CONCEPTS OF

AREA
CLASSIFICAT
ION
 Applicable standards

„ Institute of Petroleum – Part 15

(Followed by European
manufacturers)

„ API – 500 (Followed by American

manufacturers)

„ API – 505 (Followed by both the

manufacturers)
CLASS OF MATERIAL

„ Class – I Flammable gas.

„ Class – II Combustible Dust.

„ Class – III Ignitable Fiber.

 GROUP OF
ATMOSPHERIC
MIXTURE

Group - I Group - II

Applicable Applicable
in mining for
industry flammable
where gases found
methane at
gas is installations
handled other than
mining
industry
GROUP OF GASES UNDER
CLASS - II

„ Group IIA & B – Gases whose

MIC ratio is less than 0.45 (e.g..
Acetylene, Hydrogen, etc….)

„ Group IIC – Gases whose MIC

ratio is less than 0.8 but more
than 0.45 (e.g.. Ethylene,
acetaldehyde, etc…)

GROUP IID – Gases whose MIC

ratio is more than 0.8 (e.g.. Crude
oil, Naphtha, gasoline, etc…)
 GASES AUTO
IGNITION
TEMPERATURE
„ T1 – 4500C (Hydrogen, Methane,
Ethane etc..)

„ T2 – 3000C (LPG, acetylene etc..)

„ T3 – 2000C (CRUDE OIL,

Naphtha, etc..)

„ T4 – 1350C

„ T5 – 1000C

„ T6 – 850C
SOURCE OF RELEASE

„ Continuous grade of release.

„ Primary grade of release.

„ Secondary grade of release.

 Continuous grade of
release
„ A source which can release
flammable gas at all times.

„ Flammable gas available in the

area for more than 1000Hrs /
year.

„ Generally applicable at areas like

within storage tanks of
flammable liquids etc..
 PRIMARY GRADE OF
RELEASE
„ A source which can release
flammable gas during normal
operation.

„ Flammable gas available in the

area for a period more than
10Hrs/year but less than
1000Hrs/yr.

„ Generally applicable for areas like

within loading unloading areas,
burn pits, transition areas from
zone - 0, pig launching / receiving
areas, open drains, process vents
which may operate during normal
operation etc.
SECONDARY GRADE OF
RELEASE.
„ A source which can release
flammable gas during abnormal
operation.

„ Flammable gas available in the

area for a period less than
10Hrs/year.

„ Generally applicable for areas like

flanges, pump / compressor seals,
closed sampling points, transition
areas from zone - 1
 VENTILATION
CRITERIA
1. In a adequately ventilated area
continuous grade release source
leads to ZONE-0, primary grade
release source leads to ZONE-
1, secondary grade release
source leads to ZONE-2.

2. An area is said to be adequately

ventilated when:
„ Source of release is in open air
area/open side skids
„ Source of release is in
ventilated enclosed area (the
enclosed area shall have at least
12 air changes/Hr.
 VENTILATION
CRITERIA
3. In an area not adequately ventilated
primary grade of release can give to
ZONE-0, and secondary grade of
release can give to ZONE-1.

4. Pits, trenches, etc.. In ZONE-2 areas

are designated as ZONE-1.

5. An enclosure located in classified area

but maintained at positive pressure
compared to outside media is
unclassified.

6. Space within a vapor tight enclosure is

not classified.
 RECOMMENDED EXTENT
OF CLASSIFICATION
„ Recommended extent of
classification is defined for
following industries by API-505:

„ Refineries
„ Drilling rigs & Production facilities
„ Mobile Offshore drilling rigs
„ Floating production storage &
offloading units.
„ Pipelines carrying petroleum
products.
„ Loading / unloading areas, etc…
„ For other plant extent of
classification is defined as shown
in the following slides.
 INSTALLATION OF
ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT IN
CLASSIFIED AREAS
„ Except for instrument switches /
transmitters no electrical
equipment is installed in ZONE-0
area.

„ Junction boxes, access lights are

installed in ZONE-1 areas.
Motors could be installed if the
situation warrants.

„ In addition to equipment
indicated above small power, local
DBs could be installed in ZONE-2

„ Large equipment like generators,

transformers shall be installed
only in safe areas.
 PARAMETERS THAT
AFFECT EXTENT OF
AREA CLASSIFICATION
„ Source of releases in each skid
„ Grade of release
„ Buoyancy of release W.R.T air
„ Operating pressure of fluid/gas
„ Operating Temperature of
fluid/gas
„ Flash point of the fluid
„ Auto ignition temperature of the
gas
„ Ventilation condition