Electrical Safety in Hazardous Area

Ref: API RP14F API RP 500 OISD Stds & IE rules

Hazardous Area and its Classification

A hazardous area may be defined as an area in which an explosive

atmosphere is, or may be expected to be, present in quantities such as to require special precautions for the construction, installation and use of electrical apparatus.

Area classification is a method of analyzing and classifying the environment where explosive gas atmospheres may occur so as to facilitate the proper selection and installation of apparatus to be used safely in that environment, taking into account gas groups and temperature classes

The main reasons for classifying the installation into hazardous areas To ensure that sources of ignition are segregated from sources of flammable gas or vapor To assist in the appropriate location of air inlets and outlets for ventilation systems or combustion equipment To define the extent of flammable gas level from vents To ensure that life saving appliances, radioactive stores and emergency control points are located in non-hazardous areas, To determine the location of flammable gas detectors To determine the maximum allowable surface temperature for particular areas, To assist in the location of escape routes

Classification of Hazardous Area

The National Electrical code (NEC) describes hazardous locations by Class, group and division: Class - I Class - II Class - III Combustible material in the form of gas or vapour. Combustible material in the form of dust. Combustible material in the form of fibers

Gas Groups Gases and vapours are categorized in terms of their ignition energy or the maximum experimental safe gap (in respect of flameproof protection). This categorization leads to the Gas Groups:
.

American System(Groups)
A B C D

British System(Groups)
IIC IIC IIB IIA

Indian System(Groups) Gases

IIC IIC IIB IIA Hydrogen, Acetylene --do-Ethyline, Ether, Coke Oven gas NH3, CO, Propane, Hexane Metal Dust Coal Dust Grain Dust Butane, Pentane,

E F G

-------

-------

Notes: a) Group I - Covers underground mines (Fire Damp) under all three systems. b) Group IIC is the most severe group. Hazards in this group can be ignited very easily indeed c) Dusts and fibers are also defined in terms of their ignition properties including dust cloud ignition properties.

HAZARDOUS ZONES There are three zones for gases and vapours under British system and also followed in India : Zone-0: An area where flammable substances exist continuously. In other words, flammable atmosphere may be present for long periods or even continuously Zone-1 : An area where flammable substances exist under normal conditions or intermittently due to operation , maintenance in which discharge of flammable gases / vapours is possible, but unlikely to be present for long periods. Zone-2 : Areas in which hazards do not exist normally, but may be encountered during any abnormal condition of handling flammable products. It means that the flammable atmosphere unlikely to be present except for short periods of time typically as a result of a process fault condition

Safe Area
The area not falling under any of the above classified category is to be considered as safe area

Divisions ( American system),

Division 1 Locations where ignitable concentrations of flammable gases or vapour exist under normal operating conditions; or in which ignitable concentrations of such gases or vapour may exist frequently because of repair or maintenance operations;. Division - 2 locations where volatile flammable liquids or flammable gases are handled, processed, or used, but in which the liquids, vapour or gases will normally be confined within closed containers or closed systems from which they can escape only in case of accidental rupture or breakdown of such containers or systems or in case of abnormal operation of equipment;

Safe Area
The area not falling under any of the above classified category is to be considered as safe area

Temperature Classes
When deciding the maximum surface temperature for apparatus which is to operate in an area endangered by a particular gas it should be seen that the maximum surface temperature of the apparatus should not exceed the ignition temperature of the gas or vapour. The permitted maximum surface temperatures of electrical equipment have been classified as below:

T-Classes under all three Standards

T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6

Hazards which will not ignite at temperatures below

450C 300C 200C 135C 100C 85C

Classification of Hazardous areas in oil Mines under Regulation 74 of Oil mines Regulation 1984. No 1(6)2001-Genl/ 3604-375 dated 12th Sept 2001

Well head area

When the derrick is not enclosed and the substructure is open to ventilation, the area in all directions from the base of rotary table extending up to 3m shall be zone2 hazardous area. Any cellar, trenches and pits below the ground level shall be zone-1 hazardous area, the area lying with in 3m in horizontal direction from the edge of any cellar, tenches or pit and 0.5m vertically above the cellar shall be zone-2 hazardous area. When the derrick floor and substructure are enclosed ,the enclosed sub structure below the derrick floor including cellar pits or sumps below the ground level, shall be zone-1 area, the enclosed area above the derrick floor shall be zone-2 hazardous area.

