IEC 60079-0 specifies the general requirements for construction, testing and marking of Ex equipment and Ex components intended for use in explosive atmospheres.
The standard atmospheric conditions under which it may be assumed that Ex Equipment can be operated are:
— temperature –20 °C to +60 °C,
— pressure 80 kPa (0,8 bar) to 110 kPa (1,1 bar), and
— air with normal oxygen content, typically 21 % v/v.
IEC 60079-0 and other standards supplementing this standard specify additional test requirements for Ex Equipment operating outside the standard temperature range, but further additional consideration and additional testing may be required for Ex Equipment operating outside the standard atmospheric pressure range and standard oxygen content.
IEC 60079-0 does not specify requirements for safety, other than those directly related to the explosion risk. Ignition sources like adiabatic compression, shock waves, exothermic chemical reactions, selfignition of dust, naked flames and hot gases/liquids, are not addressed by this standard.
The international standard has been approved in Europe as EN IEC 60079-0:2018 without any changes and it supersedes EN 60079-0:2012. This consolidated version consists of the main text and the amendment.
