Explosion protection

  • Explosion protection

    Explosion-proof products

    Our gear units, motors and gearmotors are ready to face any danger.

  • Explosion protection in accordance with ATEX

    Directive 94/9/EC or as of April 20, 2016 EU Directive 2014/34/EU

    governs explosion protection for all types of devices on the European market.

  • Explosion protection in accordance with IECEx

    The IECEx certification agreement

    ensures mutual recognition of testing for explosion-proof equipment.

  • Explosion protection in accordance with HazLoc-NA®

    Hazardous Location - North America

    certifies products for the North American market with the CSA C/US mark.

Explosion-proof products available worldwide

You need to install explosion-proof products or your system is in a potentially explosive atmosphere? Our products comply with the most important directives and standards worldwide.

Special measures are required for use of systems and machinery in areas with potentially explosive air/gas or air/dust mixtures. Applicable standards and regulations govern the use of equipment within existing hazard zones. The complex, internationally applicable requirements for use of gearmotors, motors or drive electronics in applications in potentially explosive atmospheres are defined for the global market in the most important directives and standards:

  • 94/9/EG (ATEX)
  • IECEx
  • HazLoc-NA® (NEC500 and C22)

Our gearmotors meet the defined requirements for equipment used in potentially explosive atmospheres. Unlike the internationally recognized IECEx regulations or the North American regulations (HazLoc-NA®), the EU directive 94/9/EC (ATEX) also includes non-electrical equipment in explosion protection. We will gladly support you in selecting the appropriate device features – a checklist and inquiry form are available for download:


But which standards and directives do you need to comply with for worldwide use of your system? All the details, the precise worldwide assignment, and an overview of the zones and assignment to equipment categories or EPL (Equipment Protection Levels) are shown here.

Your benefits

  • Safe use

    Due to compliance with worldwide directives and standards for explosion-proof products.
  • Outstanding versatility

    Because our modular system offers numerous explosion-proof motors, gear units and gearmotors.
  • Worldwide availability

    Because our explosion-proof products comply with 94/9/EC (ATEX), IECEx and/or HazLoc-NA®.
  • Certified quality

    Thanks to involvement in the creation of standards, continuous quality control, and innovative research and development.

The directives and standards in detail:

EU directive (ATEX)

Directive for the European market

In the European Union, directive 94/9/EC (on the approximation of the laws of the Member States concerning equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres) describes equipment and protective systems. The ATEX product directive is primarily geared towards manufacturers and/or distributors of products that will be used in potentially explosive atmospheres.

This directive applies to gearmotors and motors, and has been in effect without limitations since July 1, 2003. Other European countries, such as Switzerland, have now fallen in with this regulation.

As of April 20, 2016, it will be replaced by the new 2014/34/EU directive. The EU Parliament passed the directive on February 26, 2014, and published it in late March. There are no fundamental changes or new requirements for design-based explosion protection. The major changes are in the terminology. The EC type examination is now known as the EU type examination, and the EC declaration of conformity has become the EU declaration of conformity. Existing EC type examination certificates will remain valid.

We were one of the first manufacturers to offer appropriate gear units and motors when this directive was introduced, and our products meet the necessary requirements:

The 1999/92/EC directive primarily targets employers and system operators. It stipulates minimum regulations for safety requirements intended to prevent explosion-related accidents. In Germany, for example, this directive was converted to national law with the Ordinance on Industrial Safety and Health (BetrSichV).

Identification of the products:

  • Manufacturer's name and address
  • CE marking
  • Designation of the series and type
  • The serial number, if applicable
  • The year of manufacture
  • The special "Ex" marking for preventing explosions in connection with the identification that indicates the category
  • For equipment group II, the letter "G" (for areas with potentially explosive gas, vapor or mist mixtures)
  • and/or the letter "D" (for areas in which dust could produce potentially explosive atmospheres)

The IECEx certification agreement

Worldwide platform for mutual recognition of certifications

The IECEx certification agreement is seen as a worldwide platform for the mutual recognition of test results for obtaining certification or approval for explosion-proof electrical equipment. It is based on the "IECEx 01 IEC Scheme for the Certification to Standards for Electrical Equipment for Explosive Atmospheres (IECEx Scheme) – Basic Rules" and "ECEx 02 IEC Scheme for the Certification to Standards for Electrical Equipment for Explosive Atmospheres (IECEx Scheme) – Rules of Procedure." These two documents and other IECEx working documents are available free of charge in the IEC online shop at www.iecex.com.

