Académique Documents
Professionnel Documents
Culture Documents
CLASSIFICATION OF AND
PROTECTION FOR HAZARDOUS LOCATIONS
Note: The source of the technical material in this volume is the Professional
Engineering Development Program (PEDP) of Engineering Services.
Warning: The material contained in this document was developed for Saudi
Aramco and is intended for the exclusive use of Saudi Aramcos employees.
Any material contained in this document which is not already in the public
domain may not be copied, reproduced, sold, given, or disclosed to third
parties, or otherwise used in whole, or in part, without the written permission
of the Vice President, Engineering Services, Saudi Aramco.
Chapter : Electrical
File Reference: EEX-208.01
Engineering Encyclopedia
Content
PAGE
INTRODUCTION............................................................................................................. 3
PRINCIPLES OF COMBUSTION.................................................................................... 4
Fire Triangle ......................................................................................................... 4
Flammable and Combustible Liquids.................................................................... 5
Ignition Temperature ............................................................................................ 6
Explosive Range................................................................................................... 9
POTENTIAL IGNITION SOURCES IN A HAZARDOUS LOCATION ............................ 12
Arcs and Sparks ................................................................................................. 13
Hot Surfaces....................................................................................................... 14
HAZARDOUS LOCATION CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM ........................................... 15
Factors Used To Determine The Classification Of A Location............................ 15
Specific Location Classifications......................................................................... 16
Class I Hazardous Locations ................................................................... 16
Groups................................................................................................................ 16
Divisions ............................................................................................................. 19
Class I, Division 1 .................................................................................... 19
Class I, Division 2 .................................................................................... 20
Differences Between Class I, Class II, And Class III Hazardous
Locations ............................................................................................................ 21
PROTECTION METHODS FOR ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT ...................................... 24
Fundamental Protection Philosophy ................................................................... 24
Confining the Explosion ...................................................................................... 25
Isolation .............................................................................................................. 26
Energy Limitation................................................................................................ 27
Engineering Encyclopedia
Miscellaneous..................................................................................................... 27
Summary of Protection Techniques and Their Application ................................ 28
GLOSSARY .................................................................................................................. 30
ADDENDUM A .............................................................................................................. 32
LIST OF FIGURES
Figure 1. Fire Triangle .................................................................................................... 4
Figure 2. Flash Points of Common Flammable and Combustible Liquids ...................... 6
Figure 3. Ignition Temperature of Common Vapors and Gases ..................................... 8
Figure 4. Ignition Temperatures of Common Chemical Dusts........................................ 9
Figure 5. Upper and Lower Flammable (Explosive)
Limits for Common Vapors and Gases ................................................................. 10
Figure 6. Ignition Energy vs. Volume Concentration for Propane and Hydrogen ......... 11
