ATAM Certifies Encapsulated Coil for Use in Hazardous Environments
ATAM has added the 481 encapsulated coil with external magnetic armature for hydraulic applications to its line of products certified to ATEX Directive 2014/34/EU.
Key features of the 481 encapsulated coil include:
- certification for use in Zone 2 according to Directive 99/92/EC
- high protection rating in accordance with IEC-EN 60529
- ability to be supplied with between 12 and 240V direct and alternating current
- dimensions of 22 mm I.D., 45 mm O.D. and 54.5 mm h meets most standard hydraulic applications.
ATEX Certification Ensures Safe Working Environments
With its ATEX certification, the ATAM 481 coil can be used in hydraulic systems being utilized in hazardous environments, particularly those in which there is the chance of explosion. A number of industries require this certification due to the presence of gases, vapors and dust that can create explosive atmospheres near an ignition source such as hot surfaces, electrical material, electrostatic charges, mechanical sparks, etc.
According to ATAM, about 70% of industrial environments are susceptible to this type of risk. The oil and mining are just two examples of the many industries requiring such certification to ensure safety. As hydraulics are utilized in many of these, having technology which can be paired with it and carries the ATEX certification provides a level of security that operations will be kept safe for those working in them.
An important feature of the ATEX-certified coils is its use of an encapsulated external magnetic armature without an explosion-proof housing as is typically the case for these types of products. ATAM said the housings are heavily depotentialized to operate in such areas which results in limited capacity and pressure in these environments — potentially hindering performance requirements.
By the coil not having to be significantly depotentialized, the company said it ensures solenoid valve manufacturers can continue to use standard products in potentially explosive atmospheres without having to create new valve bodies. This enables them to be compliant with regulations and ensure safe operations while reducing development costs.
To achieve the ATEX certification, ATAM said it produces the coils using a complex manufacturing process involving the complete absence of gaps in which gas can penetrate.
Specialized in-house personnel can help pair the 481 coils and other ATEX-certified components with a customer's product to help ensure an optimized solution. ATAM also has a state-of-the-art experimental laboratory which is said allows the company to simulate the combined use of two products and verify the tightness of components even under heavy-duty requirements, resulting in solutions that meet reliability, quality and affordability requirements for customers.
