IEC Standards+ on equipment protection for explosive atmospheres
14 May 2009
A popular IEC International Standard that concerns protection against unwanted industrial explosions is now available as an IEC Standards+ Redline version.
S+ IEC 60079-18, Explosive atmospheres - Part 18: Equipment protection by encapsulation "m", includes the new third edition of this important International Standard with an annexed "marked up" version that shows what has been changed since the previous edition.
This part of IEC 60079 was developed by IEC Technical Committee 31: Equipment for explosive atmospheres, and provides specific requirements for the construction, testing and marking of electrical equipment, parts of electrical equipment and Ex components with the "m" type of protection encapsulation intended for use in explosive gas atmospheres or explosive dust atmospheres. It applies only for encapsulated electrical equipment, encapsulated parts of electrical equipment and encapsulated Ex components where the rated voltage does not exceed 11 kV. The application of electrical equipment in atmospheres that may contain explosive gas as well as combustible dust simultaneously may require additional protective measures. Encapsulation "m" is a type of protection whereby parts that are capable of igniting an explosive atmosphere by either sparking or heating are enclosed in a protective compound in such a way as to avoid ignition of a dust layer or explosive atmosphere under operating or installation conditions.
Chris Agius, Executive Secretary of IECEx, the IEC System for Certification to Standards Relating to Equipment for Use in Explosive Atmospheres, said: "Having the third edition of IEC 60079-18 as an IEC Standards+ will be a tremendous help for the International Ex community, providing Ex equipment manufacturers, certification bodies and testing laboratories with an immediate and accurate means of identifying changes from the previous edition of the standard. Since all changes are clearly highlighted, users can in turn make the necessary modifications to their procedures and equipment, without the time-consuming process of sitting down and comparing word for word the old edition and the new. Furthermore, the comparison process needs only to be done once rather than for each manufacturer and certifier having to repeat the process for their respective organisation. The fact that it is issued as an IEC publication provides the necessary level of authority and confidence that industry needs."
The IEC is the world’s leading organisation that prepares and publishes International Standards for all electrical, electronic and related technologies and that manages global conformity assessment systems.
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