INPUT

T E S W I N A L S i O C K S R E M O T E l/o B C t f t C E K C T W O R K S S i 6 ti A t

OUTPUT
C A 0 t t S G / W t H i R G C O N N C E t S R S M O O $ I R G S T E R M I A t 8 t. Q C K S

C 0 S @ t T I O R S

Device Protection in the Danger Z o n e

Intrinsic Safety Systems Are Emerging Slowly as an Alternative to Explosion-Proof Solutions in North America. It's Time to Be Clear About How It Works
BYIANVERHAPPEN A

FLASK

'^jm:

We celebrated our 15th anniversary last year by republishing some of the more timeless content we'd produced over the years. They were really well received, so

we'll do it again this year from time to time. Here's an article from September 2005 that explains intrinsic safety (IS) as it was beginning to receive more consideration in North America. In an accompanying sidebar, the author updates us on a few noteworthy events that have developed since then. intrinsic safety still is not widely understood in North America. Until recently, explosion-proof practices were Jcommonly used in areas classified as requiring protection. I The need for that protection is based on the likelihood of a potentially hammable atmosphere being present, which, in turn, determines the class in the North American area classification system. The experience of North American industrial machine builders that sell into hazardous environment markets overwhelmingly has been based on explosion-proof methods. Instrument manufacturers for industries with these environments, typically hydrocarbon processing-related industries such as refining and chemicals, design their instruments to be both explosion-proof and intrinsically safe (IS). This allows manufacturers to sell the same device anywhere in the world, regardless of the area FIGURE 1: BREAK UP THE TEAM classification and protection system used by the facility. Regardless of the method used to prevent fires or explosions in a facility, all methods are designed to remove one of the sides of the "fire triangle" shown in Figure I . Explosion-proof and intrinsic safety systems remove (more correctly, manage) or limit the energy level released to the environment. Encapsulation and potting, on the other hand, keep oxygen away from the energy source. Each gas has Its own range of concentrations over which its stoichiometric ratio allows it to burn. Outside this range, combustion, and hence an explosion, will not occur. The extreme example of this; I f a device is placed in a 100% methane environment, it will not burn or explode because there is no oxygen present to complete the reaction. Similarly, every gas has a different temperature at which it ignites. The concept of divisions is based on the type of gas present, while the " T " or temperature rating is based on gas ignition temperatures. All these chemical factors must be kept in mind when selecting equipment to be used to prevent explosions.

Prevent or Disperse Explosions?

Fuel Energy As indicated, both explosion-proof enclosures and intrinsic safety prevent explosions by limiting the amount of energy in the explosive environment. An explosion-proof enclosure uses its mass and design to disperse the energy to a low level before it escapes the enclosure. Intrinsic safety systems are designed to prevent the energy level in the hazardous area from being above the explosive-limit conditions. It is important to realize that intrinsic safety is a system. A l l the components of the system need to be considered in the deAt least one side of the well-known 'fire triangle' must be removed to prevent fires or explosions. sign, including not only the IS device used to limit the energy available to the hazardous area, but cable and remote devices as

Oxygen

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INPUT
T E R M I N A t B L S C K S R E M O T E

I
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OUTPUT
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There Where

w e l l . Passive devices that do not store energy, such as terminal blocks, normally are not an issue and need not be considered. The capacitance of a cable, which is used when calculating the energy stored in a cable, is considerably affected by the presence o f a screen or shield. It is important to use the correct capacitance value for the cable type installed.

Intrinsic safety systems are designed to prevent the energy level in the hazardous area, typically the field, from being above

Now you have a choice:

There or Where

the explosive limit conditions.

IS devices, the key components in intrinsic safety systems, are available in t w o distinct formats: safety barriers and galvanic isolators. Safety barriers use zener diodes and c u r r e n t - l i m i t i n g resistors to l i m i t the current and voltage available at the hazardous area t e r m i n a l s . A fuse, i f used in the barrier, restricts the fault power; the zeners restrict the voltage; and the resistor restricts the cm rent. Figure 2 is a s i m p l i f i e d schematic o f a safety barrier. T h e excess energy f r o m a barrier is routed to g r o u n d , n o r m a l l y through a l o w - i m p e d a n c e bus bar. On the other hand, a g a l v a n i c isolator ( F i g u r e 3), as the name i m p l i e s , breaks any d i r e c t c o n n e c t i o n between the safe and hazardous area c i r c u i t s by i n t e r p o s i n g a layer o f insula-

