Inside GT Engineering, we have a team of technicians specialised in the classification of Areas where explosive Gas or Dust Athmospheres may be generated.
The Methodology we use complies with the standards harmonised with the Directive 99/92/EC.
Most recurring customers are from the Steel Mills, Chemical Industries and Wood Machine Manufacturers.
We also support our customers with laboratory dust analysis and component selection according to the EN 60079-xx serie standards, harmonised to the new 2014/34/UE Directive.
Equipment Protection Level
In an explosive atmosphere, only suitable equipment must be installed: suitable means that they cannot ignite the explosive atmosphere.
Process Safety
ATEX Equipment Grouping
In an explosive atmosphere, only suitable equipment must be installed: suitable means that they cannot ignite the explosive atmosphere. There are 3 types of Explosive atmospheres
The dynamics of dust explosions
Usually explosions in civil environments, such as homes, or industrial environments, such as factories, are due to gas leaks.
However, there are also explosions due to the presence of potentially explosive Powders, such as flour, sugar, or even metal...
Hazardous Locations: The ATEX Classification in the U.S. and Canada
The standards applied in the North American world in the field of explosive safety, (which take NFPA 2,70,497,499,500,505 as a reference), differ from those applied in the European world, but their ultimate goal is to ensure ideal conditions by limit...
Last edition of EN IEC 60079-10-1
In December 2021 the new edition of EN IEC 60079-10-1 has been published. All standards that conflict with EN IEC 60079-10-1:2021 must be withdrawn by 22/01/202...
ATEX Directive inside Equipment
THE DOUBT
Do Equipment containing potentially explosive atmosphere and installed in safe areas, fall under the ATEX Directive 2014/34/EU (also called ATEX 114)...
ATEX Zone 2 - 22 and Notified Body
THE DOUBT:
My Machine will be installed in Zone 2 (22). Do I need to involve a Notified Body?
CONSIDERATIONS:
Here what the ATEX Directive 2014/35/EU states ...
Explosiveness of dust
The explosion of dust is quite simple to imagine in terms of everyday experience.
ATEX REGULATIONS AND CLASSIFICATION OF ATEX AREAS
The Atex Classification of places with danger of explosion (atex zone) due to the presence of explosives, flammable fluids and combustible dusts was in the past...
ATEX DIRECTIVE 99/92/CE AND EXPLOSION RISKS
Legislative Decree 81/08 Art.290 on the assessment of explosion risks, states that:
In fulfilling the obligations set out in Article 17, paragraph 1, the empl...
DIRECTIVE 2014/34/EU
Directive 2014/34/EU, which came into force on 20 April 2016, aims to provide the requirements to be met by equipment and protective systems intended for use in...
Hazardousness of substances
What causes an explosion is the combustion of gas. For this to occur, 3 elements are needed:
- Combustible: the gas
- Oxidizer: the air (oxygen)
- Ignition: ...
