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Relation between Ex zones, Categories,protections and EPLs

Relation between Ex zones, Categories,protections and EPLs

defining the relation between Ex zones, Categories, protections and EPLs, assist Ex product manufacturers and ATEX certification bodies to ensure of correctness the defined Ex marking and also specifications of Ex product which is under evaluation for ATEX certification.

Relation between Ex zones, categories,protection types and EPLs

  • Explosive gas atmospheres

    • Equipment with protection levels Ma and Mb are classified as EN IEC 60079-0 standard relevant Group I equipment, in categories M1 and M2, and are used in ATEX Group I gas atmospheres.The hazardous zone classification does not apply to equipment with protection level M.

    • Equipment with protection levels Gb, Ga, and Gc are classified as EN IEC 60079-0 standard relevant Group II equipment, in categories 2G, 1G, and 3G, and are used in atex Group II gas atmospheres.

Protection type

Subset protection

Equipment protection level (EPL)

Group based on

EN IEC 60079-0

Group based on

ATEX directive

Category based on

ATEX directive

Hazardous zone based on

EN 60079-10-X

Exd

da

Ga

II

II

1G

0

Ma

I

I

M1

not applicable

db

Gb

II

II

2G

1

Mb

I

I

M2

not applicable

dc

Gc

II

II

3G

2

Exe

eb

Gb

II

II

2G

1

ec

Mb

I

I

M2

not applicable

Exi

ia

Ga

II

II

1G

0

Ma

I

I

M1

not applicable
ib

Gb

II

II

2G

1

Mb

I

I

M2

not applicable

ic

Gc

II

II

3G

2

Exm

ma

Ga

 II

II

1G

0

Ma

 I

1

M1

not applicable

mb

Gb

 II

II

2G

1

Mb

 I

1

M2

not applicable

mc

Gc

 II

II

3G

2

Exn

nA

Gc

 II

II

3G

2

nC

Gc

 II

II

3G

2
nR Gc II II 3G 2
Exo ob Gb II II 2G 1
oc Gc II II 3G 2
op is Ga II II 1G 0
Gb II II 2G 1
Gc II II 3G 2
Ma I I M1 not applicable
Mb I I M2 not applicable
op pr Gb II II 2G 1
Gc II II 3G 2
Mb I 1 M2 not applicable
op sh Ga II II 1G 0
Gb II II 2G 1
Gc II II 3G 2
Ma I I M1 not applicable
Mb I I M2 not applicable
Exp pv Gb II II 2G 1
Gc II II 3G 2
pxb Gb II II 2G 1
Mb I 1 M2 not applicable
pyb Gb II II 2G 1
pzc Gc II II 3G 2
Exq __ Gb II II 2G 1
Mb I 1 M2 not applicable
Exs sa Ga II II 1G 0
Ma I I M1 not applicable
sb Gb II II 2G 1
Mb I I M2 not applicable
sc Gc II II 3G 2

 

End of table.

  •  Explosive dust atmospheres

    • Equipment with protection levels Da, Db, and Dc are classified as EN IEC 60079 standard relevant Group III equipment, in categories 1D, 2D, and 3D, and are used in ATEX Group II dust atmospheres.

Protection type

Subset protection

Equpment protection level (EPL)

Group based on

EN IEC 60079-0

Group based on

ATEX directive

Category based on

ATEX directive

Hazardous zone based on

EN 60079-10-X
Exi ia Da III II 1D 20
ib Db III II 2D 21
ic Dc III II 3D 22
Exm ma Da III II 1D 20
mb Db III II 2D 21
mc Dc III II 3D 22
Exop op is Da III II 1D 20
Db III II 2D 21
Dc III II 3D 22
op pr Db III II 2D 21
Dc III II 3D 22
op sh Da III II 1D 20
Db III II 2D 21
Dc III II 3D 22
Exp pxb Db III II 2D 21
pyb Db III II 2D 21
pzc Dc III II 3D 22
Exs sa Da III II 1D 20
sb Db III II 2D 21
sc Dc III II 3D 22
Ext ta Da III II 1D 20
tb Db III II 2D 21
tc Dc III II 3D 22

 

End of table

Selecting the Hazard Zone for Explosion-Proof Equipment Operation

Equipment used for a specific area is selected based on the type or types of protection considered in their design. Not all protective techniques guarantee the same level of safety in a hazardous area, therefore specific protection methods are allocated to particular hazardous zones.

  • IEC 60079-10-1 is used for identifying, classification, and categorizing hazardous zones for gas atmospheres;

  • IEC 6079-10-2 is used for identifying, classification, and categorizing hazardous zones for dust atmospheres.

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