Intrinsic Safety Technical Paper

Assembling an
Intrinsically
Safe System
RTKtec 107
The Barrier System

An Intrinsically Safe System includes one or more interfaces (zener barriers, barrier channels or isolators), one or more items
of field equipment and the interconnecting cables. In the following paragraphs the term `barriers` refers to individual channels
of either zener barriers or isolation interfaces.

Simple Apparatus

Where the field device(s) include only items of Simple Apparatus, for example thermocouples, Pt100 elements, switches, then
all the information needed to construct a safe system is included within the certification of the barrier, including limiting figures
on the permitted capacitance and inductance of the interconnecting cables. (See RTKtec108 “Simple Apparatus – or not so
simple?”)
Other than this, it is only necessary to ensure that all hazardous area terminations are afforded protection to IP20 or better,
and that the total of the matched power outputs Po of the barriers connected in the same circuit does not exceed 1.3W at
Tamb = 40oC.
If the Simple Apparatus is working at higher ambient temperatures then the permitted level of total Po is reduced to 1.2W or
1.0W in Tamb = 60oC or 80oC respectively. Simple Apparatus is assumed to have a temperature category of T4, except
switches and terminals which are T6.

Non-Simple Apparatus

Where the field device is a certified item, such as a temperature transmitter or a solenoid valve, then extra checks are
necessary to ensure a safe combination of barrier and hazardous area equipment unless the field device already has an
appropriate system certificate.
The certificate of the field equipment will include its maximum input parameters which will specify one or more of the values
Ui, Ii and Pi. In older units these values may be called by other names such as, Uin, Imax, etc. but the meaning is the same.
Compatibility must be checked by ensuring that the maximum input figures Ui, Ii, Pi of the field equipment are not exceeded
by the maximum output figures Uz (or Uo), Io, Po of the chosen barrier. Again, many older barrier certificates will use different
notations such as Imax out, Wmax., etc.
If the field loop includes more than one item of certified apparatus, then compatibility with the barrier must be separately
checked for each item of field apparatus. The addition of simple apparatus into a loop containing certified apparatus will not
affect compatibility, except that the system temperature category might be degraded to T4 (see System Category below).

Incomplete parameters

Occasionally it will be found that the certificate of the field device may not state maximum values for all three parameters. For
example “the apparatus may be connected to an intrinsically safe source whose Uz (or open circuit voltage, etc.) does not
exceed 30 volts”, or perhaps “the solenoid shall be powered from an intrinsically safe supply whose Po (or matched power or
Wmax out, etc) does not exceed 0.8Watts”.
In such cases it is safe to assume that the parameters which are not mentioned are not critical, and it is only necessary to
meet the stated one or two limiting figures.

Operational considerations

Quite separately, from an operational point of view, the most satisfactory choice of barrier would usually be one whose figures
are equal to, or a little less than the permitted maximum for the field device. For example, a 4-20mA transmitter having the
figures Ui=28V and Ii=120mA would be better served by a barrier of 28V/116 mA rather than one of characteristic 28V/93mA,
providing that the Pi, Po figures (if stated) remain compatible.
The certificate of the field apparatus will also say whether any capacitance or inductance is present within the apparatus
which is assumed to appear across its input terminals. These figures (for example Ci, Li, otherwise sometimes given as Cin,
Leq, etc.), must be subtracted from the corresponding reactance values permitted in the barrier certificate to arrive at the
permitted reactance for the cables.

Assembling an Intrinsically Safe System

System category

The system will be categorised according to the least favourable components of the barrier category and the apparatus
category. Commonly the categories will match, for example a barrier of [EExia] IIC with a field device of EExiaIICT6. In this
case, the system category will also be EExiaIICT6.
If the system includes a piece of simple apparatus such as a diode, a resistor, etc (but not including switches or terminals
which cannot dissipate any significant power) then in this example the system category becomes EExiaIICT4.

System certificates

In many cases, the manufacturer of the field device will have obtained, in addition to the apparatus certificate, a system
certificate which defines all the barrier and cable parameters of a typical system in which the device may be used.
Such system certificates are quite common with BASEEFA certified devices, and are less frequently available elsewhere. A
system certificate relieves the system designer for much of the responsibility for choice - if the defined system seems to be
appropriate for the intended application. If the existing system certificate does not include the desired arrangement, this does
not mean that other systems are not possible, but simply that other possibilities will need to be examined separately as above.

Va r i a t i o n s

If it is decided that a field apparatus manufacturer’s system certificate is basically appropriate to the desired application, but
the barrier model is specified by the type number of a particular manufacturer (instead of by simply stating Uz, Io, etc.) it
should be realised that any other zener barrier may be used within the certified system providing that Its safety parameters
are no less favourable than those of the recommended barrier, although the substitution of different models of isolation
interface should not be made without expert advice.

The cables

While an awareness is necessary of the possible influence that cable characteristics could have upon intrinsically safe circuits
in extreme conditions, to put the matter into perspective it should be realised that capacitance is seldom a problem unless the
cables are very long. On some low-voltage barrier circuits the loop inductance figure can be difficult to achieve, in these
cases, the alternative figure of L/R may be met instead.
It will be clear from these considerations that the required figures of C,L, and L/R will be more easily met when cables of small
cross-section are used. In gas group IIC a cross section of 0.5mm2 is often the best choice, while in gas group IIB 1.5mm2
is usually adopted as standard. For more information, refer to RTKtec 110, “Cables for IS installations”.

Descriptive System Documents

Where a satisfactory intrinsically safe system has been assembled in the absence of a system certificate then RTK can, on
request, issue a Descriptive System Document which will describe and assess the system and will state any limitations or
conditions which may apply.
Further information about IS systems will be found in EN 60079-14 : 1997, section 12, and in prEN50 039 : 2001.

Summary

The attached diagram illustrates the steps which are followed in selecting a barrier which will be safe to use in conjunction
with the desired item of field apparatus.
While the above analysis of system study will apply in the majority of cases, there will be a few instances where certificates
are written in such a way that compatibility might not be immediately obvious. In such cases RTK expert advice should be
sought.

Assembling an Intrinsically Safe System

 H o w t o c h o o s e a n I n t e r f a c e ( b a r r i e r, i s o l a t o r, e t c . )

Is the field equipment certified?

YES NO

System Conforms to the requirements of

certificate? simple apparatus?

YES NO NO YES

System certificate NO Use apparatus

appropriate? certificate

Not suitable for Any interface

YES hazardous Po < 1.3W in
areas Tamb. 40oC

02 Po < 1.2W in
Tamb. 60oC
Use input parameters on
apparatus certificate
02 Po < 1.0W in
Tamb. 80oC

Select interface from Choose other

certificate information equipment

Choose interface whose maximum output

parameters do not exceed apparatus
maximum input parameters

Arrive at cable parameters

Cable parameters source

System certificate From interface certificate, less any C or L Interface certificate

stated in apparatus certificate
02 calculate L/R ratio

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