Cooper Crouse-Hinds GmbH – your partner for dust explosion protection

Dust Explosion Protection – What is it?

One spark can be enough!

Where can dust explosions
occur? Zone 21
Combustible and, therefore, poten-
tially explosive dusts occur more Zone 20
often than you think:

For example, during the

processing of Subdivision of potentially explosive dust atmospheres
● Organic products such as wood
into zones by way of example of a Bag emptying station
and fibrous materials without exhaust ventilation (Example see EN 61241-10
● Foodstuffs, alcohol, tobacco and
App. A)
It is a generally known fact that
animal foods
combustible gases can form poten- ● Coal Dust Ex zone subdivision:
tially explosive mixtures. However, ● Metals and metal alloys Zone 20: A place in which an explosi-
more often than not, the fact that
ve atmosphere in the form of a cloud
combustible dusts also represent a
Technically, however, chemical of combustible dust in air is present
large hazard source is not taken into
products made of plastic, resin and continuously, or for long periods
consideration.
rubber can also produce combustible or frequently (p. e. inside a filling
dusts and, as a result, potentially hopper).
How do dust explosions occur?
explosive atmospheres. Zone 21: A place in which an explosi-
Whenever an ignitable mixture of
ve atmosphere in the form of a cloud
combustible dust and air occurs, it
With combustible dusts it is also of combustible dust in air is likely
can be ignited by an ignition source,
necessary to take the possibility of to occur in normal operation occasio-
whereby, depending upon their
glow fires due to dust layer into nally (p. e. immediate vicinity of
composition, the dust-air mixtures
account. The temperature required for hopper; normally in a radius of 1 m)
are more or less likely to ignite.
the ignition of the dust layer is general- Zone 22: A place in which an explo-
The ignition of the mixture can result
ly lower than the ignition temperature sive atmosphere in the form of a
in a chain reaction, during which
of a dust/air mixture. cloud of combustible dust in air is
further explosions can be set off
not likely to occur in normal operation
due to dust being stirred up. As
but, if it does occur, will persist for a
the amount of energy released can
short period only.
be extremely high, the damage
potential of dust explosions is often
enormous.
When assessing the safety aspects
of installations with a potentially
explosive dust atmosphere, numbers
relating to the ignition temperatures of
dust layers and ignition temperature
of clouds present an important means
for the prevention of explosions.
The BIA Report, “Combustion and
Explosion Characteristics of Dusts”,
issued by the Association of Com-
How can dust explosions mercial and Industrial Workers’ Com-
be avoided? pensation Insurance Carriers contains
Together with constructional important information on this.
and organisational measures, the
explosion risk can be minimized
by the choice of suitable, approved
apparatus for use in potentially
explosive dust atmospheres. The
Cooper Crouse-Hinds GmbH offers
a comprehensive range of electrical
apparatus for safe use in potentially
explosive dust atmospheres.
Cooper Crouse-Hinds GmbH – your partner for dust explosion protection
Electric drives
and lighting
Mills, mixers and conveyor systems in
dust Ex atmosphers: shall all be in
explosion-protected design and they
all depend on electric power - reliable,
safe and explosion-protected. The
Cooper Crouse-Hinds GmbH has
dust explosion-protected switches,
intermediate motor terminal boxes
and plugs and sockets for the safe
power supply of your drives.
And not only that: the drives can be
isolated from the mains easily and
visibly simply by means of plugs and
sockets. This makes the maintenance
and servicing of your installations
particularly safe and easy.
Potential hazards can only be deter-
mined and accidents prevented if the
visibility is good. Therefore, in particu-
lar in areas where dust is produced,
safe illumination is absolutely essenti-
al. Dust explosion-protected luminai-
res and floodlights provide reliable
lighting here, while, even in the event
of a power failure, escape sign lumi-
naires show the way safely. Together
with junction boxes, distribution boxes
and switches, the Cooper Crouse-
Hinds GmbH has a complete range
of installation technology products for
use in areas with potentially explosive
dust atmospheres.
Cooper Crouse-Hinds GmbH – your partner for dust explosion protection
Safety through quality
Quality assurance procedure
for apparatus dust explosion
protection
As with apparatus for use in areas
with potentially explosive gas atmos-
pheres, electrical apparatus for use
in areas with potentially explosive
dust atmospheres is subject to a
comprehensive system of quality
assurance measures.
This starts with the manufacturer
himself, as the prerequisite for the
manufacture of explosion-protected
products is an approved quality
assurance system that has been
certified by an independent testing
authority. This confirms that the
manufacturer operates a quality
assurance system with documen-
tation and regular supervision
(ATEX audit) by an independent
testing authority. The control criteria
applied here by far exceed those
of the general ISO certification
(to ISO 9001, Version 2000).
Stringent test criteria for
computer-supported testing
of light fittings to guarantee the quality
of products supplied
All electrical apparatus for use in
potentially explosive dust atmos-
pheres has to be submitted to a
