 100 hours per year
Zone 1: An area in which an explosive atmosphere is
likely to occur in normal operation, typically between 10
and 100 hours per year
Zone 2: An area in which an explosive atmosphere is
not likely to occur in normal operations and, if it does
occur, will exist for only a short time, typically less than
10 hours per year
Zone 2 Suitable
Ex 'd' "Flameproof Enclosure" Protection - EN 50018
The potentially incentive components are contained within
an enclosure into which the flammable atmosphere can
enter but which will contain any resultant explosion and
prevent it's transmission outside the enclosure. Typically
used for switch devices, small breakers, and control
enclosures
Zone 1,2 Suitable
Ex 'e' "Increased Safety" Protection - EN 50019
Normally sparking components are excluded. Other
components are designed to reduce substantially the
likelihood of the occurrence of fault conditions which could
cause ignition. This is done by reducing and controlling
working temperatures, ensuring the electrical connections
are reliable, increasing insulation effectiveness, and
reducing the probability of contamination by dirt and
moisture ingress
Ex 'i' "Intrinsic Safety" Protection - EN 50020
The circuit parameters are reliably controlled to reduce
potential spark energy to below that which will ignite the
specific gas mixture. This includes the occurrence of
one (b) or two (a) components faults in the apparatus. It
should be noted that this method does not protect
entirely against the local over-heating of damaged
connections or conductors and these should be kept
sound and suitably enclosed against damage
Ex 'N' "Non-Sparking" Protection - EN 50021
Precautions are taken with connections and wiring to
increase reliability, though not to as high a degree as for
Ex 'e'. Where internal surfaces are hotter than the
desired T rating they can be tightly enclosed to prevent
the ready access of a flammable atmosphere into the
internal parts. This is the "restricted breathing
enclosure" technique. Its employment also means that
high ingress protection ratings of IP65 and above are
built into the design. The Ex 'N' methods are developed
around the use of 'N' equipment in the remotely
hazardous area commonly referred to as Zone 2.
Apparatus Grouping Gases are grouped together
based on the amount of energy required to ignite the
most explosive mixture of gases with air. Equipment is
classified into groups according to the gases and
vapours for which it is suitable and must be selected
with a grouping which covers the gases and vapours
which will be present where it is to be installed:
Group I
Methane - Ignition energy of 320 Micro joules
Group IIA
Propane - Ignition energy of 300 Micro joules
Group IIB
Ethylene - Ignition energy of 160 Micro joules
Group IIC
Hydrogen - Ignition energy of 40 Micro joules
Gas Grouping for Electrical Apparatus EN
50014 and IEC 60079-0

Group Gas
I All underground Coal Mining
applications Firedamp (methane)
IIA Industrial methane, propane,
gasoline and most industrial gases
IIB Ethylene, coke oven gas and other
industrial gases
IIC Hydrogen, acetylene,
carbon disulphide
Temperature Classification

To ensure that there is no risk of ignition due to hot


surfaces, the equipment is classified with regard to the
maximum surface temperature of any part of the
equipment while in operation based on the ambient
temperature of 40 C, this is also known as the 'T' rating.
Equipment must be selected with a suitable
temperature classification for the gases and vapours
present where the equipment is to be installed.
Temperature Classification
Classification of maximum surface temperatures for

electrical apparatus EN 50014

Temperature Class Maximum Surface


Temperature C
T1 450
T2 300
T3 200
T4 135
T5 100
T6 85
Ingress Protection (IP) Codes
First Number Second Number
Protection against solid Protection against liquid
bodies
0 No protection No protection
1 Objects greater than 50mm Vertically dripping water
2 Objects greater than 12mm Angled dripping water
3 Objects greater than 2.5mm Sprayed water
4 Objects greater than 1mm Splashed water
5 Dust-protected Water jets
6 Dust-tight Heavy seas
7 Effects of immersion (1 meter)
8 Indefinite immersion
Hazardous Area Classification and Installation of Special
Electrical Equipment
Are hazardous areas classified as per IS 5572?
Are the special electrical equipments selected and installed
as per IS 5571?
Are the electrical equipments maintained as per IS 2148 and
IS 13346?
Review of area classification in case of process change /
plant modification, etc.
Approval of area classification drawings as per statutory
rules
Maintenance of flame-proof equipments
Use of ordinary electrical equipment in hazardous areas
Awareness of O&M personnel about hazardous area and
flame-proof equipments
Common Problems
Missing Bolts
Loose terminals
Corrosion Problem
Gland Condition
Equipment sealing
Frequent modification in equipment
Frequent Plant Modifications

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