Mud tank/ Channel

The free space above the level of mud in tank and channel shall be zone-1 hazardous area; the area in a radius of 3m in all directions from the edge of mud tank and channel shall be zone-2 hazardous area

Shale shaker
The area within a radius of 1.5m in all directions from the shale shaker in open air shall be zone-1 hazardous area. The area beyond 1,5m and upto 3m in all directions from the shale shaker shall be zone-2 hazardous area. When the shale shaker is located in an enclosure, the enclosed area shall be zone-1 hazardous area to the extent of the enclosure. The area out side Shale shaker and up to 1.5m in all directions from the shale shaker shall be Zone-2 hazardous area.

Degasser
The area with in a radius of 1.5m from the open end of the vent extending in all directions shall be zone-1, the area beyond 1.5m and up to 3m in all directions from the open end of the vent shall be zone-2 hazardous area.

De-sander and De-shilter

The area within a radius of 1.5m in all directions from the de-sander and de-shilter located in open air shall be zone-2 hazardous area

Effluent Pit and open Sump:

The free space above the level of flammable liquid with in the effluent pit or sump shall be zone-1 hazardous area; the free space lying upto 3m in horizontal direction from the edge of any effluent pit or sump and 0.5m vertically above the effluent pit or open sump shall be zone-2 hazardous area.

Oil Wells
1. Flowing Well An area below the ground level shall be zone-1 hazardous area.; the area lying up to 3m in horizontal directions from the edge of any cellar, trenches or pit and 0.5m vertically above the cellar, trenches or sump shall be zone-2 hazardous area. 2. Artificially lifted well An area in wells equipped with sucker-rod pump upto 3m above the ground level and up to 3m horizontally in all directions from the well-head shall be zone-2 hazardous area. In case of cellar, an area below the ground level shall be zone-1hazardous area; the area lying upto 3m in horizontal direction from the edge of any cellars and 0.5m vertically above the cellars shall be zone-2 hazardous area. The area in wells driven with submersible electric motor driven pumps or hydraulic sub-surface pump or gas lift well shall be same as specified in clause B(1) when the well is provided with cellar or sump. Well under production test The area with in a radius of 8m from an open discharge of petroleum bearing fluid from a well under production test, shall be zone-1 hazardous area. The area beyond zone-1 hazardous area for a further distance of 8m in all directions shall be zone-2 hazardous area.

Well servicing operations

The area within a radius of 10m in all directions from a well pulling and other such well servicing shall be zone-2 area. Provided that where cellar or sump is present, the area with the cellar or sump shall be zone-1 hazardous area. And the area lying upto 3m horizontal direction from the edge from any cellars or sump and 0.5m vertically above the cellars or sump shall be zone-2 hazardous area.

Gas Vent
The area within a radius of 1.5m from open end of the vent extending in all directions shall be zone-1 hazardous area, and area lying within a radius beyond zone-1 hazardous area upto 3m of the vent shall be zone-1hazardous area.

Oil and Gas processing and Storage equipment

Oil gas separation Vessel, Fired vessel, Dehydrator, stabilizer hydrocarbon recovery unit; (a) The area within a radius of 3m from any oil-gas separation vessel, fired vessel dehydrator, stabilizer and hydrocarbon recovery unit shall be zone-2 hazardous area. (b) Any trench or pit below ground level shall be zone-1 hazardous area and the area lying up to 3m in horizontal direction from the edge of any trench or pit shall be zone-2 hazardous area.

Gas Vent
The area within a radius of 1.5m from open end of the vent extending in all directions shall be zone-1 hazardous area, and the area lying with in a radius Beyond zone-1 hazardous area upto 3m of the vent shall be zone-2 hazardous area.

