STATE OF TECHNOLOGY

MORE THAN A BOX

A modern approach to engineering plant-floor enclosures
improves efficiency, reliability, safety and more.

They look simple, but paying attention to the details of designing and
specifying plant-floor enclosures for workstations, controllers, input/out-
put (I/O) systems and instruments can pay off handsomely in lower initial,
operating and maintenance costs while improving operator efficiency and
ensuring process safety.

Recent developments described in this Technology Update include better

and more efficient ways to control temperature and humidity, choosing
among the leading protection methods for hazardous areas, selecting the
most efficient approach to enclosure modification and customization, and
the increasing potential for reducing costs and standardizing enclosures
using electronic marshalling.

Read on to see the latest in evolutionary and breakthrough developments

in enclosure technologies, and if you want more, you’ll find it at
www.ControlGlobal.com.
 www.controlglobal.com

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Better ways to customize enclosures 4

How systematic enclosure design optimizes field  9

instrumentation performance

Maintaining energy efficient enclosure climate control 13

Maintenance and engineering considerations 18

in hazardous areas

A New fashion in industrial enclosures? 25

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State of Technology: More than a box 2

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Change for the Better.
 www.controlglobal.com

Better ways to
customize enclosures
Outsource or automate to reduce costs, shorten delivery
and improve results.

By Paul Studebaker

W
hether installing a new system, upgrading or adding new capabilities, control
system engineers and integrators must select and design enclosures to house
components and operator interfaces. Before enclosures can be populated and
wired, they must often be modified by drilling and cutting to mount components. Modifica-
tions have traditionally been done either manually in-house or by automated systems at the
enclosure manufacturer.

The manual, in-house approach means hours measuring, marking and drilling/cutting enclo-
sures and back panels by hand, using basic drills and jigsaws. Most marking and measuring
consists of placing the physical components, marking their locations, removing them for
drilling/tapping and finally, placing the components again for final mounting. To ensure con-
sistent and professional results, extra precaution must be taken, adding time to the process.

“It’s common for panel shops to do their own holes and cutouts due to their perceptions of
speed and cost, but they often use an expensive wireman with a slow, imprecise jigsaw,”
says Rick Maday, marketing manager, Hoffman and Steinhauer, Pentair Equipment Protec-
tion (www.steinhauerna.com). On a stainless-steel cabinet, they may take one or two days
making cutouts before they can start populating with components.

“It’s ironic that they’re using the most manual, un-automated way possible to make automa-

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TOUGHER THAN IT LOOKS

Figure 1: A common belief is that castings machine like
wrought alloy. In fact, machining castings can raise is-
sues with porosity (NADCA standards), tool breakage,
speeds/feeds and draft angle compensation.

tion panels,” Maday continues. “And the vast ers. “Our Focus Factory makes holes and
majority are designed using CAD, but then cutouts in doors and mounting panels, and
they’re printed out as PDFs with all the infor- arrangements of mounting rails,” says Steve
mation stripped away, so the panel shop can Sullivan, training supervisor, Rittal (www.rit-
manually measure and mark the cabinets to tal.com). “We can include climate controls or
drill, tap and saw.” busbars. We can bay the enclosures togeth-
er and ship them on a single pallet, all sealed
Stainless steel is not the only panel material and ready. We can leave the sidewalls off
that presents challenges. Plastic enclosures or put them on, and meet specifications like
often have internal stresses that can cause NEMA 12, 4 and 3R, in 28 standard colors,
warping or cracks when drilling or cutting; with mechanical maintenance locks hooked
fiberglass dust can be a health hazard; and up and ready to go from the factory.”
cast enclosures call for specialized tooling
(Figure 1). Enclosure manufacturers are a logical choice
for rigorous, complex applications, especially
“A lot of people downstream think custom- if they specialize in the kind of enclosure you
izing enclosures is easy—cut, paint, label—but need. When Nestlé decided to put electronics
it’s not,” says Bruce Bator, engineering direc- on their production floor, the company turned
tor, Phoenix Mecano (www.phoenix-mecano. to ITSEnclosures (www.itsenclosures.com)
com). “A cast aluminum panel is not like for advice. ITS assessed the environment,
6061—you can break a lot of tools. A lot of including temperature extremes and chemical
special things have to happen to get a poly- washdown, as well as the requirement to use
carbonate panel painted or molded in the off-the-shelf PC systems and desktop moni-
right color. It’s not just a rattle can of Krylon.” tors. It recommended a NEMA 4X stainless
steel enclosure, and appropriate input (key-
SOURCE IT OUT board and mouse) devices (Figure 2).
Many panel shops recognize these problems
and choose to outsource modifications to As a manufacturer and system integrator,
enclosure companies or specialized suppli- Phoenix Mecano has in-house customization

