BS EN 13463-1:2001, a part of the BS EN 13463 series, specifies the basic method and requirements for the design, construction, testing and marking of non electrical equipment intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres in air of gas, vapour, mist and dusts. This standard is valid for atmospheres having pressures ranging from 0.8 bar to 1.1 bar and temperatures ranging from -20 °C to +60 °C. Such atmospheres can also exist inside the equipment. The external atmosphere can be drawn inside the equipment by natural breathing, produced as a result of fluctuations in the equipment’s internal operating pressure and/or temperature.
This standard can also be helpful for the equipment intended for use in atmospheres outside the validity range stated above but in this case, the ignition risk assessment, ignition protection provided, additional testing (if necessary), manufacturer’s technical documentation and instructions to the user, should clearly demonstrate and indicate the equipment’s suitability for the conditions it may encounter.
