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explosive atmospheres
● Since 1st July 2003, European directive ATEX 94/9/CE has made it compulsory to
use certified electric or non-electric equipment when it must be installed in zones
with explosive atmospheres (gas or dust).
● Certification must be provided by a body which is notified according to the same
directive.
● The body notifies its assessment of the quality of the production and certifies that
the product complies with the health and safety demands defined in the directive
and the international standards.
● The certificate shows the category of the product by marking, and thus the zone
and atmosphere in which it can be used.
● The standards define the following types of protection for electric equipment:
Degree of
protection
In hazardous areas,
equipment is required to
offer a minimum degree
of protection of IP 54,
but it can be tested or
certified with a higher
degree of protection.
The final
solution must
be certified
by a notified
body
● Enclosures are certified as components. They will be assembled with other ATEX
electrical, pneumatic and hydraulic components, among others to form a final
solution which, in turn, must be ATEX-certified and subject to a declaration of
conformity.
ATEX components
Electrical equipment
CENELEC
IEC
Gas: symbol of the
types of protection
CENELEC/IEC
Powder: symbol of the
types of protection
EN 60079-0
IEC 60079-0
General rules
IEC/EN 61241-0
General rules
EN 50015
IEC 60079-6
0
-oil immersion
IEC/EN 61241-1
tD
-protection by enclosures
EN 50016
IEC 60079-2
p
-pressurised enclosures
IEC/EN 61241-4
pD
-protection by pressurisation
EN 50017
IEC 60079-5
q
-powder filling
IEC/EN 61241-11
iD
-protection by intrinsic safety
EN 60079-1
IEC 60079-1
d
-flameproof enclosures
IEC/EN 61241-18
mD
-protection by encapsulation
EN 60079-7
IEC 60079-7
e
-increased safety
EN 50020
IEC 60079-11
i
-intrinsic safety
EN 60079-15
IEC 60079-15
n
-type of protection “n”
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