conformity assessment procedure.
Zones 20 and 21: Apparatus with
EC-Type-Examination-Certificates.
Apparatus for use in potentially
explosive dust atmospheres in Zones
20 and 21 (categories 1D and 2D)
has to be tested by an notified body
with regard to the explosion protec-
tion to determine if they are suited
for use in these areas. With the
issue of the EC-Type Examination
Certificate, the testing authority
confirms this suitability and grants
approval. The details relating to the
explosion protection in the operating
instructions are also included in this
test.
Zone 22: Stringent production
control
Electrical apparatus for use in poten-
tially explosive dust atmospheres in
Zone 22 (category 3D) is also subject
to a stringent internal production
control to ensure the constant high
quality of the products. Moreover, the
technical documentation confirming
the compliance of the apparatus with
the directive is included in this control.
And as safety and quality are always
given top priority at Cooper Crouse-
Hinds GmbH, Zone 22 apparatus is
also submitted to a type examination
by a testing authority and the
compliance of the test results with
the requirements of the directive is
confirmed in a “Conformity State-
ment” issued by the testing authority.
After all, sometimes it is necessary to
do more than the legislator requires.
CE symbol
The drawing up of a declaration
of conformity with the CE symbol
affixed is the basic requirement for
the marketing of a product in the
EC area, because with this the
manufacturer of a product confirms
that the design conforms to the
directives and that all the quality
assurance measures have been
fulfilled. It goes without saying
that all the CEAG brand products
have this symbol, after all Cooper
Crouse-Hinds GmbH is a leading
manufacturer of explosion-protected
products and, as such, it operates
a quality assurance system in
compliance with the directives.
CE symbol
Cooper Crouse-Hinds GmbH – your partner for dust explosion protection
Dust Explosion Protection under European Law
ATEX
Directive 1992/92/EC of the European
Parliament and Council dated 16
December 1999 (also known as ATEX
137 or ATEX 118a) defines the uni-
form minimum regulations for both
gas and dust explosion protection
within the European community for
the improvement of the health and
safety protection of workers that
could be at risk due to a potentially
explosive atmosphere.
Within the scope of his duties
according to Article 8 of Directive
1999/92/EC, the operator of an
installation has to ensure that an
explosion protection document is
issued and is kept up to date.
Among other things, this explosion
protection document shall show
the following:
● That the explosion risk has been
determined and assessed
● That technical and organisational
measures have been taken to fulfil
the safety goals of the directive
● That the workplace and the wor-
king materials, including warning
devices, are designed, operated
and service safely
● The zone classification for the
hazardous areas
Directive 1999/92/EC stipulates
criteria relating to the choice of
explosion-protected apparatus that
are obligatory for the operator.
Thus, unless stipulated otherwise in
the explosion protection document, in
future only apparatus that is classified
in a given apparatus group and appa-
ratus category in accordance with
Directive 94/9/EC (ATEX 95 or 100a)
may be used in potentially explosive
dust atmospheres. These are selec-
ted according to the different zones
for potentially explosive dust atmos-
pheres (see table).
Directive 1999/1992/EC sets time
limits and deadlines for the introduc-
tion of the minimum requirements for
working materials and workplaces
for new installations and for the
adaptation of existing installations
in which potentially explosive atmos-
pheres can occur. As, in this case,
changes are permitted during the
conversion of the directive into the
national laws of the member states,
Combustible dusts in potentially explosive atmospheres
Probability of the Classification of Required marking of
occurence of an potentially explosive apparatus to be used acc. to
explosive dust/ atmospheres CENELEC
air mixture acc. to
CENELEC/IEC Apparatus Apparatus
directive 1999/92/EC
category category
● Are present constantly, for Zone 20 II 1D
long periods or frequently
● Occur accasionally Zone 21 II 2D
● Occurrence due to stirred-up Zone 22 II 3D
dust not probable, but if they
occur, then only rarely or for
short periods
the respective national rules and regu- potentially explosive dust atmospheres
lations shall be observed here. It into Zone 20, Zone 21 and Zone 22.
should be noted that, depending
upon the respective situation, various It goes without saying that CEAG
time limits and deadlines can apply. brand products conform to the valid
This also applies to the introduction of ATEX directive for use in potentially
the new three-zone classification of explosive dust atmospheres.
eLLK 92036/36
w w w. c e a g . d e
S. Nr.: D123456 2000 0102
PTB 96 ATEX 2144 110-254 V 50-60 Hz
110-230 V DC
II 2 G EEx ed IIC T4
Ta ≤ 50 °C
II 2 D T80°C IP66 Lampe: G13-81-IEC-1305-2
Example: Type label according to new directive 94/9/EG
All you need for explosion protection
from one source

Explosion-protected

● Fluorescent light fittings

● Floodlights

● Portable lamps

● Plugs and sockets

● Switchgear

● Terminal boxes

● Intrinsically safe signal conditioning

Malux Finland Oy, P.O.Box 69, FIN-06151 PORVOO, Finland
● eXLink Phone: +358 (0)19 57 45 700, Fax: +358 (0)19 57 45 750, www.malux.fi