ATEX
- Does Festo also offer complete solutions such as control cabinets and mounting plates for the explosion protection area?
- For which categories of explosive zones does Festo offer products?
- How long has the ATEX directive been in force?
- Why is no IP protection class prescribed for control cabinets?
- Why are service units in the D series only approved for the hazardous areas with regard to gas?
- What is meant by ATEX?
- What does intrinsically safe mean?
- Which equipment category covers which zone?
- What spacing is necessary between terminals that are intrinsically safe and those that are not?
- Is a manufacturer’s declaration required for a module for which all the individual parts have been rated?
ATEX
- Does Festo also offer complete solutions such as control cabinets and mounting plates for the explosion protection area?
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Festo is also an expert in this complex area. Simply contact our specialist staff in the Ready-to-install pneumatics area.
- For which categories of explosive zones does Festo offer products?
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Festo offers products for zones 1, 21 and 2,22.
- How long has the ATEX directive been in force?
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The directive was transposed into German law on 12 December 1996.
This directive finally took effect on 1 July 2003, replacing all previous provisions. - Why is no IP protection class prescribed for control cabinets?
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A control cabinet does not provide any protection against gas penetration. Instead, all equipment in the control cabinet must be rated for the appropriate zone.
- Why are service units in the D series only approved for the hazardous areas with regard to gas?
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All regulators and filter regulators are fitted with a secondary vent from which air can be freely released into the atmosphere and stir up dust.
This is also the case for on/off valve type HEE-... - What is meant by ATEX?
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Explosive atmospheres are a constant hazard in the mining, chemical and petrochemical industries because of the processing techniques used. Such atmospheres can be caused through conditions such as released gases, vapors or mist. Explosive atmospheres should also be anticipated in mills, silos and sugar and feed processing plants. For this reason, electrical equipment in potentially explosive atmospheres is subject to a special directive, ATEX 95 or 94/9/EC. This directive was also extended to non-electrical equipment on 1 July 2003.
ATEX is a working title and is derived from “Atmosphère Explosible” (explosive atmosphere).
ATEX is Directive 94/9/EC dated 23 March 1994 concerning equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres. - What does intrinsically safe mean?
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- The voltage and/or current (power) in an intrinsically safe circuit is so low that a potentially explosive atmosphere cannot be ignited as the result of a short circuit, interruption or earth fault.
- The ignition energy of any spark that may arise is smaller than the minimum ignition energy of the potentially explosive atmosphere.
- Neither a spark nor a thermal effect will ignite the potentially explosive atmosphere.
- Which equipment category covers which zone?
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Equipment category Gas zone Dust zone 1 0 20 2 1 21 3 2 22 - What spacing is necessary between terminals that are intrinsically safe and those that are not?
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The spacing between intrinsically safe terminals and those that are not intrinsically safe must be at least 50 mm.
- Is a manufacturer’s declaration required for a module for which all the individual parts have been rated?
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No, but one can be provided if requested by the customer.