Intrinsic Safety ?

[starship]

I am working with a liquid fuel called ?Normal Heptane? made by CPChem. The Flammability hazard rating is 3, with a flash point of 25F and boiling point of 209F. This appears to make it a Division 1, Class 1B (NEC 500) material. My question ask whether wiring practices in this room should follow 1) Hazard Location, Explosion Proof, or Intrinsic Safety. I do not have a copy of the NEC at work, but plain to research this at public library.

Most of the components already installed in the room are rated Division 1, Class 1B or better. How ever, the new items I am asked to install (and some already installed) are rated class 1C/1D. The 480VAC motor I can not determine.

Please point me to documents that provide guidance for this kind of work!

 

[tom baker]

Re: Intrinsic Safety ?

You should not have to make the determination.
This was added to the NEC to help those installing and inspecting:
500.4 General.
(A) Documentation. All areas designated as hazardous (classified) locations shall be properly documented. This documentation shall be available to those authorized to design, install, inspect, maintain, or operate electrical equipment at the location.

 

[tonyi]

Re: Intrinsic Safety ?

I suspect you should go explosion proof.

In recollecting from my college organic chemistry classes decades ago...Heptane is highly volatile, fairly light weight, hydrocarbon (it would be lighter than Octane, one of the gasoline benchmarking compounds). Octane has 8 carbons, Heptane would have 7.