Objectives of the IECEx agreement

The agreement is intended to promote international trade in explosion-proof electrical equipment by eliminating the need for duplicate testing and certifications. The fundamental purpose of the agreement is to verify compliance with the IEC standards for electrical equipment in potentially explosive atmospheres in an internationally recognized form. It must be ensured that these standards are applied by test laboratories (ExTL, Ex-Testing Laboratories) and certification bodies (ExCB, Ex-Certification Bodies) so that assessment of a product's compliance with the standards provides the same results in every country. Our products are certified by the PTB as ExCB in accordance with IECEx, and are available in EPL .b or .c.

Australia and New Zealand:

Australia and New Zealand recognize the IECEx certification directly. In addition, the motors must meet the efficiency requirements defined in MEPS 2006. The motors of the EDR. series meet all these requirements and are registered according to MEPS.

South Korea:

In South Korea, additional KOSHA certifications are also required. Motors of the EDR.. series are certified for gas or dust in EPL b and c. Motors of type EDRE are also registered and certified according to REELS.

Identification of the products:

  • IECEx mark of conformity for motors of the EDR.. series with IECEx certificate of the PTB
  • The name and address of the manufacturer
  • The manufacturer's type designation
  • A serial number
  • The name or ID of the authority that issues the certificate, and the certificate ID in the following form: the last two numbers of the year it was issued, followed by a period, followed by a unique four-digit series of characters for the certificate in that year (e.g. IECEx PTB 11.0041/01)
  • The relevant Ex marking for potentially explosive gas atmospheres or for potentially explosive dust atmospheres
  • All additional information for the relevant protection types

HazLoc-NA® certification

CSA mark for the North American market

HazLoc-NA® (Hazardous Location Northern America) is synonymous with explosion protection in North America, just like ATEX is for Europe and IECEx is for many other countries.

Unlike ATEX and IECEx where the areas in which a potentially explosive atmosphere may be present are divided into zones (0, 1, 2, 20, 21, 22), NEC500 and C22.2 make a distinction between division 1 and division 2, as well as between class I for gas and class II for dust.

Our products for the North American market for use in potentially explosive atmospheres in division 2 are certified by the CSA and bear the CSA logo.

This certification confirms that the motors and options were tested and that they met the applicable standards for safety and/or performance, including the relevant standards defined or managed by:

  • The Canadian Standards Association (CSA)
  • The American National Standards Institute (ANSI)
  • Underwriters Laboratories (UL),
  • NFPA70 (the National Fire Protection Association)

CSA marks are accepted by many manufacturers, retailers, regulators and inspectors in the electrical, gas, building and plumbing sectors throughout the U.S. and Canada.

The EDR.. series motors comply with the two main standards, NEC500 and CSA22.2, as well as the relevant efficiency requirements for the U.S. and Canada.

Identification of the products:

  • CSA mark with fulfillment of efficiency requirement
  • Master Contract No. "170602"
  • Type designation
  • Rated electrical values in volts, horsepower or kW, ampere and rpm
  • Serial number
  • Hazardous Location Designation
    • CLASS I, DIVISION 2, GROUPS A, B, C & D; Temperature Code T3C or T3
    • CLASS II, DIVISION 2, GROUPS F & G.
  • Insulation class
  • Power factor
  • Degree of protection (totally enclosed, fan-cooled)
  • Ambient temperature range
  • Manufacturing location
  • Electrical data of the brake (voltage, current)

Fundamental information about explosion protection

Assignment of products

Zones and assignment of the equipment categories or EPL

Explosion-proof products are assigned according to:

  • The distinction between gas and dust
  • Zones
  • Equipment categories
  • EPL (Equipment Protection Levels)

The motors are divided into different "protection types."

