The explosive atmosphere in form of dust or gas surrounding the object to be lifted will be sucked into the vacuum system and through tubes, filter and pump. It’s important to carefully plan the selection and placement of each component and have in mind that every component will be affected, even though it might not be within the ATEX zone.
The placement of the vacuum pump is more significant for an ATEX vacuum system than for a normal vacuum system. This is because the pump is blowing out the air and explosive atmosphere is pulled in at the suction cup. Placing the pump outside of the ATEX zone or in another room might be a good option for reducing noise or save space in a limited area. However, placing the pump outside of the ATEX zone does not remove or reduce the need for an ATEX certified pump for the correct zone. The explosive atmosphere will still travel through the inside of the pump, therefore the pump is required to be protected from ignition risk and approved for a certain temperature.
Zone 1 & 21 have higher requirements than zone 2 & 22 and there is a few differences in what we can offer.
Zone 1 and 21
The vacuum lifter and it’s accessories approved for ATEX use are manufactured in stainless steel and are connected with ground/earth wires to make sure no static electricity can create an ignition. The lifting unit and accessories are therefore rated for zone 1 & 21 and every lower rated zone.
The only pump option available for zone 1 and 21 is the compressed air driven ejector. There are no moving parts in the ejector and are therefore no risk of ignition or heat generation. This makes it a viable option for zone 1 or 21. TAWI can also provide a variety of different crane solutions manufactured in stainless steel, approved for ATEX use.
Zone 2 and 22
All equipment approved for zone 1 and 21 will also be approved for use in ATEX zone with lower rat¬ing. Therefore TAWI ATEX vacuum lifter, accessories, compressed air driven ejector, ATEX approved stainless steel cranes etc. will work for zone 2 and 22.
In addition to above mentioned equipment, TAWI can provide a variety of electric ATEX pumps for zone 2 or 22, differentiated by GAS or DUST classification.
To find the right lifting solution for your ATEX requirements, contact us today.
