Explosion protected apparatus categories

Some years ago, Directive 94/9/EC (the so-called ATEX 100a Directive ), dated 1994-03-23 (following the title in French Atmospheres explosibles. .. and referring to article 100a of the Treaties of the European Community), introduced categories of explosion protected apparatus to give a guideline for their installation with respect to the risks that may be expected in different locations exposed to combustible atmospheres (Table 2.3). 

For maintenance or repair of explosion protected apparatus, three categories may be differentiated ... 

Until 1999, there exists no international standard for explosion protected electrical apparatus intended for the application in zone 0. Intrinsically safe circuits according to IEG 60079-11 and EN 50020, category ia, seemed to be an appropriate type of protection for zone 0 for some time. In the same way, for coal mines the first international standard describing the requirements for electrical apparatus that are intended for operation in the presence of methane/coal dust-air mixtures was prepared in 2000. 

Explosion protected electrical equipment for zone 1 (Group II, category 2 G) and the classical firedamp-proof apparatus for coal mines (Group I, category M2) are covered by the B module (EC-type examination) and by the C module (conformity to type) or the E module (product quality assurance). Alternatively, with respect to the B module, the notified body issues an EC-type examination certificate (in German EG-Baumusterpriifbescheinigung), whose marking mainly includes ... 

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See also in sourсe #XX -- [ ]

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