IEC 60079 Explosive Atmospheres, Equipment, and Protection Methods

IEC 60079 Introduction

Oil and gas, petrochemical, mining, pharmaceutical, and chemical processing industries usually operate in an environment that may be in the presence of flammable gases or combustible dust that is combustible. The ignition source can be sparks, arcs, or high temperatures of surfaces of electrical equipment at such hazardous locations. The technical specifications of equipment construction, principles of protection (e.g., flameproof enclosures, intrinsic safety, pressurization, etc.), segregation of hazardous areas, and inspection process are given in IEC 60079. The use of IEC 60079 allows companies to ensure safety in the utilization of equipment and minimize the risks of explosion, fire, and catastrophic failures.

Get Certified IEC 60079 for Hazardous Area Safety

The IEC 60079 certification does not only show that equipment and installations meet internationally accepted explosion-protection requirements but also assures that the equipment and installations are also in accordance with the standards of a certified equipment certification. Certified compliance helps in ensuring operational safety, assists in the approvals of operations, reduces the likelihood of accidents, and ensures that the electrical systems in risky locations operate safely. It also enhances the confidence of the stakeholders in the risky industrial setups.

IEC 60079 Requirements and Implementation Procedure

Scope of IEC 60079

• It gives specifications of equipment to work in explosive gas and dust atmospheres. Discusses design, testing, installations, inspection, and maintenance. 
• Defines protection measures which include flameproof (Ex d), intrinsic safety (Ex i), and higher safety (Ex e). 
• Handles classification and equipment marking of hazardous areas. 

IEC 60079 Equipment and Sample Preparation

Applications of IEC 60079

• Refineries and drilling stations for oil and gas. 
• Processing of chemicals and petrochemicals. 
• Pharmaceutical production plants. 
• Mineral processing plants and coal mines. 
• Industries are prone to dust and grain handling. 
• Storage and distribution of fuel.

IEC 60079 Common Challenges and Troubleshooting

Problems can undermine the integrity of protection and present ignition hazards. An inspection process, proper choice of equipment, compliance with installation requirements, and regular checks of certification will help overcome these issues and provide continuous adherence.

IEC 60079 Technique, Process, and Data Collection

IEC 60079 evaluation is the testing and confirmation of equipment that is to be used in explosive atmospheres to confirm that the equipment does not provide a source of ignition. This starts with hazardous area classification and choice of suitable methods of explosion protection, including flameproof enclosures, intrinsic safety, increased safety, or pressurisation. Under controlled laboratory conditions that are representative of explosive gas or dust conditions, equipment samples are tested for constructional assessment, temperature rise, ingress protection, and spark ignition.

IEC 60079 Analysis Results and Interpretation

Compliance testing is done based on the performance of equipment in simulated explosive atmospheres, temperature rise limits, enclosure integrity, and ignition protection efficiency. The effective performance testifies to the fact that the equipment does not emit sparks, arcs, or very high temperatures that may ignite the surrounding air. Failure to follow the requirements of protection is an indication of non-conformance and must be corrected by redesigning or modifying the installation.

IEC 60079 Problem & Solution

Problem:
Electrical equipment that works under hazardous conditions may serve as a source of ignition, which can cause explosions, fires, and dangerous safety incidents.

Solution:
IEC 60079 gives standardized criteria on equipment with explosion protection and practices of installations that guarantee safe functioning under explosive atmospheres and reduce industrial hazards.

IEC 60079 Factors to Consider

Safety

The adherence to the explosion protection techniques is the most important to extinguish the ignition in hazardous environments.

Expertise

There is a need to have qualified engineers and certified inspectors to aid in the proper classification of hazardous areas, equipment selection, and maintenance.

Cost

Although in the short term, certified explosion-protected equipment is costlier than ordinary equipment, it aids in the prevention of catastrophic accidents, loss of operations, and costly fines and penalties imposed by authorities in the long term.