Introduction To Basic
Hazardous Area (Ex)
Requirement
Ir. Syed Fadzil Syed Mohamed, P.Eng, CEng
To understand nature of explosive
hazards and hazardous (explosive) area
indicated by the following aspects:
• Hazardous area zone and marking
OBJECTIVES • Flammable materials and ignition
sources
• Basic understanding of explosion
protection
2
WHAT DO YOU UNDERSTAND ABOUT HAZARDOUS AREA?
3
Hazardous Area Definition
A THREE DIMENSIONAL area in which an explosive atmosphere is
present, or may be expected to be present in quantities such as to
require special precautions for the construction, installation and use
of electrical apparatus.
4
Hazardous Area Definition
IS THIS CLASSIFIED AS HAZARDOUS AREA?
5
5
Conditions For An Explosion
Three simultaneous conditions are required and
are often shown in the form of an ignition FIRE /
EXPLOSION Triangle.
Combustion will take place if all three elements,
in one form or another, are present, the gas / air
(oxygen) mixture is within certain limits and the
source of ignition has sufficient energy.
IGNITION SOURCE
6
Conditions For An Explosion
FUEL Gas, Vapour, Mist, Dust
OXYGEN 21% by Volume in the Air
IGNITION SOURCE ▪ Hot surfaces ▪ Radio Frequency (RF)
▪ Flames, hot gases, hot electromagnetic
particles waves
▪ Sparks ▪ Electromagnetic
waves
▪ Electrical equipment
▪ Ultrasonics
▪ Stray electric
currents, cathodic ▪ Adiabatic
corrosion protection compression and
shockwaves
▪ Static Electricity
▪ Exothermic reactions,
▪ Lightning
including self-ignition
▪ Ionizing Radiation of dusts
7
Hazardous Area Classification
ZONE 0
In which an explosive gas-air mixture continuously present, or
present for a long period. Grade of release > 1000 hours per
year.
8
Hazardous Area Classification
ZONE 1
In which an explosive gas-air mixture is likely to occur in normal
operation. Grade of release between 10 hours to 1000 hours
per year.
9
Hazardous Area Classification
ZONE 2
In which an explosive gas-air mixture is unlikely to occur in
normal operation. Grade of release between 1 to 10 hours per
year.
10
Hazardous Area Classification
ZONE 20
A place in which an explosive atmosphere, in the form of a
cloud of combustible dust in air, is present continuously, or for
long periods or frequently for short period.
11
Hazardous Area Classification
ZONE 21
A place in which an explosive atmosphere, in the form of a cloud of
combustible dust in air, is likely to occur occasionally in normal operation.
12
Hazardous Area Classification
ZONE 22
A place in which an explosive atmosphere, in the form of a cloud of
combustible dust in air, is not likely to occur in normal operation but,
if it does occur, will persist for a short period only.
13
Summary Definition of Zones
Occurrence of Gas / Vapor and for How long?
Descriptions How Likely? For how long?
Zone 0 Very likely > 1000 hrs/year
Zone 1 Likely > 10 < 1000 hrs/yr
Zone 2 Not Likely < 10 hrs /year
14
Hazardous Area Zones
2
1
0
Safe Area
15
Examples of Zoning
Petrol Station Forecourt
Safe Area
Zone 2
Zone 1
16
Examples of Zoning
LPG Tanker
Zone 2
Zone 1
Zone 0
17
Examples of Zoning
18
Gas Group
19
Dust Group
20
Flammable/ Toxic Gases
FLASH LEL UEL LEL IGNITION S. G. GAS `T'
POINT % Vol. % Vol. ppm TEMP. Air = 1 GROUP RATING
Deg.. C in Air in Air Deg. C
ACETYLENE <-20 1.5 100 15,000 305 0.9 IIC T2
AMMONIA <-20 15 27 150,000 630 0.59 IIA T1
BENZENE -11 1.2 7.1 12,000 555 2.7 IIA T1
BUTANE <-20 1.5 8.5 15,000 365 2.05 IIA T2
CO <-20 12.5 74.2 125,000 605 0.97 IIA T1
ETHANE <-20 3.0 12.5 30,000 515 1.04 IIA T1
ETHYLENE <-20 2.7 34 27,000 425 0.97 IIB T2
HYDROGEN <-20 4.0 75 40,000 560 0.07 IIC T1
H2S <-20 4.3 40 43,000 270 1.19 IIB T3
METHANE <-20 5.0 15 50,000 595 0.55 IIA T1
PROPANE <-20 2.0 9 20,000 470 1.56 IIA T1
PETROL (60) -43 1.4 7.6 14,000 280 3-4 IIA T3
21
Flammable/ Toxic Gases
22
Temperature Classification
23
Temperature Classification
24
Method of Explosion
Protection
• Exclusion Of Fuel
• Exclusion Of Oxygen
• Exclusion Of Ignition Source
• Combination Of Two Or All
Of The Above
25
Method of Explosion Protection
EXCLUSION OF FUEL
Ex p Purging and pressurising
Ex pD Pressurisation for dust
Ex o Oil filling
Ex q Powder filling
Ex m Encapsulation
Ex nR Restricted breathing
Method of Explosion Protection
EXCLUSION OF OXYGEN
Ex o Oil filling
Ex q Powder filling
Ex m Encapsulation
Ex p Purging and pressurising using inert gas
Method of Explosion Protection
EXCLUSION OF IGNITION SOURCE
(TO EXTERNAL ATMOSPHERE)
Ex i Intrinsically safe
Ex iD Intrinsically safe for dust
Ex d Flameproof/ explosion proof
Ex tD Protection by enclosure
Ex e Increased safety
Ex m Encapsulation
Ex mD Encapsulation for dust
Ex nA Non sparking
Ex nC Protected sparking
Method of Explosion Protection
FLAMEPROOF INCREASED SAFETY
Ex d Ex e
Method of Explosion Protection
INTRINSICALLY SAFE
NON HAZARDOUS AREA HAZARDOUS AREA
Ex i
Method of Explosion Protection
NON SPARKING
Ex nA
Method of Explosion Protection
PRESSURISED ENCAPSULATED
Ex p Ex m
Method of Explosion Protection
OIL FILLED QUARTZ-POWDER FILLING
Ex o Ex q
Principles Involved
Containment of explosion within apparatus
Ex d
Types Of Protection And Explosion Protection
Containment of explosion within apparatus (Ex d)
Hazardous Gas,
Vapor, Dust etc.
