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Explosion proof Equipment

Explosion proof Equipment

Explosion proof Equipment

(OP)
Electric heater to be installed in harzardous area has been offered from supplier. By the way I found it out that it has been tested and certified by UL. I requested supplier to hand in certificate but he said that UL does not issue certificate for that. Is that true ? The product from EU normally is brought with certificate, such as ATEX. I do not how it is dealt with in North America.
Secondly, my tech spec requires 220VAC(+6%/-10%) but it was 240VAC and it works at -10%/+10%. Our power supply is able to vary from +/-2.5%. The -tolerance of power supply(214.5V) is not within - tolerance of heater(216V).
Does it violate international codes or ?

RE: Explosion proof Equipment

It looks like an attempt to use equipment designed for the North American market elsewhere in the world; probably not a good combination.  Given 220V, you probably have issues of 50Hz vs 60Hz for the blower motor.

RE: Explosion proof Equipment

If it is going to Europe install an ATEX-approved product. North American approvals don't carry any weight in Europe, just as European approvals aren't valid in North America. The two approval systems are similar but sufficiently different that there is no direct equivalence between them. Specify equipment according to where it will be installed.
 

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If we learn from our mistakes I'm getting a great education!

RE: Explosion proof Equipment

With a reduction of voltage from 240 to 220 the heat output will be about 84%.
Is your supply 60 Hz.?
A standard motor voltage in North America is 230 volts. You should be safe at 220 volts on a 230 volt motor. There are millions of 230 volt 3 phase motors working happily on 208 volt systems in North America. There is a new standard voltage of 200 volts for 208 volt systems, but millions of 230 volt motors remain in service on 208 volt systems.

Bill
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"Why not the best?"
Jimmy Carter

RE: Explosion proof Equipment

Are you located in the EU ?

If the project is located within a country that has adopted the AtEx directives into national legislation (I assume that that is every EU country barring the most recent accession states) then there is a legal requirement to use only AtEx certified equipment.

I’m a bit rusty on this but I think that the 94/9 EC (equipment) directive prevents suppliers or manufacturer’s placing non-AtEx equipment on the market (so your supplier could be in trouble) and the 99/92 directive (worker safety) directive effectively requires Employers to use only AtEx certified equipment and components.

Is the 220V requirement from a specification or is it the actual system voltage ?  I see a lot of specifications here citing 380/220V and 415/240V but the actual standard distribution voltage in these parts has been 400/230V since 1991.

Hope this helps,

Colin

Clients pay to be told what you think - not what they think (but THEY don't always think that).

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