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Intrinsically Safe Pressure Transmitters

Intrinsically safe pressure transmitters for applications in petrochemical, mining, pharmaceutical, and food/beverage industries. Monitor pressure safely in hazardous areas with certified IS transmitters and barriers.

Intrinsically safe pressure transmitters are essential components for accurate and reliable pressure measurement in hazardous environments where flammable gases, vapors, or dust pose a risk of explosion. These specialized transmitters, certified to stringent standards such as ATEX, IECEx, FM, or CSA, are designed to operate as part of a complete intrinsically safe system, typically incorporating a 4-20mA output signal and used in conjunction with an intrinsically safe barrier. The barrier limits electrical and thermal energy entering the hazardous zone, preventing ignition even under fault conditions. Selecting the correct transmitter requires careful consideration of the hazardous area classification, gas group, temperature class, and appropriate certification to ensure safe and compliant operation in industries such as petrochemical, mining, pharmaceuticals, and food processing.

Find out more about Intrinsically Safe Pressure Transmitters to determine which product options and capabilities will best meet your application requirements.

Intrinsically safe pressure transmitters are specialized instruments designed for operation in hazardous environments where flammable gases, vapors, or dust may be present. These transmitters are an integral part of a complete intrinsically safe system, ensuring that electrical and thermal energy levels remain below those required to ignite a specific hazardous atmospheric mixture. The key feature that distinguishes these transmitters is their certification, confirming compliance with stringent safety standards.

These pressure transmitters typically output a 4 to 20 milliamp signal, a standard industrial protocol for analog signal transmission. This current signal is proportional to the measured pressure. Crucially, the transmitter’s design, in conjunction with an intrinsically safe barrier (zener barrier or galvanic isolator), limits the maximum voltage and current that can enter the hazardous area, even under fault conditions. The intrinsic safety barrier is a critical component, placed outside of the hazardous zone, preventing an ignition source from being introduced.

The selection of an intrinsically safe pressure transmitter goes beyond the typical considerations of pressure range, accuracy, and material compatibility. It necessitates a deep understanding of the specific hazardous area classification, including the gas group and temperature class. This classification directly influences the certification requirements for the transmitter, ensuring that it’s appropriate for the specific flammable materials present. For example, a transmitter certified for use in a hydrogen environment (Group IIC) will have stricter design requirements than one intended for use in a propane environment (Group IIA).

A primary consideration is the entity providing the certification, such as ATEX or IECEx, FM, or CSA. These certifications are not universally interchangeable, and the specific requirements will depend on the geographical location and applicable regulations. Choosing a transmitter with the correct certification for your application’s location and hazardous environment classification is paramount.

Use cases for intrinsically safe pressure transmitters are diverse, spanning industries where flammable substances are handled or processed. Within a petrochemical refinery, they are used to monitor pressures in pipelines transporting volatile hydrocarbons. In underground coal mining, they measure the pressure of ventilation systems, essential to control methane gas buildup. Pharmaceutical manufacturing plants also rely on them to monitor the pressure of processes involving flammable solvents. The food and beverage industry, particularly within distilleries or grain processing facilities, represents another frequent application, requiring monitoring of pressure and control over any flammable materials present during normal operation, and under fault conditions.

The design of these pressure sensors includes construction to prevent any internal faults, which could generate enough energy, via sparks or heat to ignite the surrounding hazardous environment, therefore their installation requires extra special attention to ensure that they are correctly integrated as part of a complete intrinsically safe system.