ISA 60079-0

This standard specifies the general requirements for construction, testing and marking of electrical equipment and Ex components intended for use in explosive atmospheres. Explosive atmospheres are identified by the National Electrical Code^®, ANSI/NFPA 70 as hazardous (classified) locations and include the following specified locations:

• Class I, Zone 0

• Class I, Zone 1

• Class I, Zone 2

• Zone 20

• Zone 21

• Zone 22

Unless modified by one of the standards supplementing this standard, electrical equipment complying with this standard is intended for use in hazardous areas in which explosive atmospheres exist under normal atmospheric conditions of

• temperature –20 °C to +60 °C;

• pressure 80 kPa (0,8 bar) to 110 kPa (1,1 bar); and

• air with normal oxygen content, typically 21 % v/v.

The application of electrical equipment in atmospheric conditions outside this range requires special consideration and may require additional assessment and testing.

NOTE 1 Although the normal atmospheric conditions above give a temperature range for the atmosphere of -20°C to +60°C, the normal ambient temperature range for the equipment is -20°C to +40°C, unless otherwise specified and marked. See 5.1.1.

NOTE 2 In designing equipment for operation in explosive atmospheres under conditions other than the atmospheric conditions given above, this standard may be used for guidance. However, additional testing related specifically to the intended conditions of use is recommended. This is particularly important when the types of protection ‘flameproof enclosure "d"' and ‘intrinsic safety "i"' are applied.

NOTE 3 Requirements given in this standard result from an ignition hazard assessment made on electrical equipment. The ignition sources taken into account are those found associated with this type of equipment, such as hot surfaces, mechanically generated sparks, thermite reactions, electrical arcing and static electric discharge in normal industrial environments.

NOTE 5 Where an explosive gas atmosphere and a combustible dust atmosphere are, or may be, present at the same time, the simultaneous presence of both should be considered and may require additional protective measures.

This standard does not specify requirements for safety, other than those directly related to the explosion risk. Ignition sources like adiabatic compression, shock waves, exothermic chemical reaction, self ignition of dust, naked flames and hot gases/liquids, are not addressed by this standard.

NOTE 6 Such equipment should be subjected to a hazard analysis that identifies and lists all of the potential sources of ignition by the electrical equipment and the measures to be applied to prevent them becoming effective.