Fires and explosions are a major safety concern in industrial plants. Electrical equipment that must be installed in these locations should be specifically designed and tested to operate under extreme conditions. The hazardous location classification system was designed to promote the safe use of electrical equipment in those areas “where fire or explosion hazards may exist due to flammable gases or vapors, flammable liquids, combustible dust, or ignitable fibers of flyings.”
The NEC and CSA define hazardous locations by three classes:
Class 1: Gas or vapor hazards
Class 2: Dust hazards
Class 3: Fibers and flyings
And two divisions:
Division 1: An environment where ignitable gases, liquids, vapors or dusts can exist
Division 2: Locations where ignitables are not likely to exist
Hazardous classes are further defined by groups A, B, C, D, E, F, and G:
A. Acetylene
B. Hydrogen
C. Ethlene, carbon monoxide
D. Hydrocarbons, fuels, solvents
E. Metals
F. Carbonaceous dusts including coal, carbon black, coke
G. Flour, starch, grain, combustible plastic or chemical dust Continue reading
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