Overview
IEC TS 60079-43:2017 - Explosive atmospheres - Part 43: Equipment in adverse service conditions - is a Technical Specification from IEC that gives guidance for electrical equipment for use in explosive atmospheres exposed to adverse environments. It focuses on conditions outside the standard ambient envelope (notably temperatures below −20 °C) and other challenges such as maritime exposure, snow, ice and solar radiation. This TS is intended as guidance for design, manufacture, selection, installation, inspection and use of equipment within the environmental range specified on equipment certificates and is to be used alongside the IEC 60079 and ISO/IEC 80079 series.
Key topics and technical coverage
- Scope and intent: Guidance for equipment considered “special” under IEC 60079-0 when operating in low temperatures and other adverse service conditions.
- Environmental effects: Low temperature impacts, salt/chloride corrosion, snow build-up, icing from spray, solar heating and rapid cooling.
- Design recommendations: Material choices, mechanical integrity, winterization measures and protective coatings (Annex A provides material recommendations).
- Impact on protection types: How adverse conditions affect protection concepts such as intrinsic safety (“i”), flameproof enclosures (“d”), pressurized enclosures (“p”) and liquid immersion (“o”).
- Selection & installation: Considerations for limited functionality at low temperatures, cable and gland performance, seals and sealing materials.
- Maintenance & operation: Inspection intervals, winterization maintenance and serviceability in extreme climates.
- Special equipment guidance: Informative annexes on solar radiation effects and electric motor considerations in low temperatures (Annex B and Annex C).
- Reference standards: Cross-references to IEC 60079 series, IEC 60068 (environmental testing), IEC 60721 (climate classification), IEC 60529/60034-5 (IP/degree of protection).
Practical applications and who uses it
This TS is practical for:
- Equipment manufacturers designing products for Arctic, polar, high-latitude or maritime installations.
- Design engineers specifying explosion-protected electrical equipment for oil & gas, petrochemical, offshore platforms, LNG terminals, utilities and cold-climate mining.
- Installation and commissioning teams selecting certified equipment to match certificate-specified environmental ranges.
- Inspection and maintenance personnel responsible for winterization, corrosion control and ongoing safety of hazardous-area installations.
- Certification bodies and conformity assessors evaluating special-purpose equipment claims against appropriate guidance.
Related standards
- IEC 60079 series (equipment protection and selection)
- IEC 60079-0, -11, -14, -17 (general, intrinsic safety, installation, maintenance)
- IEC 60068 and IEC 60721 (environmental testing and classification)
- ISO/IEC 80079 series (non-electrical explosive atmospheres guidance)
Keywords: electrical equipment for use in explosive atmospheres, explosive atmospheres, adverse service conditions, low temperature equipment, winterization, IEC TS 60079-43.