Explosion protection equipment

Table 3.7(b) Part B Harmonized European Norms (HN) - explosion protected equipment (Group II apparatus)... 

Table 3.11 lists the notified bodies according to Directive 94/9/EC. It is noteworthy that competence and responsibility of a notified body may be restricted to certain types of explosion protected equipment (e.g. non-electrical apparatus only), to one group only (e.g. Group II) or to a selection of modules, e.g. to quality assurance related modules. The notified bodies are not obligated to cover the complete field of explosion protection. Nevertheless, some notified bodies cover the total range and can provide a single-stop-procedure to their clients. 

As mentioned above, IEC Standards are adopted on a voluntary basis. Thus, compliance with IEC Standards does not guarantee free trading of explosion protected equipment worldwide. Today, mainly two blocks are attainable by compliance only with their own standards ... 

To start with the latter Figs 6.1-6.8 give an impression of environmental conditions at the place of duty for modem explosion protected equipment, and at the same time, they may anticipate its efficiency and power as well as its broad range of application. 

Inspection, maintenance and repair of explosion protected equipment... 

Using higher amounts of alcohols in aqueous buffers may require specific attention regarding explosion protective equipment and environment. The regulations given by the authorities differ from country to country. 

Protection principles focus on the ways and means to exclude equipment and components as ignition sources. Ignition sources are prevented in explosion protected equipment by selecting appropriate materials and by constmctive measures. Another way is to limit the energy level from the equipment to prevent explosion. All these must be verified and confirmed by the appropriate tests. 

Then, the requirements on manufacturers and operating companies of explosion-protected equipment as specified in the Directives 94/9/EC [1] and 99/92/EC [2] are defined. 

The term explosion-protected equipment used in the following covers plants, equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive areas. Explosion-protected vacuum pumps belong to the explosion-protected equipment as well. 

The essential requirements on operating companies of explosion-protected equipment, for example of explosion-protected vacuum pumps, arise from the specifications of Directive 99/92/EC [2]. This directive fixes minimum requirements for improving the safety and health protection of workers who are potentially endangered by explosive atmospheres (section 1, article 1 of the directive). 

The conformity assessment procedure for the proof of the compliance of explosion-protected equipment and protective systems to be supplied with the regulations of the directive is described in annex 11, article 8 of the directive. 

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