Method Of Protection
All Bolts Must Be
Installed
Metal To Metal Joints &
Extra Care must be Taken Tightened
to prevent Corrosion Correctly
Housing “Contains”
Explosion
Conditions For An Explosion
Joints on covers or openings are protected by Does not prevent explosion occurring but contains
the ‘flame-path’. the explosion and prevents ignition of surrounding
atmosphere.
Flame-path
Flame-path
Enclosure Wall
Conditions For An Explosion
All bolts MUST be tightened Flame paths MUST be free
down correctly. from corrosion.
Flame-paths Exd Wellglass
What Type Of Protection To Use?
• The hazardous zones are decided by
authorities (owner), not the equipment
manufacturer.
• Different Protection methods are suitable for
different zones.
Safety Precaution
• Painting and cleaning activities can create an
explosive combination in the presence of oxygen,
through creation of potentially explosive dust
particles.
• Welding process shall be carried out with proper
execution and adequate preparation, as this
technique generates considerable heat.
• Welding process shall not damage features or
components relevant to the protection concepts
and shall not produce things such as stress cracks,
as it can cause potential explosion.
• A safe work permit shall be issued appropriate to
the potential ignition risk created by these
processes. 40
Work Permit
• A safe work procedure can be implemented to
permit ignition sources to be used in a hazardous
area under certain conditions.
• Permits to work are a formal management
system used to control high risk activities.
• These enable an assessment of risks to be made
and to specify control measures which will be put
in place in order to minimise the risk.
• Welding, burning and any other operation which
introduces an ignition source into a hazardous
area requires a Hot Work Permit.
Work Permit
Main features of a work permit for hazardous area:
• Specifying the start date/time of the permit.
• Defining the location of the activity.
• Specifying the nature of the permitted activity (e.g.
Diesel generator, drilling).
• Taking and possible recording measurements to
confirm the absence of an ignitable concentration of
any flammable gas or vapour.
• Specifying sampling requirements to confirm the
continued absence of a flammable gas or vapour.
• Control of possible flammable gas or liquid sources.
• Specifying contingency plans for emergencies.
• Specifying the expiry date/time of the permit.
Gas Detectors
Purpose of Gas Detectors:
• To detect the gas or vapour being monitored.
• To give an indication or an alarm to warn of a hazardous condition.
Limitation of Gas Detectors:
• Susceptible to inhibition of other gases.
• Cannot measure gases with thermal conductivities similar to the reference gas
(i.e. Nitrogen).
• Sensors varies logarithmically with the gas concentration, limits the accuracy of
the sensor and the overall measuring range of the sensor.
• Suffer from sensor drift and humidity effects, making calibration requirements
more demanding.
Apparatus For Zone 0
• Intrinsically Safe Apparatus Type Ex i (a)
• Special for zone 0 Type Ex s
Apparatus For Zone 1
Any Apparatus Suitable for Zone 0 and
• Flameproof Apparatus Type Ex d
• Increased Safety Apparatus Type Ex e
• Intrinsically Safe Apparatus Type Ex i (b)
• Encapsulated Apparatus Type Ex m
• Pressurized Apparatus Type Ex p
• Sand Filled Apparatus Type Ex q
• Special for zone 1 Type Ex s
Apparatus For Zone 2
Any Apparatus suitable for Zone 0 and
Any Apparatus suitable for Zone 1 and
• Non-sparking apparatus Type Ex N
Type Ex n
• Oil Immersed Apparatus Type Ex o
Ingress Protection
Summary Of Explosion Protection Requirement
Summary Of Explosion Protection Requirement
49
Summary Of Explosion Protection Requirement
50
Nameplate Marking
51
IECEx Requirements and Certification
@ Telegram
https://t.me/MyIECEx
52
Thank you for
your kind attention.
Mobile : +60-19-322 3375
