Section 1 Explosive Atmospheres 07-2017 Rev 3

09/10/2018
Training Notes: Disclaimer

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Explosive Atmospheres (07-2017 Rev 3) ©ExVeritas® 1
What is an Explosion?
• An explosion is defined as the process in which
combustion occurs and spreads rapidly, it creates a
high pressure blast wave which travels outwards
from the source.
• The blast wave has flame and high temperatures
associated with it.
• In the case of confinement e.g. an enclosure, a room
or building etc., the fire expands from the source of
ignition and develops high pressure and if restricted,
the pressure builds up until the enclosure fails and
then exits at a higher pressure.
Explosive Atmospheres (07-2017 Rev 3) 1

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Deflagration
Two types of explosions: first type
• Deflagration: Burns with great heat and light.
• Subsonic
• Flame front speed 1 m/sec
• Speed of sound 330 m/sec
• The fire!!
Detonation
Second type: Detonation: A violent explosion

• Supersonic
• Flame front speed 2000-8000 m/sec
• Speed of sound 330 m/sec
• The explosion
Fire Triangle and Fire Tetrahedron
Oxygen is taken as 21%v/v e.g. the air we breathe.

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Explosion Pentagon
t Tu
en rb
em ul
f in en
on ce
C
ant
Fue
Oxid
l
Ignition
Fire Triangle and Fire Tetrahedron
• The statutory definitions of explosion protection -

this is derived from the health and safety at work
regulations - are concerned with workplaces.
• For this reason, explosion protection is generally

limited to description of reactions with oxygen in the
air.
Explosions types - BLEVE
• Bleve Demo.mp4
• huge explosions.mp4
• Destroyed in Seconds Oil Tank Explosion
YouTube.mp4

09/10/2018
ISO/IEC 80079-20-1:2017
Explosive Atmospheres: Material Characteristics for gas

and vapour classification-Test methods and data.
ISO/IEC 80079-20-1:2017.
ISO/IEC 80079-20-1 supersedes IEC 60079-20-1:2010

and the earlier PD IEC 60079-20:2000 which is now
withdrawn.
Relative Density
• Relative density, is the ratio of the density (mass of a

unit volume) of a substance to the density of a given
reference material.
• In our case the density (weight) of a gas or vapour is
compared with that of air.
• Air = 1.0
• Gas or vapour density <1.0 will rise.
• Gas or vapour density >1.0 will fall.
LIGHTER THAN AIR HEAVIER THAN AIR
Some gases are

the same density
as air and tend to
linger
A few gases - e.g. hydrogen, methane are Gases are generally denser
lighter than air and tend to rise and than air and tend to sink
dissipate. and spread out and ‘creep

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Vapour Density
Where would you locate the gas detectors?
= Gas Detector
Gas/Vapour Vapour density
Methane 0.55
Hydrogen 0.07
Petrol 3.0
Acetone 2.0
Flash Point
Vapour
• The flash point of a flammable
liquid is the lowest temperature
at which the surface of the liquid
emits sufficient vapour to be
ignited by an ignition source.
• It is the vapours released from
the liquid that actually
combusts.
• Temperature measured in
degrees Celsius.
Heat

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Flashpoint Temperatures
Kerosene +38°C
Least
Acetylene -18°C
Carbon Disulphide - 30°C
Likelyhood to
Propane -104°C produce an
Ethylene -136°C explosive
atmosphere
Methane -188°C
Hydrogen -253°C More
Melting Point
Vapour
• The melting point of a solid is the temperature at
which it changes state from a solid to a liquid.
• At the melting point the solid and liquid phase exist
in equilibrium.
• The melting point of a substance depends (usually
slightly) on pressure and is usually specified at
standard pressure, e.g. 1 bar (14.6psi)
Solid Liquid
Boiling Point
Vapour
• The boiling point of a substance is the temperature
at which the vapour pressure of the liquid equals
the environmental pressure surrounding the liquid.
Gas or Vapours
Liquid

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Explosion Properties
All flammable gases, vapours and mists require to be

mixed with oxygen to make them burn.
There is about 21% v/v (volume by volume) of oxygen

in the air we breath. 79% Nitrogen.
Below approx.19% it is know as oxygen depletion.
Above approx. 23% it is know as oxygen enrichment
Mixtures of a flammable gas and certain percentages of
air will burn if ignited.
Flammable Range
The range over which a gas at normal temperature

(20°C) and standard atmospheric pressure will form a
flammable mixture with air.
Standard atmospheric pressure is
1 bar or 1013.25 millibars or 14.6 psi.
Too lean and/or too rich, the mixture will not ignite.
The upper and lower concentrations of gas in
atmospheric air, by volume, are known as their
flammability or explosive limits.
100% GAS 0% AIR
No explosion
Too rich
UFL
(Upper Flammable Limit)
“Flammable limits” or
UEL
are the same as (Upper Explosive Limit)
“Explosive limits”
Flammable Range
or
Explosive range
LFL
(Lower Flammable Limit)
or
LEL
Too lean (Lower Explosive Limit)
0% GAS 100% AIR
No combustion