Relief Valve
The area within a radius of not less than 3m from discharge of relief valve extending in all directions shall be zone-2 area subject to the condition that there shall be no electrical equipment in the direct path of discharge from relief valve.

Pig Trap
The area with in a radius of 1.5m of pig launching/receiving trap extending in all directions shall be zone-1 area. The area lying beyond zone-1 hazardous area and upto a radius of 3m in all directions from pig launching/receiving trap shall be zone-2 hazardous area.

Pumps/Gas Compressor
(a) Where a pump handling flammable liquid or gas compressor is located in open, air or well ventilated shed without walls, the area lying upto 3m in all directions from pump or compressor shall be zone-2 hazardous area. (b) Where a pump or compressor is located in an adequately ventilated building, the entire interior of such building including an area with in 1.5m of the vent shall be zone-2 hazardous area. Pits, sumps, trenches below the ground level shall be zone-1 hazardous area and the area lying upto 3m in horizontal direction from the edge of any trench or pit and 0.5m vertically above the pit sumps or trenches shall be zone-2 hazardous area..

Storage Tank
(a) In case of a floating roof tank, the space above the floating roof and inside the enclosure upto top level of enclosure wall shall be one zone-1 hazardous area; the area beyond zone-1 hazardous area and up to a radius of 4.5m in all directions from tank shell and shell top be zone-2 area. In case of a dyke, zone-2 hazardous area shall extend vertically up to the height of the dyke and horizontally up to the physical boundary of the dyke. (b) In case of fixed roof tank, the area inside the tank and with in a radius of 1.5m from all openings including breather valve, dip hatch, thief hatch and safety valve shall be zone-1 hazardous area.; the area beyond zone-1 hazardous area and upto radius of 3m in all directions from shell and roof of the tank shall be zone-2 hazardous area. In case of a dyke, the sump in the dyke and horizontally u to physical boundary of the dyke shall be zone-2 hazardous area. General Where ever sampling cock or feed valve is fitted, the area up to 1.5m in all directions from the release point shall be zone-2 hazardous area.

For process plants governed under Factory Act

For process plants and other areas IS: 5572 and OISD-RP-149 should be referred. However, certain examples are given in the table below:
Area Storage vessels Area Classification Zone - 1 within 1.5 m in all directions from the discharge orifice of fixed liquid level gauges, rotary or dip gauges etc. Zone - 2 up to 1.5 m above ground level and within max.30 m of a fixed source of ignition(depending on the capacity of storage vessel) within direct path of discharge. within 1.5 m in all directions from the discharge point. Beyond 1.5 m but within 4.5 m within 1.5 m in all directions from a point of connection or disconnection for loading/unloading. Beyond 1.5 m but within 4.5 m from a point of connection or disconnection. No fixed equipment Zone -1 Zone-2 Zone - 1 Zone - 2 Extent of The Area

Relief valve discharge

Tanker loading unloading

and

Pumps and compressors within 1.5 m in all directions. in outdoor at or above beyond 1.5 m but within 4.5 m in all direction ground level Note: where there exists a high standard of maintenance of pump and pump seals, the extent of hazardous area would be zone -2 upto 1.5 m in all directions. Pumps and compressors The entire room and any adjacent room not separated by a vapour tight indoor with adequate partition ventilation

Zone - 1 Zone - 2

Zone-1

Offshore Applications
For Offshore applications the hazardous area classifications to be done as per provisions of API RP 500

Protecting Electrical Apparatus to make it suitable for use in hazardous areas

Electrical apparatus for use in hazardous areas needs to be designed and constructed in such a way that it will not provide a source of ignition. There are ten recognized types of protection for hazardous area electrical apparatus. Each type of protection achieves its safety from ignition in different ways and not all are equally safe. In addition to the equipment being suitable for the Gas Group and the Temperature Class required, the type of protection must be suitable for the zone in which it is to be installed

Technical Features of various types of protection

method Oil immersion "O" Pressurised enclosure "P" Sand filling "q" Principle and typical applications The ignition source is constantly immersed in oil. Used in switch devices and transformers.