Figure 7. Minimum Energy Needed to Ignite Common Flammable Gases................... 12
Figure 8. Group Classifications of Common Flammable Gases and Vapors............... 18
Figure 9. Summary of Class I, II, III Hazardous Locations ........................................... 23
Figure 10. Summary of Protection Techniques ............................................................ 28
ii
Engineering Encyclopedia
INTRODUCTION
Saudi Aramco operates a number of plants and facilities that
contain hydrocarbons and other flammable materials. The
electrical equipment that is installed in these plants and facilities
must be designed to minimize the risk of fire and explosion. In
order to perform tasks that relate to the design, specification,
and commissioning of electrical equipment that is to be installed
and operated in locations subject to explosion and fire, the
Engineer must understand the following topics discussed in this
module:
Principles Of Combustion
Potential Ignition Sources
Principles Of Combustion
Hazardous Location Classification Scheme
Protection Methods For Electrical Equipment
Engineering Encyclopedia
PRINCIPLES OF COMBUSTION
This section provides information on the following topics that
pertain to the principles of combustion:
Fire Triangle
Flammable and Combustible Liquids
Ignition Temperature
Explosive Range
Fire Triangle
Fires and explosions result from the chemical reaction among
the three elements shown in Figure 1:
Fuel
Oxygen
Heat (Ignition Source)
Fuel
Heat
(Ignition
Source)
Oxygen
Figure 1. Fire Triangle
Engineering Encyclopedia
Engineering Encyclopedia
Flash Point
Material
Acetone
Benzene
Di-isobutylene
Fuel Oils
Gasoline
Heptane
Jet Fuels
A and A-1
B and JP4
JP5
JP6
Methanol
Toluene
Xylenes
-4
12
23
100 to 270
-45
25
-110 to 150
-10 to 30
95 to 145
100
52
40
81
-20
-11
-5
38 to 132
-43
-4
-43 to 66
-23 to -1
35 to 63
38
11
4
27
Engineering Encyclopedia
Engineering Encyclopedia
869
581
928
550
1128
736
882
410
494
505
536 to 880
399
437
968
500
464
475
446
999
725
550
842
896
986
465
305
498
288
609
391
472
210
257
236
280 to 471
204
225
520
260
240
246
230
630
385
288
450
480
530
Engineering Encyclopedia
824
1022
824
784
770
518
860
572
428
440
550
440
420
410
270
460
300
220
Engineering Encyclopedia
Lower Limit
Upper Limit
2.5
2.5
1.3
1.6
12.5
0.8
3
0.7
1.4
1.05
1.1
4
4
1.3
0.6
5
6
1.1
2.1
1.2
1.1
13
100
7.9
8.4
74
4.8
12.5
5
7.6
6.7
7.5
75
44
8
3.7
15
36
5.9
9.5
7.1
7
10
Engineering Encyclopedia
Material.
Concentration.
Propane-air, 1 ATM
1.0
0.1
Hydrogen-air, 1 ATM
0.01
10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
11
Engineering Encyclopedia
Acetylene
Hydrogen
Ethylene
Methane
0.017
0.017
0.08
0.3
12
Engineering Encyclopedia
13
Engineering Encyclopedia
14
Engineering Encyclopedia
of
the
location
under
15
Engineering Encyclopedia
16
Engineering Encyclopedia
17
Engineering Encyclopedia
Material
Acetone
Acetylene
Benzene
Butane
Carbon Monoxide
Ethane
Ether
Fuel Oils
Gasoline
Heptane
Hexane
Hydrogen
Hydrogen Sulfide
Methane
Methanol
Naphtha
Propane
Toluene
Group Designation
D
A
D
D
C
D
C
D
D
D
D
B
C
D
D
D
D
D
18
Engineering Encyclopedia
Divisions
The criterion for designating a location as a Class I hazardous
location is the probable presence of flammable gases or vapors
in a location where electrical equipment is intended to be
installed. Once the decision is made to classify a location, the
location is assigned a group designation according to the
specific gas or vapor that is present in the location. The final
description of a Class I hazardous location is to designate the
location Division 1 or Division 2. This final classification must
consider the likelihood or probability of the presence of a
combustible gas or vapor during normal operations.
Class I, Division 1
As defined in API Recommended Practice 500 (RP 500), Class
I, Division 1 locations are locations that meet one or more of the
following criteria:
Ignitable concentrations of flammable gases or
vapors exist under normal operating conditions.
Ignitable concentrations of flammable gases or
vapors may exist frequently because of repair or
maintenance operations or because of leakage.
Breakdown, faulty processes, or faulty operation of
equipment might lead to the release of ignitable
concentrations of flammable gases or vapors and
might also be the cause of simultaneous failure of
electrical equipment that could become a source
of ignition.
Additionally, API Recommended Practice 500 (RP 500) provides
the following examples of locations that would be classified as
Class I, Division 1:
Locations where volatile flammable liquids or
liquefied flammable gases are transferred from
one container to another.