Protection types and IP degrees of protection

Gas atmosphere: Protection type “e”

  • means: Protection through increased safety according IEC/EN 60079-0 and -7
  • Design measures such as adherence to minimum air gaps, attention to air and creepage distances, special enameled wires, and special plastics and insulating materials prevent excessively high surface temperatures and generation of sparks
  • When designing the units and subsequently inspecting them an error must be considered

Gas atmosphere: Protection type "nA"

  • means: Protection (non-sparking) according to IEC/EN 60079-0 and -15
  • Constructive measures and design requirements as for protection type “e”; however, only uninterrupted operation (no error) is considered

Dust atmosphere: Protection type "t"

  • means: Unit protection against dust explosion with housing according to IEC/EN 60079-0 and -31
  • Dust atmosphere: Degree of protection IP65
    • means: dust-tight housing according to IEC/EN 60079-31
    • Dust is unable to enter the motor thanks to its housing design
    • permanent monitoring of the surface temperature, so as to exclude it as an ignition source
  • Dust atmosphere: IP54 degree of protection
    • means: dust-proof housing according to IEC/EN 60079-31
    • The housing design of the motor prevents ingress of dangerous quantities of dust.
    • Permanent monitoring of the surface temperature, so as to exclude it as an ignition source

In addition, we offer gear units with directly mounted motors with flameproof enclosures from ATB NORDENHAM GmbH.

Protection types for gear units

  • Protection type "c": protected by safe construction (design safety), EN13463-1 and -5
  • Protection type "k": Protected by liquid immersion, EN13463-1 and -8

Equipment groups, equipment categories and zones

The relationship between equipment groups, equipment categories and zones

Directive 94/9/EC only defines the basic requirements. The product-specific requirements are defined in the various applicable standards. At the international level, IEC 60079-0 ("Explosive atmospheres - Equipment - General requirements") introduced the EPL (Equipment Protection Level). These Equipment Protection Levels identify suitability of equipment for potentially explosive areas according to the zone classifications.

With the new version of EN 60079-0, issued in 2010, EPLs were also incorporated into European standards. The equipment must be designed with explosion protection measures of different levels depending on the category or EPL.

Close table
Gas (G) Dust (D)
EPL
IEC/EN 60079-0
Category
94/9/EC
Use in zone
1999/92/EC
EPL
IEC/EN 60079-0
Category
94/9/EC
Use in zone
1999/92/EC
Ga 1G 0 Da 1D 20
Gb 2G 1 Db 2D 21
Gc 3G 2 Dc 3D 22
We have stored a table for you here.

Gas groups, dust groups and use of equipment

Gas groups

Group II is reserved for devices for areas with potential risk of gas explosions. Electrical equipment in equipment group II is additionally divided into explosion groups IIA, IIB and IIC. The hazard increases from A to C.

Dust groups

are divided into additional subgroups:

• IIIA – flammable lint

• IIIB – non-conductive dusts

• IIIB – conductive dusts

The expansion of the standards also changes the Ex marking of motors that must be specified on the motor nameplate and elsewhere.

Close table
Protection level Equipment in the group
IIIC
Conductive dusts
IIIB
Non-conductive dusts
IIIA
Flammable lint
ta IP6X IP6X IP6X
tb IP6X IP6X IP5X
tc IP6X IP5X IP5X
We have stored a table for you here.

Overview of explosion-proof equipment

The following table describes the assignment of explosion-proof equipment to equipment group II:

Close table
  Equipment group II
With potentially explosive atmospheres due to gas or dust
Category 1 2 3
Potentially explosive atmosphere1) G D G D G D
Zone 0 20 1 21 2 22
Protection type:
Motor
Gear unit
- -
d, e, i, p
c, k

t
c, k

nA
c, k

t
c, k
  1. 1) G = gas atmosphere, D = dust atmosphere
We have stored a table for you here.

SEW­EURODRIVE only offers products in equipment group II for use in zones 1 and 2, as well as 21 and 22.

Ex markings for motors

With the designation of the explosion protection, you have to distinguish between the designation according to the directive (e.g. II2D) and the designation according to standard (e.g. Ex tb IIIC T120°C Db).

Close table
Old identification Identification according to
  Directive Standard
II2G Ex e II T3 II2G Ex e IIC T3 Gb
II3G Ex nA II T3 II3G Ex nA IIC T3 Gc
II2D Ex tD A21 IP65 T120°C II2D Ex tb IIIC T120°C Db
II3D Ex tD A22 IP54 T120°C II3D Ex tc IIIB T120°C Dc
II3D Ex tD A22 IP65 T120°C II3D Ex tc IIIC T120°C Dc
We have stored a table for you here.

We provide gearmotors and motors for use in potentially explosive atmospheres in accordance with the relevant European standards and IEC regulations. This means that the drives can be used both in the European Union, and in countries that recognize IECEx. This also applies to options and accessories in the explosion-proof version.

Contact SEW-EURODRIVE

Feel free to contact us!

Do you have more questions about SEW-EURODRIVE or need some advice from us? Just send us a message with your questions.

Get in touch now