A protective gas contains the ignition source. Used in machines, collector motors, switch cabinets, control rooms, monitors, keyboards and pads and analysers. The fine grained filling surrounds the ignition source and therefore an arc from the inside of the housing cannot ignite the surrounding combustible atmosphere. Used in capacitors, ballasts for lamps and measurement apparatus. If an ignition occurs inside the enclosure, the enclosure must be able to withstand the pressure Flameproof and contain the internal explosion (s-gap width) enclosure Used in heavy current applications, switches and components that arc. This method can be used for load cells, motors and weighing terminals. "d" Increased Measures that reduce the chance of arcing and increased temperatures. No ignition source can safety be present during normal operation. Used in connection systems (motors). "e" Apparatus which in normal operation is not capable of igniting a surrounding explosive Non atmosphere, and in which a fault capable of causing ignition is not likely to occur sparking n Encapsulati The ignition source is embedded in an encapsulating compound in such a way that it cannot on ignite a hazardous explosive atmosphere. "m" Used in measuring apparatus and variable speed drives.

Technical Features of various types of protection (contd)

Intrinsic Safety "i"

The energy in the circuit is limited to values which do not result in unacceptably high temperatures and/or arcs of sufficient energy to cause an explosion. Used in instrumentation and control technology

The Indian standard in intrinsic safety defines two categories: i) Category ia : This category apparatus shall be incapable of causing ignition under normal operation or with a single fault or with any combination of two faults. ii) Category ib : This category apparatus shall be capable of causing ignition under normal operation or with any single fault applied.

Method of Protection
Indian Title Zone of Use 0 Intrinsic Safety* Ex ia Intrinsic Safety* Ex ib Flameproof Enclosure Ex. d Pressurization Ex. p Encapsulation Ex. m Increased safety Ex. e Type N Ex. n 1 2 Intrinsic Ex ia Intrinsic Ex ib European Title Zone of Use 0 Safety 1 2 Intrinsic Safety American Title Division of Use 0 1 2

Safety

No equivalent Explosion-proof Enclosure** Purging Encapsulation No equivalent Non incendive

Flameproof Enclosure Ex. d Pressurization Ex. p Encapsulation Ex. m Increased safety Ex. e Type N Ex. n

As per Indian standard no electrical equipment should be allowed in Zone 0. When this is not practicable, intrinsically safe electrical apparatus categories ia and ib and associated circuits should be employed.

National Standards related to Methods of Protection

Method of Flameproofing Intrinsic protection Ex. d Safety Ex. i IS:2148-1981 INDIAN UK BS:5501Part 5 EN 50018 BS:5501Part 7 EN 50020 IS:57801980 Pressurised Nonenclosure incendive Ex. p Ex. n IS:7389 (Pt. IS:8289I) 1976, 1976 Reaffirmed in 1982 BS:5501Part 3 EN 50016 BS:5501Part 3 Increased Safety Ex. e IS:63811972 Oil immersion Ex. o IS:76931975 Powder filling Ex. Q IS:77241975

BS:5501Part 6 EN 50019

BS:5501Part 2 EN 50015

BS:5501Part 4 EN 50017

CENELEC German Federal Republic

VDE 0170 / VDE 0170 / VDE 0170 / 0171 Pt. 0171 Pt. 0171 Pt. 1/5.78 7/5.78 3/5.78

VDE 0170 / VDE 0170 / VDE 0170 / 0171 Pt. 0171 Pt. 0171 Pt. 6/5.78 2/5.78 4/5.78

Use of cables in hazardous areas of oil Mines

Copper conductor PVC cables shall be used in hazardous areas of oil mines as per Indian Electricity rules 29. 126(3)(b) read With Indian standard 1554 (Part-1), clause 1.4 and clause 17.2 Aluminium conductor cable shall not be used in hazardous areas because, the word Mining is not imbedded, printed or embossed through out the length of cable as required in the standard. Heavy duty cable means armouring conductivity to be 75% and also the copper conductors so that the current rating is better and is more suitable for rough and tough mining uses. The copper has also got better flexibility than aluminium.