Hazardous Locations Cable Glands (IECEx, ATEX and North American)
Published 29 May 2020
Hazardous Locations Cable Glands (IECEx, ATEX and North American).
Cable glands are used as cable entry devices to provide a safe connection of suitable cables to enclosures and maintain the ingress properties of the installation. In hazardous area classified areas they also need to maintain the explosion protection of equipment.
The IECEx & ATEX certified cable glands for use in Zone 1 (Gas Group) are:
i) II 2G Ex db – Per Standard IEC/EN 60079-1 (Flameproof)
ii) II 2G Ex eb – Per Standard IEC/EN 60079-7 (Increased Safety)
IEC 60079-1:2014 is available as IEC 60079-1:2014 RLV which contains the International Standard and its Redline version, showing all changes of the technical content compared to the previous edition.
IEC 60079-1:2014 contains specific requirements for the construction and testing of electrical equipment with the type of protection flameproof enclosure “d”, intended for use in explosive gas atmospheres. This standard supplements and modifies the general requirements of IEC 60079-0. Where a requirement of this standard conflicts with a requirement of IEC 60079-0, the requirement of this standard will take precedence. This seventh edition cancels and replaces the sixth edition, published in 2007, and constitutes a technical revision. The numerous changes are identified in the Foreward of the document. Keywords: flameproof enclosure “d”, explosive gas atmospheres.
IEC 60079-7:2015 specifies the requirements for the design, construction, testing and marking of electrical equipment and Ex Components with type of protection increased safety “e” intended for use in explosive gas atmospheres. Electrical equipment and Ex Components of type of protection increased safety “e” are either:
– Level of Protection “eb” (EPL “Mb” or “Gb”); or
– Level of Protection “ec” (EPL “Gc”). Level of Protection “eb” applies to equipment or Ex Components, including their connections, conductors, windings, lamps, and batteries; but not including semiconductors or electrolytic capacitors.
Level of Protection “ec” applies to equipment or Ex Components, including their connections, conductors, windings, lamps, and batteries; and also including semiconductors and electrolytic capacitors.
In North America, cables and cable glands need to be approved for both ordinary locations and hazardous locations. Also, installation of cable glands are limited to those cables that have been designed, tested and approved for Class 1 Division 1 C1D1, cable seals are required at all terminations.
“Class I, Division 1” Cable Glands:
i) Per Standards CSA C22.2 No. 18.3 (O/L) & CSA C22.2 No. 174 (H/L) for Canada
ii) Per Standards UL 514B (O/L) & UL 2225 (H/L) for the USA.
Note: “AEx db” and “AEx eb” glands need to comply with UL 2225 for installation in hazardoud Zone 1.
Typical Class 1 Division 1 Cable Sealing Using Glands for Hazardous Locations | Image CMP Cable Glands
Information Courtesy
Author Behzad Nejad, P. Eng. (Hazcon)
Director & Consulting Engineer at Hazcon Inc.; Hazardous Locations Consulting Services; IECEx, ATEX, CEC & NEC
Specializing in the design, safety and approval of electrical equipment for hazardous locations.Â
Mr. Nejad has over 15 years of experience as an Electrical Engineer and is a sought after professional in the hzardous area and explosion protection industry. He is fully-qualified at the advanced level of all hazardous locations protection techniques including Intrinsic Safety & Non-incendive, Explosion Proof & Flame proof, Increased Safety, Non-arcing, Purging and Pressurization, Encapsulation, Optical Radiation, and Dust-tight enclosures. Mr. Nejad’s tenure in the industry includes six years at the CSA certification agency, working closely with manufacturers (Emerson, GE, ABB, Siemens, Endress-Houser, VEGA etc.) as a technical and certification engineer for Hazardous locations equipment.
The opinions expressed in this article are those of the author.
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