Generally, the industrial facilities include areas where the generation or consumption of hazardous gases and liquids is intense. In such areas, which are referred to as Explosion Protected Areas, appropriate types of protection are selected according to the condition of the environment. There is no special guidance for such areas except for the general information set forth in the “Regulation on the Protection of Buildings 2015”.
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The “hazard classification” of the buildings plays a decisive role in the determination of the measures against fire and in the implementation of the facilities by taking into account the structural and enterprise-specific conditions. In relation to the hazard classification, on the other hand, two different classification models are used in the international applications.
The classifications of high hazard environments are defined as zone or division. The evaluation and rules were established individually for the environments with gas and dust in both groups of methods.
The temperature and gas groups of the zone are also taken into account for the classification. The comparative values prepared in accordance with these gas groups and temperature classes were determined.
The standard that determines the hazard classification of environments is TS 3491 EN 60079-10 standard published by the TSI in Turkey in December 2005.
Within the scope of the measures to be taken for high hazard areas in terms of fire safety, “detection” is also included in the water, dry chemical powder, and gas extinguishing systems. A number of sensors are installed to monitor the changes in the environment or condition that may pose a risk for the materials that are the cause of hazard. The sensors to be used (smoke, temperature, flame, gas, etc.) and alarm system components (notice button, audible/light warning device, etc.) must have been produced and certified in accordance with specific classifications such as other building installation materials. These classes are also the predefined classes as the class of the environment. This classification is designated so as to constitute different codes of practice in various countries or zones.
If an assessment is made in terms of the fires that will develop within the high hazard area, it is seen that smoke detection detectors are used if the fire in these areas will be smoke priority, and temperature detectors are used if they are temperature priority. In the case of gas or solvent vapor in the environment, the gas detectors that are calibrated according to the appropriate gases are installed. In addition, one or more of the specified detection methods (smoke, temperature, flame) can be applied in the same environment by taking into account the condition of the stored or treated substances.
The devices to be used shall comply with the relevant standards and their compliance shall be certified. (94/9/EC and 1999/92/EC-ATEX) IEC 60079, 61241 and 61779 – IECEx☆ NFPA-UL and FM etc.) and certificates of conformity must be available. However, in certain applications, unfortunately, the requirements for equipment are practically fulfilled not in accordance with the standards, but according to certain approaches or estimations. Application is requested and implemented in the areas where it cannot be ensured that there is an ex proof environment suitable for the actual requirement. Before determining the equipment to be used and questioning the certificate, it should be determined according to which classification the location to be applied has been designed, if not, it should be designed by considering the relevant standards and then the interior installation materials should be selected.
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