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Flammable Range
Examples of Flammable Range

(IEC 60079-20-1:2010)
Smaller
Substance LFL (%) UFL (%)
Propane 1.7 10.9
Flammable
Range
Methane 4.4 17
Ethylene 2.3 36
Hydrogen 4 77
Acetylene 2.3 100
Larger
Ignition Temperature
• All flammable gases have a temperature where ignition

will take place, even without an external ignition
source.
• This temperature is known as the Ignition Temperature.
• It used to be known as the Auto-ignition temperature
(AIT) or Spontaneous Ignition Temperature (SIT).

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Ignition Energy v Temperature

Increase
Ignition
energy
(Joules)
Ignition Temperature
Decrease
Temperature Degrees Celsius Hotter

Ignition Temperatures
(ISO/IEC 80079-20-1:2017*)
Unlikely
Methane 600 °C
Hydrogen 560 °C
Propane 450 °C
Likelihood of
Ethylene 440 °C ignition
Acetylene 305 °C
Kerosene 210 °C
Carbon Disulphide 90 °C
More
* There are 324 substances listed in IEC 60079-20-1:2010 (Flammable Gas Data).
Hot Surfaces
Mechanical Electrical
• If you go above the ignition temperature of the gas

or vapour in the location, there is a probability of
causing an explosion.

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MESG
• MESG (Maximum Experimental Safe Gap): The

maximum clearance between two parallel metal
surfaces that has been found, under specified test
conditions, to prevent an explosion in a test chamber
from being propagated to a secondary chamber
containing the same gas or vapour at the same
concentration.
• For gases and highly volatile liquids the MESG is
determined at 20°C.
• For any mixture of a

combustible gas or
vapour with an oxidizer
(air) there is a critical
ignition energy.
• Release less than the
critical amount of energy
into the mixture and
there will not be an
explosion.
• At a critical concentration called the most easily

ignited concentration (MEIC), the amount of
energy required to cause ignition is minimal.
MEIC
LEL MIE UEL
• The critical energy at the MEIC is called minimum

ignition energy (MIE).

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10
Propane
Minimum
Ignition
Energy Hydrogen
(mJ)
0.1
0.02
MIE
MEIC
0.01
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90 100
Volume %age
Minimum Ignition Values

Substance Energy
Joule Millijoules Microjoule
(10-3) (10-6)
Hydrogen 0.000019 0.019 19

Ethylene 0.000095 0.095 95
Propane 0.00026 0.26 260
Methane 0.00028 0.28 280
Acetone 0.00115 1.15 1150
Temperature Class
• The ignition temperature is the lowest temperature

on the surface at which an explosive atmosphere will
ignite.
• Gases have been divided into temperature classes
according to their ignition temperatures.
• There are six temperature classes T1 to T6.
• More later

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GROUPS
There are three groups, these are;
• Group I (1) coal mines

• Group II (2) gases and vapours
• Group III (3) combustible dusts
Explosive Atmosphere: Group I (1)

Mines susceptible to firedamp
Coal Mines susceptible

to Firedamp
Explosive Atmosphere: Group II (2)

Surface Industries and other mines not
associated with firedamp.

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Explosive Atmosphere
• Group I (1) is for mines susceptible to firedamp and

not covered further in this presentation.
• Group II (2) is for surface industries

• Group II gases is further divided into 3 sub-groups.
• Group III (3) is for surface industries

• Group III dusts is further divided into 3 sub-groups.
Explosive Atmosphere
IIA, for atmospheres containing Propane or gases of

an equivalent hazard.
IIB, for atmospheres containing Ethylene or gases of

an equivalent hazard.
IIC, for atmospheres containing Hydrogen or gases

of an equivalent hazard.
Gas Group II: Breakdown
Group Subdivision Total %age Ignition

Levels
II A 252 77.69 Most
II B 67 20.69 Less
II C 5 1.59 Least
324 100

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Examples of Flammable Range

(IEC 60079-20-1)
Substance LEL (%) UEL (%) Group
Methane 4.4 17.0 I
(firedamp)
Propane 1.7 10.9 IIA

Methane 4.4 17.0 IIA
Ethylene 2.3 36 IIB
Hydrogen 4 77 IIC
Acetylene 2.3 100 IIC
MIC
• MIC (Minimum Igniting Current) Ratio: The ratio of

the minimum current required from an inductive
spark discharge to ignite the most easily ignitable
mixture of a gas or vapour, divided by the minimum
current required from an inductive spark discharge
to ignite methane under the same test conditions.
Historical Background
The first hazardous area was discovered in the coal

mines.
Coal Mines held a double hazard: methane gas

(firedamp) and coal dust.
Firedamp is a flammable gas found in coal mines, it is

formed from a mixture of gases including methane

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• In 1815 Sir Humphrey

Davy invented the Davy
lamp, which was a
kerosene lamp with a
fine brass mesh. This
was used to indicate
methane concentration
in the mine
atmosphere.