D i s t a n c e - b a s e d p h o t o s e n s o r s address more c h a l l e n g i n g a p p l i c a t i o n s by not j u s t d e t e r m i n i n g if an o b j e c t is THERE, b u t also WHERE it is l o c a t e d . Three m e t h o d s have e m e r g e d as f r o n t r u n n e r s to s h o w y o u W h e r e : Background Suppression M u l t i - P i x e l Array Pulse Ranging T e c h n o l o g y

tion between the t w o areas. T h e power transfer to the

field-

i m p o r t a n t to m a i n t a i n l o o p - p o w e r e d devices n o r m a l l y is via some f o r m o f transformer, w h i l e the r e t u r n signal from the device in the hazardous area is t r a n s m i t t e d across the hazardous area/safe b o u n d a r y via an o p t o c o u p l e r . transformer or relay.
F I G U R E 2: SIMPLIFIED S A F E T Y BARRIER

Resistor

Resistor

Fuse

Download our e-book that explains how these technologies will work f o r y o u . www.sensing.net/where Scan. Learn More. Hazardous area Distance-based photo sensor photo sensors nervously looking will have your over its standard <? O Safe area

shoulder.

^PEPPERUFUCHS
SENSING
Pepperl+Fuchs, Inc. 330.486.0001

In this simplified schematic of a safety barrier, resistors limit the current, and zener diodes restrict voltage available at terminals in the hazardous area.

YOUR

NEEDS

www.pepperl-fuchs.us

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The final power limitation to the hazardous area Is accomplished with a diode and resistor network similar to that of the safety barrier. Because galvanic isolators have different methods of forwarding the return signal to the safe area, they must be matched to the application. Because a galvanic isolator removes any direct connection between the hazardous and safe areas, safety barriers require a good path to ground. That makes the factory ground system the predominant potential source for signal noise, with the result that proper grounding or earthing techniques must be followed. The two main reasons for grounding instrument systems are to minimize interference while providing a signal reference, and to segregate and define the fault path requirements for safe dispersion of excess energy. Rapid energy dissipation is required to prevent a fire or explosion. The standard industry practice of grounding instrument circuits at only one point is critical to the success of intrinsically safe circuits. In addition, the JS circuits should be isolated to withstand a 500 V insulation test. However, the use of galvanic isolators as an interface reduces the criticaiity of a well-designed and functioning ground grid with minimal potentials across the plant. Therefore, i f some remote apparatus requires a separate power supplyi.e., they are not loop-powered, four-wire devicesthen the preferred solution to maintain an IS circuit is galvanic isolators at either end of the cable. It is worth notine the isolators form the boundaries between FIGURE 3: POSITIVELY GALVANIC

Our expert knowledge of hazardous area protection, and our global support are unsurpassed. When you need safe, reliable, and timely visualization solutions, choose Pepperl+Fuchs. Find high-quality operator workstations and monitors at: www.pepperl-fuchs.us/industrial

Pepperl-rFuchs, Inc. Twinsburg, Ohio Galvanic isolators break any direct connection between the safe and hazardous area circuits by interposing a layer of insulation between the two areas.
330.486.0002

iconlPDiilesiiing

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I PEPPERL+FUCHS
PROTECTING YOUR PROCESS

INPUT
T E B B I N A L B L O C K S R E M O T E l / O

OUTPUT
N E T W O R K S S I G R A L C O N B i T I O N E R S C t S L I N o / w i R I

0 E V 1 C E

the t w o safe areas and the single hazardous area. The safe area at the control system end often is a rack r o o m or unclassified area, w h i l e the safe area at the remote device end may have to be created through the use o f either explosionproof or purged housings.

the low-frequency currents, w h i c h can cause interference problems to flow o f f the screen or shield.

Ground the Buses

M o s t new installations and many exi s t i n g transmitters use smart devices

capable o f some f o r m o f d i g i t a l c o m m u n i c a t i o n . T h i s can be as simple as the

The standard industry practice of grounding instrument circuits at only one point is critical to the success of intrinsically safe circuits.
M o s t industrial instrumentation cables include a ground wire as part o f the

H A R T p r o t o c o l that is

superimposed

on the 4 - 2 0 m A signal, or a f u l l fieldbus solution such as F o u n d a t i o n fieldbus or Profibus. A n y c i r c u i t that has a fieldbus signal must use galvanic i s o l a t i o n . T h i s is because the g r o u n d i n g required by safety barriers w i l l route the signal itself to g r o u n d as w e l l . Those isolators have to be designed to operate at the specific frequency transmitted. That

More machines. L e s s labor.

f o l l o w s f r o m the discussion above about each isolator type being matched to its service and the frequency " t u n i n g . " The lSA-50, l E C 61158 standard-based fieldbuses also must adhere to the energy limitations as dictated above. That is why intrinsically safe Foundation fieldbus

