// EXPLOSIVE TOPICS FROM STEUTE

// EXPLOSIVE TOPICS FROM STEUTE THE EXPLOSION PROTECTION BOOK WITH A DIFFERENCE

steute Schaltgeräte GmbH & Co. KG Brückenstraße 91 32584 Löhne, Germany Phone +49 (0) 5731 745-0 Fax +49 (0) 5731 745-200 E-Mail [email protected] www.steute.com

Explosion protection is an important topic across many areas of industry, from chemical/petrochemicals and mining to the likes of foodstuffs production and even the processing of light metals. The relevant directives and standards have always encouraged innovations in the past, and now the next step is about to be taken: the European EN standards, which previously have differed in places from the international IEC standards (regarding electrical explosion protection), are now gradually and decisively to be replaced by IEC standards. New harmonised IEC and EN standards will be introduced simultaneously....

Design engineers and plant operators familiar with the requirements of the ATEX directive(s) and European standards will look back with some nostalgia to the times when only ATEX 95 (or Directive 94/9/EC, sometimes called »manufacturer directive«, had to be observed. But the world is getting smaller. Manufacturers of components and owners of plant for explosion protection now operate internationally, so they need uniformity in requirements across the globe. This has advantages for all parties. The free movement of merchandise is made easier, since »One Ex fits all«. Manufacturers no longer have...

And that's not all. In the future, the series of IEC and EN standards already valid for dust explosion protection (IEC 61241 …) will be integrated within the series of standards for gas explosion protection (IEC 60079 …). This means that electrical gas explosion protection will increasingly fuse with electrical dust explosion protection. So what does this mean for the manufacturers and operators of machines and plants who have to meet gas and dust explosion protection requirements? Well, they would be well advised to deal with the new standards earlier rather than later. This mainly involves...

ATEX [Atmosphère explosible]

Ex magnetic safety sensor EEx RC SI M30 IP69K Safety in challenging environments: this was our motto when we developed the EEx RC Si M30. Its high shock resistance is outstanding and it is also available in protection class IP 69K. This means: the sensor can withstand a high pressure cleaning from all sides – with water pressures of up to 100 bar and water temperatures of up to 80°C. With these features, the EEx RC Si M20 IP69K is also well suited to use in areas of the food industry with high standards of hygiene and where explosion protection plays an important role. All organic dust is explosive...

Emergency pull-wire switch EEx ZS 80 The EEx ZS 80 emergency pull-wire switch is not phased by ice and snow, or tropical heat. It guarantees safe operation in big machines and plants or conveyor belts even at -20 °C or +70 °C. Users benefit not only from its high safety levels, but also from its simple handling and practicality. It is equipped with both wire-pull and wire-break detection, as well as an integrated emergency-stop button. Solid metal enclosures and protection class IP 67 ensure trouble-free operation in areas where there is risk of gas or dust explosion, with reliable performance...

// IT STARTED WITH AN EXPLOSION

explosion ignition source flammable material What is an explosion? An explosion is a suddenly occurring exothermal reaction accompanied by high pressure and high temperature. This is the unemotional chemical definition. Through the eyes of a safety engineer or production manager, however, the picture is very different. What they see are the destruction of production plants and injured men and women. It all started with a big bang: most scientists believe that the history of the universe dates back to an enormous explosion. First it, matter was compressed into a tiny volume under incredibly high...

// WATCH THIS

»To be honest, life is always life-threatening.« German author Erich Kästner said these words, and he was right. Natural disasters, illnesses, terrorist attacks, traffic accidents: the list of risks is long, and protection is not always possible. The everyday subject of sun protection illustrates not only how the risks themselves are changing, but also our attitudes towards these risks. Primary and Secondary Protection There are two possible ways to reduce the risk of a potentially explosive atmosphere. The first: by reducing the concentration of a flammable material (or more seldom of oxygen)....

// ENERGY-RICH FOOD

Grain is full of energy, with cereals providing a major source of food across the globe. In 1995, more than 33 million tons of grain were harvested in Germany alone, before being processed into flour, semolina, flakes … The current trend is towards wholemeal products. The husk contains numerous vitamins, minerals and roughage, while the interior - enclosed by the husk – principally contains carbohydrates. People eating wholemeal bread or pasta are taking in essential minerals such as potassium, phosphor and iron, to name but a few. And they are also getting their required intake of vitamins E,...

MVEGBltABLE SURPRISES The stag'a-horn club moss, ly- copodiurrf cLpjvattim, develops its yellowy cjbnds (siorophyls) on srriaLll bjlnches/lf these cones are ■cut lon/itudinally - as shown in the photo J, you can_see through the microicoyje thaf the sporangia are LocaJ^sdpn the surface of these spo'cbphyls andjcbntain only one

»Boil club moss in red wine, rinse out your mouth and loose teeth will be fixed.« This advice is taken from a mediaeval medical book. Club moss was also recommended for gout, kidney stones and dysentery. Moreover, it was nailed to stable doors in order to keep witches away. Club moss, from the fern family, is a multi-purpose plant. Its spores are highly inflammable and were used to create lightning effects in the theatre. Mixed with carmine, it was also used for taking finger prints. And in the 18th century a tinkerer tried to use the explosive spores as »fuel« for a vehicle he had designed –...