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RIGHT TOOL FOR THE JOB

Figure 2: Nestlé chose purpose-built NEMA 4X stainless

steel enclosures to house off-the-shelf PCs and desktop
monitors for extreme temperatures and washdowns.

capabilities, “So design issues and molding stresses,” he says.

we can very expe- “If you order 100 enclosures from us, you get
ditiously take raw enclosures and transform 100 good enclosures. If you order 100 raw
them to customer needs with penetrations, enclosures and something goes wrong in
paint, private-label branding and certifica- machining, coating, etc., then that’s on you.”
tions,” says Bator. “For hazardous locations,
we machine junction boxes, install DIN rail, AUTOMATE IT
and set the distances for voltages. We guar- While suppliers strive to supply perfect enclo-
antee the design and build, and put the label sures quickly, “typically in two weeks,” says
on it, so we’re responsible for the size and Bator, many integrators and end users want
number of terminal blocks, set the allowed the flexibility, control and value-add they feel
voltage and current, do the glands, etc. to they can only get by doing it themselves.
meet the IP rating.” Some are increasing in-house productivity
and precision by using automated cabinet
With control panels full of components such drilling, tapping and cutting machines.
as terminal blocks, DIN rails, controllers and
relays, “You may find you want a 140-in x Utility Control & Equipment Co. (UCEC, www.
78-in. enclosure, and nobody makes that,” ucec.com), a panel shop in Arvada, Colo., has
Bator says. “We can make a custom ‘build a been using a Steinhauer ModCenter MD80
box’ as deep or as long as you want. They’re for more than a year. “We considered laser
fixed in two dimensions, but the third can cutters and plasma tables, but they were not
be anything. This can allow you to be pretty the right fit,” says Zach Fothergill, operations
flexible, but they’re more expensive than a support manager, UCEC. “We saw a com-
standard enclosure.” petitor’s cabinet machine at Automation Fair
two years ago, then we learned about Stein-
Along with meeting the specifications re- hauer, which was more cost-effective, more
quired for the ratings, Bator points out that accurate, and has a bearing spindle which is
as a supplier, they take responsibility for more durable. It also has pneumatic clamps, a
problems or mistakes. “In polycarbonate, conveyor and automatic zero, which are more
ABS or nylon molded cabinets, there are user-friendly.”

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LET LOOSE THE CAD

Figure 3: The Steinhauer ModCenter uses an X-Y
spindle with multiple, interchangeable tools to
CNC-machine cabinets, back panels or any flat
material that fits.

MD80 (Figure 3) accommodates work up Fothergill says now that they have enough
to 80 in. high, and uses an X-Y spindle with experience, every job runs through the ma-
multiple interchangeable tools to CNC- chine unless it’s too large to fit. “Even very
machine cabinets, back panels or any flat small jobs, the kind where I initially thought,
material that fits. “With the ModCenter, they ‘Oh, it’s too little to bother with. We’ll just have
can make a few minutes’ adjustments to Au- a guy drill it manually,’ now goes through the
toCAD, SolidWorks or other design files, and machine. A recent small job took about three
feed them into the machine,” says Maday. minutes to program and five minutes to drill.
“It’s more precise and repeatable—a series Meanwhile, my team did other things.
of cabinets in a row has all the buttons and
lights aligned—and it prevents rework.” “In the past, that small job would take one
shop craftsman 30 minutes. So, added up all
UCEC has trained on AutoCAD, and has together, as we’ve become more fluent with
been building a library of components for the CAD design, the shop is saving time on
programming the machine. “We don’t have each job, no matter how large or small.”
to have the components to do the layout,
but we like to see the parts before we add Along with speed and labor savings, “Accu-
them to the library,” Fothergill says. racy is huge,” Fothergill adds. “Things end up
exactly where they need to be, cutouts are
Before UCEC got the MD80, “Laying out the right shape and not oversize, so they seal
by hand, drilling and cutting with a jigsaw correctly and we don’t lose purge.”
could take a week,” Fothergill says. “Now
we can design ahead of time and machine The ModCenter is “a huge opportunity for ef-
quickly. Panel users get their panels a week ficiency and productivity gains,” says Maday.
faster, which can make a big difference. “The value-add in a panel shop is not cutting
And we save the files, so for repeat jobs, holes. Technicians spend less of their time on
there’s no additional design or layout time.” non-core activities and more on value-add.”

