BS EN IEC 60079-0:2018

What is this standard about?

BS EN IEC 60079-0 is the basis of the 60079 series on explosive atmospheres. This is the 7^th edition and it deals with general equipment requirements when working in explosive atmospheres.

Who is this standard for?

It will be relevant to all professionals working in explosive atmospheres and using other standards in the series, but specifically those working with electrical equipment, namely:

• Organizations manufacturing, testing and certifying electrical equipment for use in explosive atmospheres
• Users of products that require ATEX and IECEx certification
• Electrical engineers
• Mechanical engineers
• Regulatory bodies

Relevant areas of use include:

• Manufacturers of Ex equipment
• Testing houses
• Certification bodies
• Gas works/distributors
• Chemical plants
• Offshore rigs

Why should you use this standard?

This part of IEC 60079 specifies the general requirements for construction, testing and marking of equipment and Ex Components intended for use in explosive atmospheres.

The standard atmospheric conditions (relating to the explosion characteristics of the atmosphere) under which it may be assumed that equipment can be operated are:

• temperature 20°C to 60°C
• pressure 80 kPa (0,8 bar) to 110 kPa (1,1 bar)
• air with normal oxygen content, typically 21 % v/v

NOTE: This standard and others that supplement it specify additional test requirements for equipment operating outside the standard temperature range, but further additional consideration and additional testing may be required for equipment operating outside the standard atmospheric pressure range and standard oxygen content, particularly with respect to types of protection that depend on quenching of a flame such as flameproof enclosure (IEC 60079-1) or limitation of energy, intrinsic safety (IEC 60079-11).

What's changed since the last update?

The standard contains a large number of major and minor technical changes and extensions, including (but not exclusively):

• Ultrasonic requirements updated based on latest research work
• Added requirements for EPL Gc and Dc
• New cell types and data added based on latest available data
• Additional instruction material for electric machines added
• Additional instruction material for cable glands added