Hazardous Area Classification and Intrinsic Safety (IEC 60079, ATEX 95/137 AND API RP 500/505)

Introduction

In an ideal A.C. power system, the voltage and frequency at every supply point would be the constant and free from harmonics, and the power factor would be unity. Most Industrial loads have lagging power factors. That is they absorb reactive power. The load current, therefore, tends to be larger than is required to supply real power alone. Only the real power is ultimately useful in energy conversion and the excess load current represents a waste to the consumer, who has to pay not only for the excess cable capacity to carry it but also for the excess joule loss produced in the supply cables.

The supply utilities also have good reasons for not transmitting unnecessary reactive power from generators to loads. Their generators and distribution networks cannot be used at full efficiency, and the control of voltage in the supply system can become more difficult.

Supply tariffs to industrial consumers almost always penalize low power factor loads. It is much more practical and economical to size the power system according to the maximum demand for real power, and to manage the reactive power by means of compensators and other equipment that can be deployed more flexibly than generating units and which make no contribution to fault levels.

Most A.C. power systems are three-phases and are designed for balanced operation. The unbalanced operation gives rise to components of current in the wrong phase sequence (i.e. negative and zero sequence components). Such components can have undesirable effects, including additional losses in motor and generator units, oscillating torque in A.C. machines, increased ripple reactive In a rectifier, malfunctions of several types of equipment, a saturation of transformers, and excessive neutral currents. The load compensation improves the phase balancing and power factor correction of unsymmetrical loads. Many utilities need this particular course, which covers the illustration of the main concepts of reactive power management using actual case studies.

Objectives

Upon the successful completion of this course, you will be able to:

• To review the history of Electrical Equipment in Hazardous Areas.
• To understand the ATEX directives & CE marking for the Electrical Equipment in Hazardous Areas
• To understand the mechanism of different EX protection techniques.
• To exchange experience for the installation, troubleshooting, and commissioning.
• To understand the needs of Electrical Equipment in Hazardous Areas.
• To select the Electrical Equipment in Hazardous Areas as per Zone classification.
• To practice Electrical Equipment selection in Hazardous Areas by an example in a sister company
• To overview the Electrical Equipment in Hazardous Areas related to IEC 60079 & API 505 standards.

Training Methodology

This is an interactive course. There will be open question and answer sessions, regular group exercises and activities, videos, case studies, and presentations on best practice. Participants will have the opportunity to share with the facilitator and other participants on what works well and not so well for them, as well as work on issues from their own organizations. The online course is conducted online using MS-Teams/ClickMeeting.

Who Should Attend?

This course is intended for Electrical Engineers, Electrical Maintenance Engineers, Electrical Senior Technicians, and Instrument & Control Engineers with an interest or hand on, in the operation and installation and troubleshooting of Electrical Equipment in Hazardous Areas.

Course Outline

Day 1: Introduction to Offshore Field Development Activities

• Background and trends in offshore production
• Review of developments using fixed platforms and floating production systems
• Steps in the field development process and the range of vessels which support those activities
• Historical developments
• Present situation
• Elements of hazardous area classification
• Mixtures of Gases, Vapors, and Air
• Hazardous Area Zones ( IEC 60079-10, API RP 505)
• Non-hazardous Area
• Zone 2 Hazardous Area
• Zone 1 Hazardous Area
• Zone 0 Hazardous Area

Day 2: Types of Protection for Hazardous Areas

• Type of Protection'; IEC 60079-1
• Type of Protection 'e'; IEC 60079-7
• Type of Protection 'i'; IEC 60079-11, IEC 60079-25, IEC 60079-27
• Type of Protection'; IEC 60079-18
• Type of Protection 'N and 'n'; IEC 60079-15
• Type of Protection 'o'; IEC 60079-6
• Type of Protection 'p'; IEC 60079-2
• Type of Protection 'q'; IEC 60079-5
• Type of Protection's'; IEC 60079-16
• Type of Protection 'de'

Day 3: Standards of EX Protection

• IEC 60079
• API RP 505
• TYPES OF PROTECTION FOR INGRESS OF WATER AND SOLID PARTICLES
• European Practice & American Practice

Day 4: Certification of Hazardous Area Equipment

• Marking Of Equipment Nameplates
• Egyptian LNG case study:
• Hazardous gas listing
• Area classification aspects
• Detailed area classification drawings
• Train area classification

Day 5: Tips for Electrical Equipment in Hazardous Areas

• Selection tips
• Maintenance tips
• Review for course pending Q&A
• Review for course objectives
• Course feedback
• Review for pre-assessment test