What is Class 1 Div 2? ATEX? IECEx? Do PULS Power Supplies have such approval?

The intention of all Hazardous Location approvals is to minimize the risk of explosion or fire due to sparks or excessive heat.

Below is some industry which would require such approvals:

• Process Industry
• Oil and Gas Industry
• Gas Pumps, Gas Stations
• Food and Beverage
• Mining Industry
•  Water Waste Water Treatment Plant

Strict requirement for: spacing, fuses, relays, connectors, surface temperatures. The normal operation mode and several failures modes have to be investigated.

“The world” does not agree on uniform requirements…thus several approvals is needed.

Class I Div 2

• Class I Div 2 is important for North America and Canada
• It was the first Hazardous Location approval PULS applied for
• Classification in “Classes” (Class IDiv 2)

Applicable standards

UL 1604:

former standard for Class I Div 2 – become obsolete in 2012

ANSI/ISA -12.12.01:

Actually used for Class I Div 2 conformance investigations

ATEX

ATEX is important for Europe (EU-directive 94/9/EG).

• Classification in “Zones” (PULS units are usually Zone 2)
• Applicable standards:EN 60079-0, EN 60079-15
• In the picuture, is an example of ATEX marking on PULS’s CPS20.241 24VDC 20A Power Supply certified for deployment use in hazardous locations Zone 2 Category 3G (II 3G Ex nA nC II T3 Gc)

IECEx-

Scheme

• IECEx is driven International
• Classification in “Zone” similar to ATEX
• Standards: IEC 60079-xx (harmonized standards)
• An IECEx-Scheme is something similar to a CB-Scheme.
• The IECEx-Scheme also follows the EU-directive 94/9/EU (ATEX)
• Beside the European countries, Australia, Canada, China, Brazil, India, Japan, Korea, New Zealand, Singapore, South Africa and the USA belong to the 26 countries within the IECEx-Scheme
• An example of IECEx compliance is PULS’s CPS20.241 24VDC 20A Power Supply certified for use in Class 1 Zone 2 Groups IIa, IIb and IIc (Ex nA nC IIC T3 Gc)

Key Points:

1. From 2005, ATEX and IECEx is technically identical standards for Electrical  Equipment (very few exceptions)
2. Manufacturer’s Self Certification is allowed under ATEX but not under IECEx
3. When using IEC standards a single set of Test and Assessments can be used for both IECEx and ATEX, in accordance with the respective rules
4. An ATEX EC Type Examination can be based on an IECEx ExTR. But ATEX  documentation alone is not sufficient for IECEx
5. QA audits are the same for both IECEx and ATEX.

So as a Power Supply manufacturer which provides solution globally, it is our responsibility to provide the ease of mind for customer in their design and planning for equipment for Class 1 Div 2, ATEX and IECEx requirement.

And… YES! Here in PULS we have our all new CPS20.241 24V, 20A Single Phase Input Power Supply, conform to Class 1 Div 2, ATEX and IECEx Hazardous Location approvals!

So is it going to Class 1 Div 2, ATEX or IECEx for the next project?

Don’t worry as PULS’s CPS 20.241 is ready for all!