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T
he division classification method has been used zone classification method as Class I, Zone 0, 1, and 2
in the United States since being incorporated into and provided a basis to build upon in subsequent edi-
NEC 1920 to cover electrical and electronic equip- tions of the NEC.
ment and wiring in extra-hazardous areas where fire This new method of protection was based primarily
or explosion hazards may exist from flammable and upon the international method of zone protection and
combustible liquids, vapors, or gases. The use of the covered only limited concepts of the international tech-
term extra-hazardous locations implied that an elec- nique. Definitions for this new method of zone protec-
trical installation was already a hazardous installation tion were provided in a new Article 505 but contained
but where used in areas, rooms, or compartments with limited information and application techniques. The
some chemicals, it was more hazardous than usual. In NEC 1996 tied the division type of hazardous location
NEC 1931, the term classifications was added to the articles together with the new zone type of protection
NEC along with Class I, Class II, and III. The term ex- techniques but the information was rather difficult to
tra-hazardous has been dropped from the NEC. These find since the new zone protection text was inserted
areas are now called hazardous (classified) locations into various places within the general hazardous loca-
which differentiates the hazardous chemical areas with tions articles. Even though the bulk of the information
electrical equipment from hazardous health areas. was in Article 505, it was necessary to extract some of
The NEC 1996 was the first edition to address the the zone classification information from Articles 500
new hazardous (classified) method of zone classifica- and 501 primarily covering Class I, Division 1 and 2
tion. The NEC 1996 identified the newly introduced hazardous (classified) locations.
In NEC 1999, all references to the zone concept of special electrical equipment must be installed in the
hazardous (classified) locations were removed from hazardous (classified) location. All of the factors that
Article 500 for general hazardous location concepts and are normally associated with division area classification
from most of Article 501 for Class I, Division 1 and 2 would apply to a zone classification, such as tempera-
installations. A fine print note was left in 500-1 to pro- ture, density or molecular weight of the substance, air
vide the user with direction to Article 505 containing circulation, quantity, pressure, and so forth.
the bulk of the information on the zone concept of Highly oxygenated areas are outside the scope of
area classification. both the zone classification and the division classifica-
This single article concept for zone applications pro- tion systems. These areas have had the ignition and
vided a more user-friendly method to access pertinent burning characteristics of materials changed by exceed-
information where applying the zone concept. Article ing the normal volume of oxygen of air that is mixed
505 provides information on equipment and wiring with the flammable gas or vapor. Where highly oxygen-
methods that are permitted in a Zone 0, Zone 1, and ated areas are encountered, the user should refer to
Zone 2 classified area. All other applicable rules would the specialized documents that deal with these types
apply to these installations, except as amended by Ar- of areas and comply with the requirements for installa-
ticle 505 or amended by those requirements in Article tion of electrical equipment in those areas.
504 dealing with intrinsically safe installations. Areas where pyrophoric materials are present or
The zone concept was further enhanced in NEC 2002 handled are also outside the scope of both the zone
by changing the basic layout of Article 505 to fit the classification and the division classification systems.
new numbering sequence required by the NEC Style Pyrophoric materials can be ignited just by introduc-
Manual. All definitions were moved to 505.2; 505.3 ing the material to air. Where these chemicals are used,
covers other applicable rules located in other articles; installation of special electrical equipment is usually
and 505.4 provides general information pertaining to not necessary. However, care should be taken since
zone installations. This was done to provide consis- there may be other combustible chemicals in the area
tency of section numbering with other similar articles. that may require special electrical equipment.
Further changes to Article 505 made it completely Since much of the electrical equipment built for the
independent of Articles 500 and 501. Section 505.15 European and other world markets incorporate metric
for wiring methods in a zone area was expanded to measurement and sizing, it may be necessary to pro-
match its counterpart in 501.4 for wiring methods in a vide adapters to convert from the standard NPT threads
Class I, Division 1 and 2 area. Section 505.16 was in- that are used in the United States to the metric threaded
serted to cover the sealing requirements for zone meth- entries or fittings provided with the equipment. If
ods rather than just referring back to 501.5 as was done equipment with metric threads is provided for use in
in the previous Codes. the United States, the NEC requires that metric to NPT
adapters be included with the equipment or be marked
Location and General Requirements for to identify the threaded entries as metric threads.
