What are the Features of Explosion Proof Enclosures? EX E VS EX D Explained

Explosion proof enclosures are solid boxes made from various materials, like aluminium, chrome steel or sheet. The primary purpose of those enclosures are to guard the encompassing environment outside the enclosure by having the power to contain any sparks or explosions within the enclosure itself. The enclosure itself must even be heat immune to high heat in order that any fire doesn’t escape the enclosure itself. Thus, using explosion proof enclosures would function as a security measure in order that any equipment that’s malfunctioning might generate sparks and stop these sparks from igniting any external flammable gases in hazardous environments.

It is important to also note that explosion proof enclosures aren’t resistant to external explosions, but rather it’s their ability to be strong enough to contain any spark or explosion that happens internally within the enclosure itself.

In this blog, we are getting to check out 2 sorts of explosion proof enclosures as per the IEC (International Electrotechnical Commission) standard. The Ex e and Ex d standard.

Ex E standard (IEC 60079-7):

This standard has a stress on increased safety which in turn for products to be ready to be granted this standard, they need to be ready to withstand excessive temperatures also as sparks inside and out of doors of the enclosure.

What are the pros of Ex E Standard?

1. Easy to install
2. Better look and feel
3. Safety cut-off switch

What are the cons of Ex E Standard?

1. Costly spare parts
2. Regular maintenance of the seal is required

Common uses of this standard are for products like terminal boxes, control boxes, and lightweight fittings.

Ex D standard (IEC 60079-1):

This standard is intended to resist any flame within the enclosure. The enclosure must be ready to safely contain any explosion and therefore the accompanying pressure that develops and stops any fire or sparks from escaping the enclosure and into the encompassing explosive environments.

What are the pros of Ex D Standard?

1. It is strong enough to withhold any internal explosion and stop its transmission to the outer environment from the housing
2. High protection
3. Widely available and cheaper spare parts

Equipment that has this standard are often products like control equipment or transformers.

Conclusion

Measlighting offers a variety of different explosion proof enclosures, fittings, receptacles, etc. These Made in the USA by Akron products are used in chemical plants, refineries, and oil/gas operations and can cater to your hazardous area needs. All of our products are manufactured to meet the strictest guidelines and standards in the industry.

Contact us at tjacobs@maeslighting.com or you can call us at 1-866-860-6399 to find out more about our explosion proof solutions. Alternatively, you can visit our website to browse through the complete range of explosion proof products for various hazardous areas.