Section 4 ATEX - EPL's - 02-2018 Rev 4

09/10/2018
Training Notes: Disclaimer

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Concept 06-2015 Rev 4 ©ExVeritas® Electrical concepts 1
Electrical Protection Concepts
There are eleven recognised concepts of protection

for use in gas and vapour atmospheres.
These are detailed in the IEC 60079 series of

Standards
‘Electrical Equipment for use in Explosive
Atmospheres’.
Concepts (06-2015 Rev 4) 1

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Protection Methods
• There are four basic methods utilised in order to

avoid un-controlled ignitions.
• Exclusion of the flammable substance.

• Prevention of component sparks or hot surfaces.
• Explosion quenching.
• Energy limitation.
• By applying individually or in combination, the
following protection concepts are applied to
equipment in order to achieve this.
FLAMEPROOF (Ex d)
German ‘druckfeste’ Explains the use of the letter ‘d’
Contains explosions and prevents propagation

Applications: Switchgear, motors, lights
• ATEX CATEGORY 1(EPL Ga) if Ex da

• Permitted in zones 0, 1 & 2
• ATEX CATEGORY 2(EPL Gb) if Ex db
• Permitted in zones 1 & 2
• ATEX CATEGORY 3 (EPL Gc) if Ex dc
• Permitted in zones 2

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FLAMEPROOF
• Works on the principle that gas is allowed into the
enclosure and if ignited, the hot gases will pass
through the parallel flamepath to the outside and
will cool down prior to exiting the flamepath.
• The hot gases leaving the enclosure will not ignite
the flammable gases outside the enclosure.
• The enclosure has to be strong enough not to
fracture or distort under the internal pressures
generated.
Flameproof Ex d
(Quenching)
Flamepath
Flamepath
Flamepath Length of flamepath

Dependent on volume
of enclosure and gas
group
The maximum experimental safe gap (MESG) for the

various gases and vapours is given in IEC 60079-20-
1:2010 .

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MESG
• The maximum experimental safe gap (MESG) relates
to the quenching of an explosion occurring in an
enclosure by causing the hot gases to flow through
narrow parallel surfaces.
• The MESG is related to the maximum allowable gap
between parallel surfaces that will prevent a flame
from propagating through the parallel plates.
Flameproof Ex d
The level of pressure created by the explosion that
may occur within the enclosure is dependent on the
equipment fitted in the enclosure.
A large enclosure with very little equipment fitted will
have a greater volume of potentially explosive gas.
Poorly designed enclosures and enclosures that have
too much equipment fitted internally can be subject to
pressure piling.
If two enclosures are connected by a conduit, an
explosion of a gas in one of the compartments travels
through the conduit into the next enclosure.
Pressure Piling
• The pressure of the 'primary' explosion together with
the pressure from the 'secondary' explosion in the other
compartment produces one huge explosion that the
equipment cannot handle.
• A particular version of such a vessel configuration, or
geometry, can be represented as two or several
interconnected boxes much like the rooms in a building.
• A comparable but more complex situation may occur
inside electrical enclosures where numerous wires,
circuits and other components effectively restrict the
flow of gas.

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Pressure Piling
Enclosure 1 = P1 Enclosure 2 = P2
Ignition Source
Enclosure 2 = P2 + P1
Pressure Piling
Pressure Piling
• To avoid this effect, interconnecting enclosures must

remain separated by:
a) Sealing any conduits between the enclosures.
b) The use of barrier glands on cables going into the
enclosure.
c) Comply with manufacturers instructions

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Pressure Piling-Stopped
Enclosure 1 = P1 Enclosure 2 = P2
Ignition Source Interconnecting compartments

are sealed
Flameproof Ex d: Flamepath Types
The constructional joints are referred to as

flamepaths.
Several common Flamepaths are:

• Flange
• Threaded
• Spigot
• Cylindrical
• Labyrinth
• Cement, which is used for holding in glass in
enclosures.
Flange

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Flanged Joint- principle
Flange Flamepath no ‘o’ ring
Flange Flamepath
Bolts
Certification Label
Threaded

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Thread Joint
Spigot Flamepath on a Motor
Cylindrical

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Flameproof Motor Cylindrical (Shaft Gland) Joint
Housing And
Bearing Cover
Drive End
Motor Of Motor
Interior Exterior
Grooves Bearing
Length
for
Rotor of seals
Shaft Flamepath-
uninterrupted
Flameproof Motor Labyrinth Joint
Motor Drive End

Interior Of Motor
Exterior
Ex d Flange Enclosure with Window
Cement

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Ex d box with ‘O’ ring (gasket)
Flamepath
Gasket

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Flameproof Ex d
• No modifications can be carried out on the enclosure

e.g. no extra holes can be drilled;
• No additions to the interior.
• No removals to the interior layout;
• The concept is about geometry (the layout), if you
change anything you effect the geometry.

