Miniguide: Everything you need to know about ATEX

Do you work with equipment or installations in potentially explosive environments?

In the process industry, ATEX directives play a crucial role in ensuring that equipment used in potentially explosive environments is designed and tested to withstand the hazardous conditions that can occur when flammable media is present. Ultimately, it is about employee safety and avoiding costly production downtime.

In our new ATEX miniguide, we start from scratch and give you a full overview of what the term stands for, what it covers and what you need to be aware of when dealing with potentially explosive environments. Last but not least, we also take a closer look at our 3 most popular ATEX approved hoses and how they are suitable for specific production purposes.

Read along and learn more!

ATEX is an abbreviation for "ATmosphères EXplosibles" and refers to two EU directives that set out specific guidelines for the design, testing and maintenance of equipment and installations to withstand potential hazards in explosive environments. The ATEX directives apply throughout the EU and form an essential part of safety regulation in areas such as the process industry. Compliance with them is a legal requirement.

The directive ATEX 2014/34/EU focuses on requirements for equipment used in explosive atmospheres, ensuring that these products are designed and manufactured to withstand the specific conditions that can occur in such environments. This includes criteria for classification, testing and certification of equipment to minimize the risk of explosions.

On the other hand, ATEX 1999/92/EC addresses the working environment and the necessary measures that workplaces must implement to protect themselves from explosion hazards. This involves assessing risks, drawing up safety procedures and ensuring that employees are properly trained to deal with potentially dangerous situations. Together, these directives ensure that both equipment and the work environment conform to the highest safety standards.

Compliance with the ATEX directives requires following the relevant rules and standards for the specific equipment in the process plant. This means that the equipment must be ATEX-certified by approved bodies and meet the liners for the zone it will be used in. In addition, it is the company's responsibility to carry out ongoing checks and maintenance of the equipment to ensure that it remains safe to use.

In general, ATEX zones cover production areas where there is a risk that explosive atmospheres can occur. This could be when transporting grain or sugar, for example, or when working with other powder materials, granulates and chemical compounds. The zone designations help companies in their risk assessment of flammable media or mixtures, including where they are located, how they are stored and how likely they are to come into contact with an ignition source.

The zone designations for gases include:

• Zone 0: A place in which an explosive atmosphere consisting of a mixture of air and flammable gas, vapor or mist is likely to exist continuously, frequently or for long periods of time.
• Zone 1: An area in which an explosive mixture of air and flammable gas, vapor or mist may occasionally occur during normal operation.
• Zone 2: An area in which an explosive atmosphere consisting of a mixture of air of flammable gas, vapor or mist is not likely to occur in normal operation. If it does occur, it will be for a short duration of time.

The zone designations for dust and liquid mists include:

• Zone 20: An area in which an explosive atmosphere consisting of a cloud of combustible dust and air is likely to occur continuously, frequently or for long periods of time.
• Zone 21: An area in which an explosive atmosphere consisting of a cloud of combustible dust and air may occasionally occur during normal operation.
• Zone 22: An area in which an explosive atmosphere consisting of a cloud of combustible dust and air is not likely to occur in normal operation. If it does occur, it will be for a short duration of time.

ATEX-approved hoses can be found in our webshop under the categories chemical hoses, Teflon tubes and hoses, and polyurethane hoses. What they have in common is that they are designed to meet the strict safety standards required in explosive atmospheres. But which of these models have been our customer favorites over the past year? We analyzed sales data and feedback to understand which specifications and features customers value most.

• ChemForce ATEX: Universal hose for food and pharmaceutical products. Constructed internally with corrugated PTFE and externally with stainless steel braid, it can handle a wide temperature range from -73°C to +260°C, making it ideal for a wide range of applications in demanding environments. ChemForce ATEX is anti-static, durable, chemically resistant and approved for all ATEX zones.
  
  
• Prochim SPL/10-UPE: Suction and pressure hose suitable for several types of chemicals. Constructed with UPE liner on the inside and EPDM rubber on the outside for extra durability and resistance. With ATEX approval for all zones, Prochim SPL/10-UPE is especially suitable for tankers and the chemical industry where safety and reliability are stringent liners.
  
  
• Dynamic Safe-Tech: Antistatic pharmaceutical hose for transportation of cosmetics and flammable products. Constructed internally in PFA and externally in EPDM rubber, it ensures effective electrostatic dissipation. Dynamic Safe-Tech is ATEX approved for all zones and withstands temperatures from -20°C to +65°C. Perfect for applications where there is a risk of explosion.
  
  
• Maniflon/SD-PTFE: Food approved chemical hose suitable for aggressive chemicals and pharmaceuticals. Internally constructed with a coating of black, anti-static PTFE for safe transportation. The outer layer of durable EPDM protects against ozone and weather, ensuring a long service life. Maniflon/SD-PTFE is fully electrically conductive, ideal for ATEX zones, and can withstand steam temperatures up to 150°C for short periods of time. A reliable solution for demanding production environments.

Are you already thinking about your next ATEX hose solution for production, but do not know where to start? With our online hose configurator, you can quickly and easily configure your very own ATEX hose solution based on your desired specifications. And if you do not want to order right away, you can always send a non-binding inquiry instead. Afterwards, we will contact you as soon as possible.

Here are 5 good reasons to try out our online hose configurator:

➡️ Varied selection of ATEX-approved hoses
➡️ Coupling rotations in 45-degree increments
➡️ See dimension sketches for hose couplings
➡️ Make a non-binding inquiry or place an order
➡️ Available 24/7