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A ModCenter can pay for itself with a few problems and changes with highlighted
enclosures per week and many end-user CAD drawings where I used to have to get
companies in Europe are putting them in- up on a ladder and take a picture.”
house, but most U.S. enclosures are modi-
fied by independent panel shops or system Fothergill incorporates the necessary clear-
integrators. Hoffman has announced a ances (for example, 4-in. or 2-in. spacing to
program to distribute ModCenters in Hoff- dissipate heat) into the symbol library, so
man Certified Modification Centers across they’re not overlooked.
the U.S. “Integrators can stop wasting time
making holes and cutouts manually, and “We can provide layouts for customers who
let their local Hoffman distributor deliver don’t do their own, and can quickly offer al-
enclosures and back panels pre-drilled and ternative layouts,” Fothergill adds. An open
ready to populate,” says Maday. “By using communication pathway from the panel
the extensive local market inventory, inte- shop to the engineers “is always nice,” he
grators can enjoy pre-modified enclosures says. “They’re not always as familiar with all
and back panels in as little as one day.” the components, and what other companies
and other industries are doing. Since we
REFINE YOUR DESIGN work in many areas, we’re a little more well-
Regardless of who modifies your enclo- rounded than any one firm, so we can offer
sures, it behooves designers to draw on different perspectives.”
their expertise to get the best results.
“We’re experts in our products—what can Rittal’s Solutions Engineering Group can fig-
be modified and how,” says Phoenix Me- ure out how to do unique designs using stan-
cano’s Bator. “Leveraging our expertise dard product to convert a custom cabinet
and knowledge can eliminate a lot of heavy to standard. “We can take your vision, keep
lifting. We advise on manufacturability to your features, and lower the price,” says Sul-
quickly, efficiently and cost-effectively give livan. “Most people only think of purchase
you the product you’re looking for.” price. They need to include ‘use costs,’ and
those tend to have an inverse relationship.
Using a proven CAD library can help pre- We’re not the highest and certainly not the
vent problems, streamline communications lowest price, but we minimize use costs.”
and build a knowledge base to save trouble
later. “Sometimes rookie engineers scale Bator sums it up: “Sit down and talk with
drawings inaccurately,” says Fothergill. “We one of us early to get what you need at a
used to find that out at layout, now we find price you know about ahead of time. Avoid
them in design. Then we can communicate sticker shock. It’s not just a box.”

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 www.controlglobal.com

How systematic enclosure

design optimizes field
instrumentation performance
Specifying an enclosure for sensitive field-based control and
instrumentation equipment is not a trivial task.

By Martin Hess and Phil Luppke, Intertec Instrumentation

W
hen designing or configuring enclosure protection for sensitive field-based
equipment, it pays to consider the entire system—including the enclosure
material, its insulation and heat transfer characteristics—rather than focusing
simply on specifying appropriate heating (and/or cooling).

Treating the design problem as an inter-related system yields significant benefits for outdoor
enclosure applications, especially in harsh environments. For example, a holistic approach has
particular benefits in avoiding the “cold-spots” that can quickly lead to problems from condensa-
tion. Plus, it delivers much more stable and controllable operating environments for instrumenta-
tion, which can be important in many process control applications, such as process analyzers.

INSULATION IS KEY
Specifying an enclosure for sensitive field-based control and instrumentation equipment is
not a trivial task. Good insulation is critical to almost all outdoor equipment protection ap-
plications. If the enclosure is destined for an environment with extreme conditions, such as a
desert or an Arctic region, starting the configuration process with one of the common styles
of metal enclosures used for electrical panel gear is usually not such a good solution, and
can pose problems for the inexperienced.

The majority of metal enclosures are used inside buildings and the biggest thermal protection

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 www.controlglobal.com

Application area
Intertec special-
izes in outdoor
enclosures, a large
proportion of which
are custom designed
and supplied fully
assembled and test-
ed, ready to hook up
to the process.
Source: Intertec

problems that most users face is working out are typically soft. Heat losses are exacer-
how to dissipate heat to the exterior, which it- bated by the good heat-conducting proper-
self is usually an environment with a relatively ties of a metal enclosure, and often by the
stable temperature such as a factory building. typical kind of metal bulkhead fittings used
to mount such enclosures as well, which can
Greater care is required when the environ- act as a kind of rudimentary fin.
mental conditions are more challenging,
involving protection against frost and con- Moreover, designers almost invariably need
densation, extreme cold or heat or requiring to customize enclosures by cutting access
temperature regulation. holes, changing heat loss characteristics
substantially. Holes act as thermal short-
Few off-the-shelf metal enclosures are cuts and can account for a large percentage
available with the appropriate degree of of an enclosure’s heat losses.
insulation to minimize the temperature
regulation problem. In any event, just add- Another aspect of these access points is
ing insulation is rarely adequate, because of either an absence of insulation, or ad-hoc
fundamental limitations posed by the basic insulation arrangements that are often then
metal construction. Any metal connection incorporated in attempts to maintain a level
between outer and inner shell provides a of thermal insulation. It’s quite common to
thermal short-cut. With metal construction, leave a hole in the same state that it was
it is almost impossible to avoid metal parts cut—presumably to have the flexibility to
in some design elements (such as the door re-install or modify the equipment at some
frame, door leaf, window, wall penetrations later commissioning or operational stage. If
for cables and tubing, etc.), because the insulation is used, it’s often very rudimen-
stability of this type of housing is based on tary, such as wrapping some mineral wool
bent sheet metal, and insulation materials around the tube or cable. Ideally, purpose-

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 www.controlglobal.com

made insulation components are required

and these tend to be specialist items that
are not readily available (Figure 1).

