Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Saturday, January 25, 2014

Friday, January 24, 2014

Corrosive environment

ISO 12944 Classification        Typical Environments

C1                                           Heated buildings/neutral atmosphere

C2                                           Rural areas, low pollution

C3                                           Urban and industrial atmospheres

Moderate sulphur dioxide levels

Production areas with high humidity

C4                                           Industrial and coastal

Chemical processing plants

C5I                                          Industrial areas with high humidity and

aggressive atmospheres

C5M                                      Marine, offshore*, estuaries, coastal

areas with high salinity

Saturday, January 18, 2014

Enclosure for potentially explosive atmospheres

What is ATEX?

 

 It is a term commonly used to describe potentially explosive atmospheres

(ATmosphères EXplosibles in French) and standards for protection systems

and equipment.

 

 Two European directives, ATEX 99/92/CE and ATEX 94/9/CE, and

international standards IEC 60079 and IEC 61241, harmonized with

EN European standards, apply to this field.

 

How is an potentially explosive atmosphere defined

according to ATEX?

 

 An potentially explosive atmosphere is defined as a mix of flammable

substances in the form of gas, vapour, dust (cloud or deposit) which, in air

and under normal atmospheric conditions, can completely or partially catch

fire in the form of an explosion when exposed to a source of ignition.

 

Equipment for potentially explosive atmospheres

Degree of protection In hazardous areas, equipment is required to

offer a minimum degree of protection of IP54, but it can be tested or

certified with a higher degree of protection.The final solution must be certified by a notified body

 

 Since 1st July 2003, European directive ATEX 94/9/CE has made it compulsory to use certified electric or

non-electric equipment when it must be installed in zones with explosive atmospheres (gas or dust).

 Certification must be provided by a body which is notified according to the same directive.

 The body notifies its assessment of the quality of the production and certifies that the product complies

with the health and safety demands defined in the directive and the international standards.

 The certificate shows the category of the product by marking, and thus the zone and atmosphere in

which it can be used.

 The standards define the following types of protection for electric equipment:

Enclosures are certified as components. They will be assembled with other ATEX electrical, pneumatic

and hydraulic components, among others to form a final solution which, in turn, must be ATEX-certified

and subject to a declaration of conformity

 

More info.

http://www.schneiderelectric.pt/documents/product-services/involucros-universais/ATEX.pdf

 

Monday, January 13, 2014

ASTA Type Test Certification

ASTA Type Test Certificates provide authoritative objective evidence that your bespoke equipment is compliant to relevant safety standards. The certificate can be used for supporting technical files related to CE Marking for the European Union.

ASTA Type Test Certification is best suited for low volume or ‘bespoke’ equipment. ASTA Type Test Certification provides you with an independent compliance test certificate for one or a number of samples when tested against the requirements of the product safety standard. The document issued is known now as an ‘ASTA Type Test Certificate.’  

Type test certification does not involve inspection of the manufacturing facility and the production processes. In some markets type test certification may be sufficient to satisfy the legislative or commercial requirements but in others, particularly where the safety and compliance of mass-produced products is concerned, additional guarantees may be required i.e. full certification. All test reports and certificates are verified by independent Intertek engineers. The ASTA Type Test Certificate issued is sealed and bound to prevent misuse.
 

Network of Global ASTA Recognized Laboratories

Shipping heavy bespoke equipment to testing laboratories can be a costly exercise. In order to assist our customers, Intertek has a global network of ASTA recognized laboratories. These recognized laboratories may carry out tests to support the issue of ASTA Certificates and Test Reports in accordance with ASTA’s rules and regulations. Mandated
 ASTA Observers witness the type tests on behalf of ASTA and the ASTA Observers draft the ASTA reports and certificates which are then sent to the ASTA office for verification and issue. 

Products for which ASTA Type Test Certificates can be issued include: 

Product 

Standard 

LV Assemblies

IEC 60439-1 / IEC 61439-2 

LV Busbar Trunking Systems 

IEC 60439-2 

LV Distribution Boards 

IEC 60439-3 

LV Fuses / Fuse holders 

IEC 60269 Series

LV Circuit Breakers

IEC 60947-2

LV Fuse Switches

IEC 60947-3

LV Starters / Contactors

IEC 60947-4-1

Miniature Circuit Breakers

IEC 60898

Power Transformers

IEC 60076 Series

HV Circuit Breakers

IEC 62271-100

HV Metal Enclosed Switchgear & Controlgear    

IEC 62271-200

Internal Fault (Arc) Tests

IEC 62271-200 Annex A

Copyright :

http://www.intertek.com/

 

Friday, January 10, 2014

Salt mist test

This test serves to demonstrate that under the influence

of a saline atmosphere no damage (corrosion) is caused

to the components of the equipment under test and no

functional affections occur. This test is only performed

on products which are to be installed on the open deck

area.

Cold & Damp Heat test

Cold

This test serves to demonstrate that under the influence

of cold no damage is caused to the equipment under

test and no permanent or temporary malfunctions occur.

5.1 Test procedure

Basis: IEC publication 60068-2-1

– Test A): for products inside the ship

– Test B): for products on the open deck or in

cold areas.

5.2 Test conditions

The functional tests are performed at the rated operational

voltage Ue.

 

Damp heat

This test serves to demonstrate that under the influence

of damp heat no damage is caused to the equipment

under test and no permanent or temporary malfunctions

occur.

7.1 Test procedure

Basis: IEC publication 60068-2-30

– Test Db

7.2 Test conditions

The functional tests are performed at the rated operational

voltage Ue.

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

Design verification

Design verification is a prerequisite for all assemblies

provided. It is fundamental to ensuring every assembly

meets its defined design requirements. There is flexibility

in the way in which this is achieved within the new standard,

and some new concepts have been introduced, but the

options are defined and where necessary their use is

restricted and a design margin applied.

 

Examples of the limitations and margins applied to verification without type test include;

 All assemblies connected to a supply with a prospective short circuit current in excess of 10kA

 rms or having a cut-off current of 17kA peak must be of a type-tested design or the verification

 must be an interpolation from a reference design. Under no circumstances can the assigned

 short circuit current rating be higher than that of the reference design.

 So as to take account of the air temperature within the enclosure, thermal interactions and

 possible hot spots; components within a circuit that has not been temperature rise tested,

 must be de-rated to 80% of their free air current rating.

 Comparison of the power loss of the components within an assembly with the known heat

 dissipation capability of an enclosure, is restricted to assemblies having a rating of 630A.

 Confirmation of temperature rise performance by calculation is limited to assemblies with a

 rating not exceeding 1600A. Test or interpolation from a tested design must be used to verify

 higher ratings.

EMC Environment

Assemblies can emit and the must be immune to external

 electromagnetic disturbances. IEC defines two categories

 

 a) Environment A - relates to low-voltage non-public or industrial

 networks / locations / installations including highly disturbing sources.

 b) Environment B - relates to low-voltage public networks such as

 domestic commercial and light industrial locations / installations.

 This environment does not cover highly disturbing sources such as

 arc welders.

 The specifier should detail a requirement for either Environment A or B.

 In exceptional applications, for example, some rail applications, it is

 necessary to specify a higher level of immunity.