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Our Products & Services

ATEX products & Services are divided into four areas Prevention, Venting, Suppression and Isolation.
 

Prevention
ATEX prevention systems are provided to mitigate the potential of a deflagration in process equipment.

ATEX Explosion Hazards limited have put together a comprehensive range of services to satisfy all your ATEX/DSEAR compliance requirements:

 

  •   Preliminary Survey
  • Product testing
  • Area Zoning
  • Risk assessment
  • Process plant and Associated Equipment
  • Explosion Protection Document
  • Explosion Protection and Prevention
  • Training  

 

Download the complete range of ATEX Explosion Hazards services HERE

 

 

 

Spark Detection and Suppression
Systems are provided to detect ignition sources as they travel through the duct work and prevent them from entering process equipment.
 
 
ATEX CO Monitoring (ACOM) 
This is a standard feature in most Dairy plant today, early Fire Detection and Control Systems for the Drying Processes. The system monitors the inlet and outlet air flow of the process. When the system determines that decomposition (early fire) is occurring a series of alarm stages are provided to allow control of the ignition potential.
 
 
 

Venting
Sometimes prevention is not enough. ATEX Venting systems provide a cost effective approach to explosion protection.

 
Rupture Discs
ATEX frangible vents provide protection of process equipment from flame overpressure to a safe area outside of the building 
 
 
ATEX Q-Box above right and Q-Pipe below are Flameless vents, which provide protection where process equipment must be placed in the facility and ducting is not possible. The units contain the flame front from the deflagration and mitigate the pressure to a safe level.
 
 
ATEX Explosion Doors Provide protection of process equipment where operational conditions suggest that high potential of an event or where the replacement of standard frangible vents is
not cost effective or too time consuming. Doors can be reset automatically and prevent ingress of air to reduce the possibility of an after fire.
 
 
       
 

Suppression

Suppression systems throughout industry have had a bad reputation for the unwanted false activation with the phantom cause. ATEX systems have advanced to a superior level of diagnostics virtually eliminating these unwanted phantom operations.
The ATEX System is the only System to be independently certified to meet the ANSI SIS SIL Level 2 requirements. In short if a device cannot be supervised for functionality it must be of redundant supply. For instance Gas Generators cannot be definition be fully supervised so SIS requires redundancy and ATEX has complied with redundant Gas Generator on all suppressors.
 
The ATEX Detection and Control System provide the most user friendly and powerful diagnostic tool in the industry. The ATEX Decentralized Modular System allows for ultimate flexibility. Expansion does not require the redesign of the system.
 
ATEX PXD Sensors continually monitor the process for over pressure developments on dynamic and static bases. In addition a heartbeat signal is continually monitored to insure the reliability of the device. Through sophisticated exclusive algorithms ATEX sensors can filter out most electrical spikes and variances that would normally cause false activations with analog sensors.
The last four real time alarm curves for each PXD Sensor are stored for review and analysis. Only with the curves from both sensors on an independent basis can detection signals be evaluated and compared for proper response. Besides Control Unit Diagnostic LED’s for each sensor they can be individually interrogated on command for settings, real time pressure and sensor history.
 
    
 
Control Panel PXD Explosion Sensor Sensor remote Data
   
Event Pressure traces
 
ATEX Suppressors
All ATEX Suppressors are addressable devices with advanced monitoring techniques. While some systems still use old series wired supervision the ATEX addressable system provides distinct functional benefits.
Each sensor is interrogated independently for pressure, Lock Status, Computer Integrity, Voltage Supply, Capacitor Firing Current and Gas Generator Integrity. In additional if a fault occurs
the ATEX APLOG software allows the user to interrogate each suppressor for all of the above readings.
 
All suppressors offer the exclusive ATEX reusable valve system. Refurbishment requires New Chemical, Gas Generators, New “O” Rings and a Teflon Disk. Expensive Rupture Disks are not required. And with the pre-measured agent packages reconditioning can be done easily by plant personnel.
 