Article 505 NPT threads provide a ¾ inch per foot taper. Most
In zone applications, hazardous locations are classi- standard conduit threading equipment available in the
fied in accordance with the properties of flammable United States uses NPT thread. By conforming to a stan-
liquids, gases, or vapors that may be present in the area dard threaded system and providing a standard to
where electrical equipment is installed. The liquids, metric adapter, electrical equipment with metric threads
gases, or vapors must be likely to form ignitable con- can be readily and safely adapted. Good electrical and
centrations and the quantities of the material must be mechanical continuity of conduit connections by the
sufficient to pose a hazard when mixed with a suffi- proper threaded adaptor to the enclosure can prevent
cient quantity of air. These conditions are similar or sparking between the fitting, the conduit, and the en-
often the same as the conditions required for a similar closure during an electrical fault. The proper fitting
location being designed and installed in the division can also ensure the integrity of the explosionproof or
concept. flameproof path by permitting the venting and subse-
Each area should be considered individually in de- quent cooling of the hot flaming gases after an explo-
termining the classification and care should be taken sion occurs within the enclosure.
to not over-classify, as well as to not under-classify. Elec-
trical equipment should be installed and connected in Definitions of Zone Classification
an area that is outside the hazardous (classified) loca- Zone 0 Locations
tion; however, where this not possible or practical, then A Zone 0 location involves ignitable concentrations
of flammable gases or vapors that are present con-
tinuously or present for long periods of time. This centrations of gases or vapors and simultaneous fail-
classification includes locations inside tanks in which ure of electrical equipment. Areas that are adjacent to
flammable or combustible liquids, gases, or vapors a Class I, Zone 0 location where ignitable concentra-
tions of gases or vapors could migrate are also con-
sidered to be Zone 1 locations.
The normal classification for Zone 1 locations does
not take into consideration catastrophic leaks. It does,
however, consider small leaks from valves, pump pack-
ing glands, and other similar leakage considered com-
mon for equipment handling hazardous materials.
Zone 2 Locations
A Zone 2 location and a Division 2 location are es-
sentially the same and have similar definitions. It is a
location where vapors or gases are not likely to occur
during normal operation but if a leak does occur, it
would normally be for a short duration of time.
A Zone 2 location is one where the liquids, gases, or
vapors are handled, processed, or used in an area but
are normally confined within closed piping or contain-
ers that can only leak as a result of a rupture or some
other abnormal condition.
Positive mechanical ventilation is often used to pre-
vent the buildup of ignitable concentrations of gases
Photo 1. Flameproof Control Switch with Increased Safety TTerminals
erminals or vapors and, thus, to reclassify or declassify the area.
Should the ventilation system break down, an ignit-
able concentration could require classification as a Zone
are stored or locations such as between the inner or 2 location.
outer roof sections of a floating roof tank containing An area that is adjacent to a Class I, Zone 1 location
volatile flammable liquids. If venting is provided to from which ignitable concentrations of flammable gases
allow the gases or vapors to escape from inside the or vapors could migrate would be a Zone 2 location,
tank during the process of filling, there may be an unless positive mechanical ventilation has been pro-
area outside of the tank near the opening of the vent vided and there are safeguards to ensure against venti-
that is considered to be a Zone 0 location. In some lation failure.
cases, the area around the vent outlet would be con-
sidered to be a Class I, Zone 1 location, depending
upon the amount of air circulation and the type of
material involved.
For Zone 0 locations, it is recommended that elec-
trical equipment be located in an area outside the Zone
0 location. This is not always feasible since measure-
ment equipment and other electrical equipment may
be necessary for the function and monitoring of the
system. In a Zone 0 location, intrinsically safe appara-
tus and the associated intrinsically safe circuit are the
only wiring methods and protection technique that are
permitted to be installed.
Zone 1 Locations
A Zone 1 location, similar to Class I, Division 1 lo-
cation, is one in which there may be ignitable concen-
trations during normal operating conditions or ignit-
able concentrations exist frequently from repair or
maintenance of the equipment. A Zone 1 would be a
location where equipment breakdown or faulty op-
eration of the equipment could release ignitable con- Photo 2. Intrinsic Safe Telephone
Protection Techniques for Zone plosion pressure without damaging the enclosure and
Locations without permitting the flame to leave the enclosure
Many of the protection techniques for zone locations through any joints or other openings in the enclosure
in the NEC are modeled after the International and without igniting the surrounding gases.
Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) standards and the 2. Purged and Pressurized (Type “p”) Equipment
International Standards Organization (ISO) standards. Purged and pressurized (Type “p”) is a type of protec-
These international organizations have been primarily tion that uses inert gas or instrument quality air as a pro-
responsible for providing standards on electrical equip- tective gas to purge the inside of the enclosure of any haz-
ment for many countries. ardous quantity of flammable gases or vapors. The enclo-
Underwriters Laboratories Inc. (UL) has further sure is then kept pressurized at a pressure high enough
above the outer atmosphere surrounding the enclosure to
prevent the flammable gas or vapor from re-entering the
enclosure. This guards against an ignitable concentration
of gas accumulating within the enclosure and then being
ignited by an arcing or sparking part or hot electrical equip-
ment. This protection technique also permits a general type
enclosure to be used rather than an explosionproof or
flameproof enclosure, as would normally be the case.
3. Intrinsic Safety (Types “ia” or “ib”) Equipment
Intrinsic Safety (Types “ia” or “ib”) is a type of pro-
tection technique that uses an apparatus that limits the
maximum level of current and voltage measured as
energy (usually in millijoules) under normal or fault
conditions that can be delivered into the hazardous
location. The intrinsically safe associated apparatus
providing this energy limitation has a further identifi-
cation marking on the equipment that indicates the
Photo 3. Battery Operated Intrinsic Safety (IS) Gas Detector type of intrinsic safety. The marking will be “ia” or “ib”
and should be located on the nameplate of the appara-
adapted these IEC documents with minor changes into tus. This equipment should provide a level of safety
a multi-part American National Standards Institute that, even in a double fault condition (“ia”) or a single
(ANSI) document, ANSI/UL 2279-2001, the Standard for fault condition (“ib”), there will not be enough igni-
Electrical Equipment for Use in Class I, Zone 0, 1, and tion energy to ignite the gas or vapor in that area.
2 Hazardous (Classified) Locations. This UL standard 4. Protection (Type “n”) Equipment
is used for testing and listing of electrical equipment Protection (Type “n”) equipment is a protection tech-
for use in zone classified areas and provides the manu- nique applied to electrical equipment which does not
facturer and the user with a detailed description of the have enough ignition energy to ignite the gas or vapor
particular protection techniques that can be used for during normal operation and is not likely to have a
these areas. fault that could cause ignition. This type of protection
Section 505.4(B), fine print notes provides standard is similar to the nonincendive circuits and equipment
references for important information involving hazard- used in Class I, Division 2 locations. If there is a possi-
ous locations. Each protection technique permitted in bility of a fault occurring within the system, then some
a zone installation is covered in 505.8 and in fine print other method of protection should be chosen or extra
notes that immediately follow many of these protec- protection against faults should be incorporated.
tion techniques. 5. Oil Immersion (Type “o”) Equipment
1. Flameproof (Type “d”) Equipment Oil immersion (Type “o”) equipment is a type of
Flameproof (Type “d”) is a type of protection that is protection in which the electrical equipment is im-
similar to explosionproof equipment protection that has mersed in a protective fluid of nonconductive silicone
been one of the most common protection techniques or mineral oil. The fluid level should be such that the
used in the United States. In this protection technique, electrical parts and any arcing or sparking parts of the
the equipment is in an enclosure that has been tested to oil-encased equipment are immersed and the liquid
withstand an internal explosion of a gas- or vapor-to-air always covers the electrical parts. This ensures that the
mixture that can penetrate into the interior of the enclo- gas or vapor located above the arcing or sparking parts
sure. The enclosure must contain the flame and the ex- or the gas or vapor located exterior to the enclosure
Photo 4. Open View of Control Station Photo 6. Close Up of Increased Safety Equipment Terminals
Photo 5. Close Up Shot of Control Station Photo 7. Control Station Protection Method “edm” Increased Safety
Enclosure with Flameproof Switches and Enscapsulated Indicating Light
Conclusion
By providing the user with an optional method for area
classification and an expanded number of equipment
options, the NEC has become a more global and pro-
gressive document. It has also expanded the ability of
manufacturers to enter into the global market in a more
competitive way.