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Electrical Equipment
• This method of
protection lead to the
development of the
Flameproof (FLP)
concept of protection
Concept letter ‘d’
d = druckfeste (German)
Mine explosion in South Wales;
Universal Colliery, Senghenydd, 14th October 1913.
Cause – was a spark generated by the signalling system

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Bare wire
signalling
system
12v system
Research at the Mines Research Establishment

(HSL), Buxton, England identified that these low
voltage circuits were indeed capable of igniting
mine gases, it led to a new circuit philosophy e.g.
design; in which the stored energy in the circuit is
reduced to a non ignition capable level.
This protection technique was labelled ‘intrinsic
safety’ Ex ‘i’ and it was the beginning of a new era
in safety methods for explosive hazardous areas.
END

Section 1 Explosive Atmospheres 07-2017 Rev 3

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Section 1 Explosive Atmospheres 07-2017 Rev 3

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09/10/2018

Training Notes: Disclaimer

Explosive Atmospheres (07-2017 Rev 3) ©ExVeritas® 1

Explosive Atmospheres (07-2017 Rev 3) ©ExVeritas® 2

Explosive Atmospheres (07-2017 Rev 3) 1

Explosive Atmospheres (07-2017 Rev 3) ©ExVeritas® 4

Second type: Detonation: A violent explosion

Explosive Atmospheres (07-2017 Rev 3) ©ExVeritas® 5

Fire Triangle and Fire Tetrahedron

Oxygen is taken as 21%v/v e.g. the air we breathe.

Explosive Atmospheres (07-2017 Rev 3) ©ExVeritas® 6

Explosive Atmospheres (07-2017 Rev 3) 2

Fire Triangle and Fire Tetrahedron

• The statutory definitions of explosion protection -

• For this reason, explosion protection is generally

Explosive Atmospheres (07-2017 Rev 3) ©ExVeritas® 8

Explosions types - BLEVE

Explosive Atmospheres (07-2017 Rev 3) ©ExVeritas® 9

Explosive Atmospheres (07-2017 Rev 3) 3

Explosive Atmospheres: Material Characteristics for gas

ISO/IEC 80079-20-1 supersedes IEC 60079-20-1:2010

Explosive Atmospheres (07-2017 Rev 3) ©ExVeritas® 10

• Relative density, is the ratio of the density (mass of a

Explosive Atmospheres (07-2017 Rev 3) ©ExVeritas® 11

LIGHTER THAN AIR HEAVIER THAN AIR

Some gases are

Explosive Atmospheres (07-2017 Rev 3) 4

Gas/Vapour Vapour density

Explosive Atmospheres (07-2017 Rev 3) ©ExVeritas® 14

Explosive Atmospheres (07-2017 Rev 3) ©ExVeritas® 15

Explosive Atmospheres (07-2017 Rev 3) 5

Explosive Atmospheres (07-2017 Rev 3) ©ExVeritas® 16

Explosive Atmospheres (07-2017 Rev 3) ©ExVeritas® 17

Explosive Atmospheres (07-2017 Rev 3) ©ExVeritas® 18

Explosive Atmospheres (07-2017 Rev 3) 6

All flammable gases, vapours and mists require to be

There is about 21% v/v (volume by volume) of oxygen

Explosive Atmospheres (07-2017 Rev 3) ©ExVeritas® 19

The range over which a gas at normal temperature

100% GAS 0% AIR

Explosive Atmospheres (07-2017 Rev 3) ©ExVeritas® 21

Explosive Atmospheres (07-2017 Rev 3) 7

Explosive Atmospheres (07-2017 Rev 3) ©ExVeritas® 22

Examples of Flammable Range

• All flammable gases have a temperature where ignition

Explosive Atmospheres (07-2017 Rev 3) ©ExVeritas® 24

Explosive Atmospheres (07-2017 Rev 3) 8

Ignition Energy v Temperature

Temperature Degrees Celsius Hotter

Explosive Atmospheres (07-2017 Rev 3) ©ExVeritas® 26

• If you go above the ignition temperature of the gas

Explosive Atmospheres (07-2017 Rev 3) ©ExVeritas® 27

Explosive Atmospheres (07-2017 Rev 3) 9

• MESG (Maximum Experimental Safe Gap): The

Explosive Atmospheres (07-2017 Rev 3) ©ExVeritas® 28

• For any mixture of a

Explosive Atmospheres (07-2017 Rev 3) ©ExVeritas® 29

• At a critical concentration called the most easily

LEL MIE UEL

• The critical energy at the MEIC is called minimum

Explosive Atmospheres (07-2017 Rev 3) 10

Minimum Ignition Values

Hydrogen 0.000019 0.019 19

• The ignition temperature is the lowest temperature