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By reducing the labor and hardware to construct equipment, machine builders can see more time available on their assembly floor. Extra time on the floor means more machines. Controls cabinets can be a major hardware, labor and time Investment for any company, outsourced or not. By switching to distributed modular I/O products, machine builders can significantly reduce the size and cost of their controls cabinet while reducing the time to assemble I/O on the machine. One customer saved 60% over their previous I/O architecture. It's time to look at the possibilities.

wires w i t h i n the overall insulated p r o d uct. M a n y cables also include a screen or shield to l i m i t the effects o f nearby cables. I t is especially i m p o r t a n t to use i n d i v i d u a l l y shielded conductors for any type o f fieldbus i n s t a l l a t i o n . Screens or shields n o r m a l l y are terminated in j u n c t i o n boxes w i t h o u t bonding them to the structure. The shields then are connected through the t e r m i n a l to the home-run cable and the host system and its associated g r o u n d point. For the same reason, unused conductors in a cable should be t e r m i n a t e d i n a t e r m i nal so that, i f used in the future, they a l ready are connected, and to ensure they are not an inadvertent source o f a spark, short c i r c u i t or g r o u n d loop. When screens/shields are used to

networks normally are restricted to approximately four devices per network.

Since the original justification, at least to project managers and others focused on the upfront or construction costs o f a project, invariably included easily identified ways to at least break even, the reduction in w i r i n g was an obvious target. Fieldbus devices typically consume about 20 m A . So i f a segment can support 80 m A , the result is that IS circuits significantly reduce the benefits o f networking by reduci n g the number o f devices on a network from 8-12 devices down to 4 - 6 devices. True to f o r m , industrial connector

g u a r d against p i c k u p o f h i g h frequencies, they usually are earthed at a n u m -

suppliers found several innovative ways around this problem. The most c o m m o n , and the one incorporated into existing standards, is the Fieldbus I n t r i n s i c a l l y Safe Concept ( P I S C O ) , based on work by Physikalisch-Technischen Bunde-

Less is more when using Balluff I/O. See how it's done at networks.baliuff.com

ber o f points to prevent the screen f r o m presenting a tuned aerial to the h i g h frequency. For IS c i r c u i t s w i t h this

p r o b l e m , the acceptable solution is to include 1,000 p F capacitors to g r o u n d at convenient points such as j u n c t i o n boxes. This effectively detunes the

sanstalt

(www.ptb.de). I t demonstrates capacitance

that i f the inductance and

per unit length o f field cables are w i t h in defined l i m i t s , then the risk o f spark

BALLUFF
800-543-8390 www.balluff.com

screen, but does not provide a path for

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ignition

does not

increase w i t h

total

h e l d o n t h e h o m e - r u n c a b l e s t o an a c t i v e h e l d - m o u n t e d b o x . T h i s box c o n t a i n s the c i r c u i t r y t o r e d u c e t h e e n e r g y o n each i n d i v i d u a l spur f r o m the h e l d b a r i e r / j u n c t i o n b o x c o n e c t i n g t h e d e v i c e t o the balance o f the n e t w o r k . A n o t h e r mo r e r e c n t i n o v a t i o n t h a t is p r o c e d i n g t o w a r d a v o t e b y t h e l E C 60 79-27 c o m mi t e is FNIthe Fieldbus Nonincendive Concept ( F N I C O ) . areas, a n d takes a d v a n t a g e o f the fact that s i n c e t h e p o t e n t i a l f o r a h a z a r d t o e x i s t is r e d u c e d by b e i n g pres nt o n l y i n abnorma l c i r c u m s t a n c e s , t h e use o f T y p e ' i r p r o t e c t i o n c a n be a p l i e d . B e c a u s e F N I C O r e q u i r e s o n l y a safet y f a c t o r o f 1.1. v s . t h e i . 5 s a f e t y f a c t o r f o r I S a n d F I S C O systems, it can provide more energy to the network, t y p i c a l l y 180 m.\. Figure 4 shows the power supply design l i m i t s for various area classifications. T h i s additional energy works out to allow a F N I C O system to more

than double the number o f devices on an IS network, yet it provides the same flexi b i l i t y to w o r k on a live system. F N I C O networks also have the benefits o f F I S C O , relative to documentation and calculation requirements, w h i l e not r e q u i r i n g any special certification by most instruments. l E C standards suggest that live working is permitted in Zone 2 installations i f it can be demonstrated that an incendive spark or hot spot cannot be caused by the activity. T h i s implies that w o r k i n g on a live instrument or circuit is possible w i t h a gas clearance/hot work permit. Instrument c i r c u i t s , however, run the risk that a fault injected at one point m i g h t create a hazard at another mierconnected piece o f equipment. For example, in a temperature-sensing loop, a signal injected at the thermocouple head could manifest as an unsafe energy level at the transmitter, local indicator or beyond the IS approvals already required

length. The safe operating levels o f the power supplies w i t h electronic current l i m i t i n g also were established, which allowed the use o f higher currents on the network, t y p i c a l l y 130 m A . The result is that 6 - 8 devices now can be installed on a F I S C O network. Other benefits o f FISCO systems: The system can be created by any combination of apparatus that are

