Explosion Proof LED Light Fixtures Explained
——A Complete Guide for Industrial Safety in Europe
In the oil, gas, chemical and pharmaceutical industries, many working environments contain flammable gases, vapors or dust. These environments are highly susceptible to explosions once an ignition source is encountered. Explosion proof LED light fixtures were created to address this safety challenge. This article will bring you a comprehensive understanding of the definition of industrial explosion proof lights, certification standards, application scenarios and purchase advice to help companies in the European market to achieve a more efficient and safer industrial lighting layout.
What is Explosion Proof LED Light Fixtures?
Explosion proof LED light fixtures are lighting fixtures designed for the presence of explosive gases or dust environments, whose core function is to prevent the ignition of surrounding combustible materials in the event of possible electrical sparks, arcing or high temperatures, thus avoiding explosions.
1. Working Principle
The core design concept of ATEX LED light fixtures is that even if an arc or explosion occurs inside the device, it cannot ignite the hazardous gas or dust environment outside.
These luminaires are usually of explosion proof (Ex d) construction, i.e:
- Rugged, sealed metal housing: capable of withstanding internal explosive pressures;
- Flame path: designed to ensure that internal flames cannot travel out of the housing;
- Strict temperature control design: to limit the surface temperature and prevent ignition of surrounding combustibles;
- Sealed structure: dustproof and waterproof to ensure that external hazardous substances do not penetrate into the interior of the luminaire.
2.The essential difference with ordinary LED lamps and lanterns
| Projects | General LED lights | Explosion Proof LED Light Fixtures |
| Applicable Environment | Non-Hazardous Locations | Zone 1/2 (gas) or Zone 21/22 (dust) hazardous areas |
| Enclosure Materials | Plain Aluminum or Plastic | Die-cast aluminum or stainless steel with explosion-proof construction |
| Safety Protection Design | Basic Electrical Protection | Multiple measures of explosion-proof construction, power protection, surface temperature control, etc. |
| Protection Class | IP20~IP54 | IP66 and above for extreme environments |
| Regulatory Requirements | General CE Approval | Must comply with ATEX directives and have appropriate explosion-proof certification |
ATEX Certification: A mandatory compliance standard for the European market
In Europe, the ATEX Directive is the statutory framework for the evaluation and specification of equipment and protection systems for use in potentially explosive environments. the ATEX Directive not only specifies the safety requirements for product design and manufacture, but also specifies the compliance certification that must be obtained before a product enters the EU market. the ATEX Directive also specifies that a product must be certified as being safe for use in a potentially explosive environment before it enters the EU market.
1. Area Classification
According to the ATEX standard, hazardous areas are subdivided into:
- Zone 0: Environments where explosive atmospheres are present continuously or for long periods of time.
- Zone 1: Explosive gas mixtures may occur during normal operation.
- Zone 2: Where explosive atmospheres are not normally present or are only occasionally present for short periods of time.
- Zone 20 / 21 / 22: corresponds to the classification of combustible dust environment, the principle is similar.
LED explosion-proof luminaires are usually used in Zone 1, Zone 2, Zone 21 and Zone 22.
2. ATEX explosion-proof class example analysis
- Ex d: explosion-proof enclosure
- IIB: Applicable gas category
- T5: Maximum surface temperature not exceeding 100°
- Gb: Equipment protection class (for Zone 1)
Qualified explosion proof LED fixtures must complete the complete process of third-party testing, risk assessment, and archiving of technical documentation before leaving the factory and affixing the CE and ATEX certification mark, which is a prerequisite for the legal sale of the product to Europe.
Typical Application Scenarios
With the advancement of industrial digitization and cleanliness in Europe, more and more high-risk areas are placing higher demands on safety lighting systems. The following are the key application scenarios of explosion proof LED light fixtures in different areas:
Oil and gas industry
Used in offshore drilling platforms, filling stations, refineries and other places, adapting to the corrosive marine climate and high humidity and high salt environment.
Chemical and pharmaceutical manufacturing
Used in reaction workshop, storage tank area, loading and unloading area and other areas that need to set up high brightness explosion-proof lighting, which can prevent combustible solvent vapors and dust from forming explosive mixtures, and realize 24-hour continuous lighting.
Grain storage and processing
Used in flour mills, feed processing plants, grain warehouses, lamps and lanterns need to meet the Zone 21 and Zone 22 environment dust explosion-proof standards.
Battery and new energy industry
Apply to lithium battery material workshop, such as nickel-cobalt-manganese, graphite and other places with heavy dust, to prevent high temperature or sparks from triggering dust explosion or thermal runaway reaction.
High Quality Explosion-proof Lighting Supplier Recommendation
The face of Europe’s strict ATEX regulations and enterprises for the high standards of intrinsic safety requirements, high-quality industrial explosion proof lights should not only be compliant, but also have a long-term operational stability and performance advantages.
As a manufacturer of industrial lighting for over 15 years, ShineLong has a comprehensive design, production and testing system, focusing on providing reliable lighting solutions for petrochemical, natural gas, fine chemical, battery workshop, metallurgy, grain and oil processing and other high-risk industries.
ShineLong explosion proof LED light fixtures are widely exported to Europe, Southeast Asia, the Middle East and Australia, and have been certified by many of the world’s top 500 companies.
Technical advantages of ShineLong explosion-proof LED lights:
- All products are ATEX and CE certified and can be widely used in Zone 1, Zone 2, Zone 21, Zone 22 and other explosive gas and dust environments;
- High-strength die-cast aluminum housing and toughened glass cover, sturdy structure, with IK10 impact resistance rating, effective resistance to external shock and vibration;
- IP69K protection, support high pressure washdown and extreme hot and humid environments, suitable for food processing, chemical cleaning areas and other harsh working conditions;
- High luminous efficacy LED module with a luminous efficacy of up to 150 lm/W, effectively reducing energy consumption and operation and maintenance frequency;
- A variety of mounting options, including wall-mounted, ceiling-mounted, bracketed, ceiling-mounted, etc., flexible to adapt to different industrial scenarios;
- Customizable beam angle, anti-corrosion grade, installation interface and other parameters to meet the individual needs of different industries.
With the European countries in the industrial safety, environmental protection regulations continue to increase, explosion proof LED light fixtures have changed from “recommended equipment” to “legal needs”. They are not only the guardians of industrial sites, but also an important engine for promoting green, low-carbon, safe and efficient transformation. Choosing explosion proof LED lighting with superior performance, complete certification and support for intelligent upgrading can truly realize the win-win situation of industrial safety and sustainable development.
