What is Exproof? Which Standards Does It Comply With?

Petroleum, petroleum products, chemicals, LPG, natural gas, coal mines, grain silos, sugar factories, timber and furniture factories, bread bakeries and factories, and many industry sectors dealing with flammable, combustible, and explosive substance

What is Ex-Proof?

Exproof is a technology that ensures electrical devices used in explosive atmospheres operate safely without causing explosions. Explosive atmospheres are environments containing flammable gases, vapors, dust, or fibers. Explosions can occur when using electrical devices in these environments. Exproof devices are specially designed devices that can be operated in these environments and prevent explosions.

The design and manufacture of exproof devices are subject to ATEX (Europe) and NEC (North America) standards. These standards define the classification of explosive environments, classification of devices, and conformity requirements. Exproof devices are designed and tested in accordance with these standards.

Exproof devices are specially designed for different types of devices used in explosive environments. These devices include lamps, motors, switches, connectors, sensors, and other electrical devices. The design, manufacture, and testing of exproof devices are carried out in compliance with the requirements of the standards.

Exproof technology ensures the safe operation of electrical devices used in explosive environments, thereby ensuring the safety of workers and the environment.

In many industrial sectors dealing with flammable, combustible, and explosive materials such as petroleum, petroleum products, chemicals, LPG, natural gas, coal mines, grain silos, sugar factories, lumber and furniture factories, bakeries, and factories, explosive atmospheres are created during normal operation or in cases such as failure and maintenance (due to gas, dust, or flammable vapor substances). Sparks and arcs produced by electrical equipment endanger these environments and cause explosions.

For these reasons, the electrical equipment used in explosive atmospheres in such workplaces must be different. This event is called ex-proof  and the electrical devices used are called ex-proof electrical products . They are commonly known by these names in the commercial market.

Actually, the term EX-PROOF is taken from American practice and in Turkish, it should be “EXPLOSIVE ATMOSPHERES and ELECTRICAL EQUIPMENT USED IN EXPLOSIVE ATMOSPHERES” . Instead of EXPROOF, the term “PROTECTED AGAINST EXPLOSION” can also be used briefly.