09/10/2018
Pro’s Cons
• Good heavy box (robust) • Material choice limited
• Common concept • Impractical in IIC (Flange)
• Best solution for high power • Maintenance and inspection
sparking required
• No live maintenance
• Inflexible: content and holes
as specified in documentation
• Glands and accessories
complex
• More cost than other
concepts i.e. Ex e
Pressurisation Ex p
• ATEX CATEGORY 2 (EPL Gb) if Ex pxb
• ATEX CATEGORY 2 (EPL Gb) if Ex pyb
• ATEX CATEGORY 3 (EPL Gc) if Ex pzc
• Permitted in zone 2
Excludes gas by positive pressure(50Pa) e.g. 0.5mbar
Includes continuous dilution and static pressure
Applications: Control cabinets, analyser units and
analytical instruments, motors
PRESSURISATION Ex ‘p’
(Exclusion)
Fresh air drawn from non-hazardous

location

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Pressurisation Ex p
• The technique of pressurising and purging enclosures
of electrical apparatus is to prevent the ingress of a
flammable atmosphere.
• Keeps the explosive atmosphere away from any
source of ignition (thermal or electrical).
Pressurisation Ex p
• Explosive gas mixture may have entered the
enclosure prior to the positive pressure being
achieved.
• The enclosure is ‘purged’ to flush out the existing
contents and ensure that all areas of the enclosure
contain only the purging gas.
• When the purging has been completed, power can
still not be applied until the specified positive
pressure has been achieved.
Pressurisation Ex p
Ex d
controller
The panel is classified as:

Ex d purge control unit
Ex p pressurized control
panel
Control panel

09/10/2018
Pressurisation Ex p
• Type pxb: purging requires that if the enclosure
pressure is lost, the supply is automatically
disconnected on loss of purge pressure and a re-purge
is required before the supply is restored. (zone 1)
• Type pyb: purging does not require supply
disconnection on loss of pressure but the equipment in
the purged enclosure has to be suitable for at least a
zone 2 (zone 1 use overall). e.g. certified equipment.
• Type pzc: purging, because of the lower level of risk,
requires only an indication of loss of purged pressure.
E.g. alarm. Suitable for zone 2 only.
Pressurisation Ex p
• Determination of type of protection (with no flammable
release inside the enclosure)
ATEX EPL Enclosure contains Enclosure does

Category ignition sources not contain
ignition sources
2G Gb Type pxb Type pyb
3G Gc Type pxb or pzc No pressurisation

required
IEC 60079-2 requires that ‘py’ equipment will only contain certified
equipment e.g. ‘d’, ‘e’, ‘i’, ‘m’, ‘nA’, ‘nC’, ‘o’ or q

09/10/2018
Purge times
• Purge times are set
during the testing of the
enclosure and as part of
the certification cannot
be altered.
• If a shorter purge time
is required then re-
certification of the
enclosure or cabinet
will have to be carried
out.
Pro’s Cons
• Used on large • Sealing is paramount

enclosures • Purge time critical
• Used in zone 1 and 2 • Purge control unit must
be certified
INCREASED SAFETY (Ex e)
• ATEX CATEGORY 2(EPL Gb) if Ex eb

• ATEX CATEGORY 3(EPL Gc) if Ex ec
Prevents sparking and hot spots
Applications: Motors, lights and terminal boxes

09/10/2018
Increased Safety Ex e
(No arcs, sparks or hot surfaces)
Gasket Seals
Ex e (increased safety) enclosures
7 J minimum impact Minimum of IP54
No arcs No excessive
or temperatures
sparks
• Ingress protection IP54, normally >IP65.

