Features

Plant and maintenance engineers use infrared temperature measurement devices, both handheld and fixed/online versions, as non-contact, relatively low cost, preventive maintenance tools. These devices accurately monitor, control and manage process temperatures and help to locate ‘hot spots’ on critical process plant, machinery and electrical connections – without having to interrupt production. Using an online infrared sensor is beneficial in applications where the temperature of an object, material, surface or liquid is critical to the production process. When selecting the most suitable temperature measurement device for the application, engineers need to carefully consider their measurement requirements. Infrared...

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To ensure safety, the use of electric motors and low voltage AC drives in areas with combustible dust is regulated by the ATEX directives; these environments can be just as hazardous as atmospheres with gas. Low voltage AC drives used with electric motors can offer significant process improvements and energy savings for pumps, fans and other equipment used in dusty environments. These benefits are the same as those achieved in applications in ordinary, non-hazardous areas. There are several ways to secure safe running of motors and low voltage AC drives in dusty environments. Combustible dust is an insidious hazard. Sometimes its presence may even be known, but ignored because we don’t think of...

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DSEAR & Dust Hazards - Where are we today?

In 2007 I wrote an article for HazardEx titled ‘There’s more to DSEAR than risk assessment’ which discussed the procedures required to gain compliance with DSEAR, three years on it is interesting to review how we have progressed and to consider what has actually been completed by many companies to gain such compliance. Based on the experiences in the intervening period it has become evident that there are certain commonalities in the approach taken by companies striving to reach a perceived compliance end point and also in the way in which they view the legislation. Not all the companies I have dealt with are clear on what is required of them and in many cases have a very poor understanding of the legislation and the...

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Design criteria for dust ignition fans

As with perhaps the more common gas ignition fans, the design of Dust Ignition Fans is now covered by EN 14986:2007. This European standard sets out the design and manufacturing standards required to reduce the risks of industrial fans becoming potential ignition sources in gas and/or dust laden atmospheres. Generally, the process of supplying such fans begins with an enquiry, including a technical specification. It is often at this stage where things become problematical. The first problem is identifying correctly the Zone and Category of equipment that is required. The zoning of areas is a subject in its own right but once the zone has been assigned, the relevant category of equipment can be...

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