Interior locations
solvents are used.
where
volatile
flammable
19
Engineering Encyclopedia
Locations containing
flammable liquids.
open
tanks
of
volatile
20
Engineering Encyclopedia
21
Engineering Encyclopedia
22
Engineering Encyclopedia
Divisions
Classes
I - Gases,
Vapors, and
Liquids
Groups
A: Acetylene
B: Hydrogen, etc.
C: Ether, etc.
1
Explosive
concentrations may
be normally present
and are hazardous.
Explosive
concentrations are
not normally present
(but may
accidentally exist).
Ignitable quantities
of dust normally is
or may be in
suspension, or
conductive dust
may be present.
D: Hydrocarbons, fuels,
solvents, etc.
II - Dusts
E: Metal dusts
(conductive* and
explosive)
F: Carbon dusts (some
are conductive, * and
all are explosive)
G: Flour, starch, grain,
combustible plastic or
chemical dusts
(explosive)
Textiles, woodworking,
Ignitable
etc. (easily ignitable, but concentrations may
not likely to be explosive) be present as a
result of fibrous
material being
handled or used in
manufacturing.
A location where
flyings or fibers are
stored or handled in
storage (exclusive
of manufacturing).
* Note: Electrically conductive dusts are dusts with a resistivity less than
105 ohm-centimeter.
Figure 9. Summary of Class I, II, III Hazardous Locations
23
Engineering Encyclopedia
24
Engineering Encyclopedia
2.
25
Engineering Encyclopedia
Isolation
There are several equipment design techniques that may be
used to satisfy the objective of the isolation method: to isolate
the ignition source from the flammable mixture. Techniques
include oil immersion, sealing and restricted breathing, potting,
and encapsulation. The most common technique is
pressurization, also known as purging. This technique is based
on maintaining a pressure within the enclosure using a
protective gas, normally air, at a level higher than the external
pressure. Any flow, therefore, is from within to the outside
atmosphere such that no externally present flammables can
enter the enclosure. The three levels of protection are as
follows:
1.
2.
3.
26
Engineering Encyclopedia
Energy Limitation
The energy limitation method has two techniques that may be
applied: intrinsic safety and non-incendivity. The former is
intended for use in Division 1 hazardous locations while the
latter is intended for use in Division 2 hazardous locations. For
intrinsic safety, two levels of protection are provided if we
assume that two faults must occur within the circuitry to cause
an increase in the energy levels present. But even after two
faults, or one fault with the application a factor of safety of 1.5
to voltage, current, or a combination of both as appropriate, no
ignition of the test gas is allowed. The intrinsic safety technique
is sensitive to group classifications of hazardous locations since
it is based on ignition energy, which increases from Group A to
Group D.
Miscellaneous
Several miscellaneous protection techniques are used which do
not fit into any of the above categories. These techniques
include:
Increased safety
Dust-ignitionproof
Continuous dilution
27
Engineering Encyclopedia
Summary of Protection
Techniques and Their Application
Figure 10 provides a summary of the various protection
techniques and locations where they may, and may not be
used.
Non-Haz
Zone 2
Zone 1
Zone 0
Special Protection
Ex s
Some
Intrinsic Safety
Ex ia
Intrinsic Safety
Ex ib
Flameproof
Ex d
Pressurized
Ex p
Increased Safety
Ex e
Encapsulation
Ex m
Hermetic Seal
Ex h
Type N, Non-incendive
Ex n
Restricted Breathing
Ex n
Unprotected Electrical
Equipment
Some
28
Engineering Encyclopedia
29
Engineering Encyclopedia
GLOSSARY
AIT
combustible liquid
explosionproof
flammable liquid
flying
grade level
hermetically sealed
MESG
MIE
propagation
pyrophorics
30
Engineering Encyclopedia
SIT
vapors
volatile
31
Engineering Encyclopedia
ADDENDUM A
TABLE OF CONTENTS
API Recommended Practice 500 (RP 500) Section 4 - Classification Criteria
API Recommended Practice 500 (RP 500) Section 5 - Extent of a Classified Location
32