• Can be Glass Reinforced Plastic (GRP) or metal i.e.
stainless steel
• Impact resistant to 7J (7Nm)
• Solvent resistant
• It is a German development (Erhöhte Sicherheit),
which explains the use of Ex ‘e’ as its concept
symbol.

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The apparatus must not arc, spark, or produce
ignition capable hot surfaces in normal operation
The enclosure protects the equipment inside from
the environment.
Terminals and Connection Facilities

All electrical connections, whether within the
equipment and those to for connection to external
electrical conductors, are important as any failure, even
partial, can give rise to sparking.
Creepage
The creepage is defined as shortest

distance on the surface of an insulating
material between two conductive
elements.
Clearance
The clearance is defined as shortest

distance through the air between two
conductive elements.

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Ex de Emergency Stop
• The outer casing and

the terminals on the
switch are Ex e.
• The switch itself is Ex d.
New Marking
• Equipment was marked as:

• Ex e II T*
• Where II indicates any gas group e.g. IIA, IIB or IIC
• Has now become
• Ex eb (or ec) IIC T*
Pro’s Cons
• Good enclosure >IP65 • No live maintenance

• Cables and terminals and • Requires high level of
junction boxes more competence in installation
serviceable than Ex d maintenance and inspection

09/10/2018
LIQUID (OIL) IMMERSION Ex o
ATEX CATEGORY 2 & 3

EPL Gb & Gc
Permitted in zones 1 & 2
Protection by immersion in oil
Applications: transformers
Fairly rare concept
LIQUID (OIL) IMMERSION Ex o

(Exclusion)
POWDER FILLING
(Ex ‘q’)
Powder/Quartz Filling
ATEX CATEGORY 2 & 3
EPL Gb & Gc
Permitted in zones 1 & 2
Protection of high power electronics
Applications: starters for Ex e lighting, capacitors

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POWDER FILLING Ex q
(Quenching)
Encapsulation Ex ‘m’
Protects by immersion in encapsulant

Application: Solenoid valves, power supplies etc.
ATEX CATEGORY 1(EPL Ga) if Ex ma
• Permitted in zones 0,1 & 2
• ATEX CATEGORY 2(EPL Gb) if Ex mb
• ATEX CATEGORY 3 (EPL Gc) if Ex mc
(Exclusion)

09/10/2018
Cable Entry
Encapsulant
Electrical Apparatus Explosive Atmosphere
vEC-01-2013
Concept 06-2015
Rev 3Rev 4 ©ExVeritas® Electrical concepts 61
Type n Protection
ATEX Category 3
EPL Gc
Permitted in zone 2 only
Protection relaxed version of other methods
Application: lights, motors, junction boxes etc.
Type n Protection
The protection concept of Ex ‘n’ is one intended for
use in Zone 2 (CAT 3) hazardous areas only.
Type ‘n’ (Ex ‘n’) apparatus should not be capable of
causing the ignition of an explosive atmosphere in
normal operation.
The equipment must not produce an arc, spark or
surface temperature in normal operation which can
cause ignition of an explosive atmosphere.

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Type n Protection
The following supplementary marking is used for
apparatus producing arcs, sparks or hot surfaces.
• Non sparking Ex nA is now Ex ec

• Restricted breathing Ex nR will become ?
• Simplified pressurization Ex nP is now Ex pzc
• Energy limiting apparatus Ex nL is now Ex ic
• Enclosed break Ex nC is now Ex dc
• Hermetically sealed Ex nC will become ?
• Encapsulated Ex nC is now Ex mc
Please note that Ex n* has/is being renamed/replaced.
Type n* Protection
Type A-Non-sparking
Equipment does not spark in normal operation
Type R- Restricted Breathing
Enclosure designed to restrict, but not totally prevent
the entry of gases. The concept is used on luminaires.
Type L- Energy Limitation
Where circuit components restrict the maximum
available energy in an external circuit to a level
incapable of causing gas ignition. (removed from Ed 4
of IEC 60079-15:2010)
Type nC Protection
Type C-Enclosed Break
Incorporates electrical contacts. It is able to safely
withstand an internal explosion of any flammable gas
that may have entered inside.
Type C- Hermetically sealed
Sparking contacts are safely enclosed within a
hermetically sealed enclosure. The seal may be
soldered, welded, brazed or the fusion of glass to
metal.
Type C- Encapsulation
Electrical devices are sealed within an epoxy resin, gas
cannot reach ignition sources

