HAZARDOUS AREA EQUIPMENT FEATURE
When hazardous PCs become a hazard
inert gas that can be placed inside the sealed equipment to prevent any sparks.
USING THE PC Despite the additional safety features required for an industrial PC used in a hazardous area, the same considerations should still be made when choosing a model. By working with an industrial computing expert, such as Distec, companies can receive expert advice on the features that need to be inbuilt. For example, Distec offers Pepperl & Fuchs PC workstations that have an anti-glare and high-bright display for sunlight readability, suitable for environments that are open to the elements. Purchasing managers should also
consider how users will interact with the screen. The plant may use peripherals, such as track pads or separate keyboards but could also work with touch screen systems. Purchasing managers then need to consider whether gloves are used to touch the screen, an element of personal protective equipment (PPE) often necessary in chemical environments. Gloves only work with resistive film touchscreens, rather than projected capacitance (PCAP) glass touchscreens, which only function when a finger comes into contact with the electrostatic field.
In hazardous industrial environments, a single spark from a faulty wire can be explosive. Here, Adrian Swindells, a director of industrial computing specialist Distec, explains what companies need to consider when choosing a hazardous area PC
azardous areas are where gases, vapours, mists and dusts pose a distinct risk of forming explosive atmospheres when combined with air. This means that special precautions must be taken. In the UK, the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) specifies which areas are classified as hazardous. Once an area has been identified as hazardous, it is then divided into a certain zone, depending on the severity of the hazard. For gases, vapours and mists, the zones vary from zone 0 to 2, and for dusts the zone classifications are from zone 20 to zone 22. The most severe classification, (zone 0), indicates that hazardous substances are continuously present in the environment.
H
ATEX RATING To protect against any further risks of explosions, all equipment used in these zones must correspond to the relevant ATEX rating. The ratings, which correspond to two EU directives, specify what equipment can be used in hazardous areas. Zones 0 and 20 require category 1
marked equipment, zone 1 and 21 require
category 2 marked equipment and zone 2 and 22 require category 3 marked equipment. To ensure that PCs and peripheral equipment can be used in the factory, it is important to choose the right PC with the necessary ATEX rating. Simply choosing a hazardous PC is not enough to comply with regulations. ATEX ratings are required when a piece
of equipment, such as an industrial PC, has its own source of ignition. In the oil and gas industry, it is obvious that this area is hazardous due to the petroleum vapours found in the environment. However, companies often fail to consider other materials, such as dust, as being hazardous, despite being easily set alight by a spark from a piece of industrial equipment. Purchasing managers may not view a flour mill as a hazardous area when compared to an oil rig, but the dust created from the milling is a potential explosion risk. Hazardous area PCs should be fully
sealed to prevent any sparks from getting out of the unit and presenting a danger. When choosing an industrial PC for a hazardous area, companies should also consider features such as sand or
THE LONGEVITY OF THE PC Due to the high specifications demanded of industrial PCs in hazardous areas, the costs are often higher than a standard industrial PC. However, plant managers should choose the highest specification required from the start, as hazardous area PCs cannot be modified easily. While in many industrial environments, IT specialists will add a faster processor a few years after installation, this is not possible due to the sealed nature of the hazardous area PC. Instead, companies would have to completely replace the unit to upgrade it. Instead, companies should consult with an industrial computing specialist to decide whether they need a fully enclosed PC, or instead they can use a hazardous area monitor. This allows them to make changes to the industrial PC as it does not need to meet hazardous area specifications. Hazardous area PCs are responsible for the smooth operation of the plant’s output and any mistakes in the purchasing process could lead to bigger problems down the line. By working with an industrial computing specialist, purchasing managers can find the right hazardous area PC for their environment, providing effective service and longevity.
Distec T: 0161 777 8866
www.distec.co.uk
ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING | JUNE 2017 21
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