Dry Chemical (Powder) Suppression DCS
ATEX Dry Chemical Suppressors provided in 4, 20 and 35 Liter sizes store the Dry Chemical and are super pressurized to 900 psi with Dry Nitrogen.
 
 
 
Hot Water Suppressors
ATEX Hot Water Suppressors were specifically designed for the Dairy Drying Industry. With water stored in a temperature and pressure controlled unit, it provides a unique advantage in larger vessels. Before the advent of HWS DCS were used on these vessels. But the DCS had two major drawbacks discharge distance as they were practically limited to 10 feet of throw as the discharge velocity was constantly decreasing after release from the suppressor. It also required a large amount of cleanup. The HWS do not have a cleanup problem. On release the Water flashes to a vapor accelerating and providing an unobstructed discharge pattern in the vessel making it ideal for the large vessel volume. 
 
 
Hygienic Discharge Spreaders
ATEX flush discharge spreaders provide a sanitary process condition during normal process operations. On release the spreader penetrates into the vessel.
 
 

Isolation Products

While Explosion Protection Products get all the attention it’s the isolation systems that prevent a damaged vessel from becoming plant devastation. These vital devices prevent the spread of an event from one vessel to another and to the building itself. Available in many different formats they are generally divided into passive and active classifications. The Passive or Mechanical Valves use the force of the propagating event to isolate the development. The Active or Automatic Valves require a separate detection system to detect the advancing event and close the path.
 
 
Passive Products
Explosion Isolation Barrier Valves provide a means of preventing the propagation of a deflagration. By using the force and pressure generated by an event to close the device they can effectively stop the propagation of the Pressure and Flame Front associated with a deflagration. New advances with the valve allow for an increase product loading. The valve can be reset with the release of the locking pin.
 
      
 
Explosion Diverters also use the energy from an advancing deflagration to divert it to a save area. These devices can, considering proper design, divert the flame front to a safe area and mitigate the advancing pressure wave. Because this is an open flow device its use while well documented should be base on experience and other protection methods installed.
 
 
Active Products
Quick Closing Valves of the Pop-Pit and Gate Style provide a means to contain the advancing flame front and pressure wave eliminating its propagation. The application of he valves is based on the process and field conditions. All ATEX Quick Closing Valves use ATEX PXD Sensors and Controls as indicated in the Suppression section. They all are available with ATEX’s Exclusive maintenance and slow stroke controls using plant 6 bar air or nitrogen pressure. Each of the valves can be opened and closed after activation and/or during testing. The Barrier Style valve uses a gas generator to provide anger closing of the valve. The valve does not require reconditioning after an event. The only replacement part is the activated gas generator cartridge. 
 
 
The Gate Valves are available in two versions. One uses plant air to activate the valve in anger closing and the other uses a gas generator. The plant air operated valve does not require reconditioning or the replacement of the gas generator. The gas generator operated valve only requires the replacement of the gas generator cartridge
 
Dry Chemical Isolation
ATEX Dry Chemical or Hot Water Isolation Systems provide an effective means of isolating the flame front growth of an advancing deflagration. With the same features as an ATEX Suppression system they suppress the advancing flame front and mitigate the advancing pressure wave. 
 
System Approvals
All ATEX systems and components are approved by independent certified testing laboratories. The systems meet the requirements of ATEX CEN regulations and NFPA 68-69.
 
We are confident that with our long industrial experience, in Food & Dairy, Chemical & Pharmaceutical, Power generation & Cement coal and Biomass, Wood chip &Waste Water sludge, Brewing and Confectionary, we will be able to satisfy all your fire and explosion protection needs at cost effective prices. 
 
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate in contacting us.
 
Tel: +44 (0)1925 755153
Fax: + 44 (0)1925 755892,
Mobile: +353 87 2491 968
E-mail: declan@explosionhazards.com