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Environmental Protection
• The enclosure of the apparatus is required to provide

a suitable degree of ingress protection against entry
of liquids and solids present in the external
environment.
• Outdoor equipment must be at least IP54
Type n Protection Pro’s Cons
• Simple • No live maintenance

• More reliable • Lower level of safety
• Cheaper than other • Acceptable in zone 2
concepts only
SPECIAL
(Ex ‘s’)
• ATEX CATEGORY 1(EPL Ga) if Ex sa

• Permitted in zones 0, 1 & 2
• ATEX CATEGORY 2(EPL Gb) if Ex sb
• ATEX CATEGORY 3 (EPL Gc) if Ex sc
• Permitted in zones 2

09/10/2018
SPECIAL
(Ex ‘s’)
• This method, being by definition special, has no
specific rules.
• In effect it is any method which can be shown to
have the required degree of safety in use.
• The IEC standard is IEC 60079-33.
Optical Radiation
(Ex ‘op’)
Limitation
ATEX CATEGORY 1, 2 or 3
EPL Ga, Gb or Gc
Permitted in zones 0, 1 & 2 as applicable
Applications: Instrumentation/lasers/Lights
Optical Radiation
• Three types of protection can be applied to prevent

ignitions by optical radiation in potentially explosive
atmospheres.
• These types of protection encompass the entire
optical system.
• These types of protection are:

09/10/2018
Optical Radiation
a) Inherently safe optical radiation, type of protection

“op is”,
b) protected optical radiation, type of protection “op
pr”, and
c) optical system with interlock , type of protection
“op sh” .
End of Section

Section 4 ATEX - EPL's - 02-2018 Rev 4

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Training Notes: Disclaimer

Concept 06-2015 Rev 4 ©ExVeritas® Electrical concepts 1

Concept 06-2015 Rev 4 ©ExVeritas® Electrical concepts 2

Electrical Protection Concepts

There are eleven recognised concepts of protection

These are detailed in the IEC 60079 series of

Concept 06-2015 Rev 4 ©ExVeritas® Electrical concepts 3

Concepts (06-2015 Rev 4) 1

• There are four basic methods utilised in order to

• Exclusion of the flammable substance.

Concept 06-2015 Rev 4 ©ExVeritas® Electrical concepts 5

Contains explosions and prevents propagation

Concept 06-2015 Rev 4 ©ExVeritas® Electrical concepts 5

• ATEX CATEGORY 1(EPL Ga) if Ex da

Concept 06-2015 Rev 4 ©ExVeritas® Electrical concepts 6

Concepts (06-2015 Rev 4) 2

Concept 06-2015 Rev 4 ©ExVeritas® Electrical concepts 7

Concept 06-2015 Rev 4 ©ExVeritas® Electrical concepts 8

Flamepath Length of flamepath

The maximum experimental safe gap (MESG) for the

Concept 06-2015 Rev 4 ©ExVeritas® Electrical concepts 9

Concepts (06-2015 Rev 4) 3

Concept 06-2015 Rev 4 ©ExVeritas® Electrical concepts 10

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Concepts (06-2015 Rev 4) 4

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• To avoid this effect, interconnecting enclosures must

Concept 06-2015 Rev 4 ©ExVeritas® Electrical concepts 15

Concepts (06-2015 Rev 4) 5

Ignition Source Interconnecting compartments

Concept 06-2015 Rev 4 ©ExVeritas® Electrical concepts 16

Flameproof Ex d: Flamepath Types

The constructional joints are referred to as

Several common Flamepaths are:

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Concepts (06-2015 Rev 4) 6

Flanged Joint- principle

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Flange Flamepath no ‘o’ ring

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Concepts (06-2015 Rev 4) 7

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Spigot Flamepath on a Motor

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Concepts (06-2015 Rev 4) 8

Flameproof Motor Cylindrical (Shaft Gland) Joint

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Flameproof Motor Labyrinth Joint

Motor Drive End

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Ex d Flange Enclosure with Window

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Concepts (06-2015 Rev 4) 9

Ex d box with ‘O’ ring (gasket)

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Concepts (06-2015 Rev 4) 10

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