C O is a p l i c a b l e o n l y i n Z o n e 2 ( D i v . 2 )

certified as F I S C O apparatus. N o analysis o f the input capacitance and input inductance parameters is

necessary. The documentation requirement is reduced to a list o f apparatus used. The key is the devices must be F I S C O app.-oved and, at present, there are few o f those- although many manufacturers now arc o b t a i n i n g this certification. j \r o f ma n u f a c t u r e s also are making field-bas bar iers. These al-

l o w r i ; j n i n g a h i g h e r c u r e n t l e v e l to the

better, together.
indystriai

automation

7^i!strial

networking

Process Conlrollers

Visual Management

Ethernet Switches & Wireless Devices

Red Lion has be'en delivering award-winning industrial automation products to customers worldwide for ovtsr forty years. Now these innovative products are even better when paired with industrial networkii ng from N-Tron and Sixnet, the pioneers in Ethernet and cellular M2M solutions tor industrial envircmments. . ,

Visit better.recfilion.net to learn how our industrial auto mation and networking products work together toNTonnect. monitor, control.
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+ 1 (717)767-65111 info@redlion.net ? better.redlion.net

I N P U T
t e s M I K A L B t e C K S S K Q T l / # S E V I C E

OUTPUT
H E T W Q S K 5 5 * S A i C 0 O t T i 0 t i e f i $ C A S t J H G

FIGURE 4: PERMITTED OUTPUT OF POWER SUPPLIES

500 IIB/Div. 2 Group B Non-incendie (FNiCO) iiB/Div. 2 Group B intrinsically Safe (FiSCO) IIC/Div. 2 Group C Non-incendive (FNiCO) iiC/Div. 2 Group C intrinsically Safe (FiSCO)

cr
O

400 -

300 -

200 -

100 -

1 1
12

1 1
14

1 1
16

1 1
18

Open Circuit Voltage [v]

Because FNICO only requires a safety factor of 1.1, v s . the 1.5 safety factor lor IS and FISCO s y s t e m s , it can provide more energy to the network, typically 180 mA. This additional energy allows a FNICO s y s t e m to more than douhle the nbiiiber of
devices so as IS setaniU

IS UPDATE 2013
this article was publls lEC 61158 networks and IS equivalent offerings. The most significant change to the lEC 60079-11 standards is replacemeiit of the FNICO standard with the FISCO ic rating. FNICO a|e ;0 installations affe "grandHflvered" and the new rating is effectively equivalent, but is inJcwporated incorporated t.'BUtis in aa^6M-c|i^g^rna|^^l^pm^glP^ 1 One of the "knocks" against FISCO was that it wasrFtioessible^J^purchyase redundant power supplies, whicti could result in a single point of taiiuB^ and adoption. With advances in electronics that enaWe rapid switching of circuits within the time period of a singl^nessage pactet, MTL loped and released a ReduinlBlvt FISCO product. f circtritry, Pepperl+Fuchs and PTB developed dyiiamic arc ion and termindt^diTf&ART) a s w IS equivalen ^^Mi ^d|Me Qb.orQvid^^^ benefits of IS without the energy restrictions with which it is comm3ft^rin|sociate9t5i. Another technology that supports the IS Entity concept while allowing higher levels of energy in the conTplet ^vsteny ^h^Moo^^|te RouteMfe^ architecture model that e l f S W ^ ^ p n t ^ n ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ P w o r k miWiaginq the % energy levels in the system between both ends of the cable*- w -Ian Verhappen
computer interface. So the gas test associated w i t h the hot work p e r m i t is required at a l l three locations. The majority o f new installations are at least considering the use o f digital c o m m u nications protocols in the design. Despite being around for almost 10 years, fieldbus systems still are relatively new, and manufacturers continue to develop innovative
Ian fied Verhappen Automation authority is an ISA Fellow, and a CertirecP rofessionai, on

Our superior process control instrumentation always shows its true colors.

ways to provide the m a x i m u m and return on a faciliUy investment.

flexibility A

ognized nications

Industrial with

commuyears

t e c h n o l c )gles

25-r

e x p e r i e n c e . He c a ' i i be r e a c h e d at

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pemS'lndust'-; i a l a u t o m a t l o n n e t w o r k s . c o m .

INTELLIGENT INSTRUMENTS
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