In these kinds of situations, the combined ef-

fect of all the thermal short-cuts can account
for as much as 80% of heat losses and have a
major impact on the heating system require-
ments. As extra holes are often added late in Figure 1. Specialized components minimize
the effects of thermal short-cuts. This foam
the enclosure design phase to accommodate
molding, with nylon fixings, is drilled to ac-
last-minute improvements to process con- cept tube connections. Source: Intertec
nections, their effect on overall thermal per-
formance can and frequently does get over-
looked. Equally for many field enclosures, the
thermal short-cuts have the same negative
impact on cooling performance as outside
temperature rises significantly, as it would, for
example, in daytime desert conditions.

MATERIALS MATTER
Starting a field protection application with
the right kind of enclosure materials and Figure 2. Intertec’s sandwich construction
construction techniques makes a big differ- principle using GRP sheets and internal insu-
lation. Source: Intertec
ence to the efficiency of protection. Intertec
uses GRP (glass fibre reinforced polyester)
materials as the starting point. Enclosure the same internal temperature, insulated en-
walls are usually made from two sheets closures require just one-sixth of the heat-
of GRP enclosing an inner layer of insula- ing power of uninsulated enclosures.
tion. For standard protection applications,
polyurethane foam is used for the insulation Well-insulated enclosures with marginal ther-
layer, with a choice of thicknesses from 20 mal leakage play the key role in delivering a
to 100 mm depending on the severity of the highly stable and slowly changing operating
environment (Figure 2). environment for sensitive field equipment.
This helps to optimize the performance of
Insulation makes a big difference in temper- the electronics or instrumentation system,
ature performance. Typically, to maintain while also minimizing energy consumption.

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 www.controlglobal.com

ed—to protect it from a cold external environ-

ment—there is a flow of thermal energy from
the heater to the enclosed internal space, and
from there to the external ambient via losses
though the structural fabric of the enclosure,
and any thermal short cuts (Figure 3).
Figure 3. Left: In a heated enclosure, thermal
energy flows from heat source through the
interior space on to the ambient (via losses
In the steady state at constant temperature,
through the enclosure’s structural fabric and these flow rates are constant. Although
thermal short-cuts). Right: For precise simu-
lation and design of field enclosures, Intertec
a majority of outdoor enclosures usually
considers and analyzes thermal flow as an require some form of heating to protect
electrical model. Source: Intertec
against frost or harsher low temperatures,
advanced insulation is equally applicable for
What is happening to the environment inside enclosures that require cooling to protect
the enclosure? For an enclosure that is heat- equipment in hot climates.

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State of Technology: More than a box 12

 www.controlglobal.com

Maintaining energy
efficient enclosure
climate control
How to design, install and operate for energy efficiency.
By Eric Corzine, Product Manager – Climate Control, Rittal Corporation

F
inding ways to do more with less has transformed energy efficiency from a “green
business” luxury to an operational necessity. All operations seek ways to increase
energy and cost-savings without hurting productivity.

Enclosures, housing the sophisticated, sensitive electronics and drives, protect them from
the rugged environments and ambient conditions they are deployed in. It is imperative
that these enclosures be cooled to ensure proper performance and avoid heat-related
downtime.

Creating effective and energy-efficient climate control solutions for industrial applications
consists of three key phases—design, installation, and operation.

THE DESIGN PHASE

Does this application require cooling, and if so, how much? It is important to determine the
correct amount of cooling to prevent energy from being wasted by cooling components to
lower-than-needed temperatures or even by cooling components that might not need it at
all. The necessary climate control solution for any application begins with three questions:
How big is the enclosure? How much heat will be created by the installed equipment? And
finally, where is the enclosure going to be located?

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SELECTING THE RIGHT CLIMATE DETERMINING THE SURFACE AREA

CONTROL SOLUTION OF THE ENCLOSURE
If the ambient temperature is less than the The surface area of the enclosure is where
enclosure temperature, will NEMA 12 pro- the heat will move into the enclosure or be
tection be required? If no, a louvered grill or dissipated. Since heat moves from hot to
roof vent may suffice. A filter fan or air-air cold, the surface area determines the heat
heat exchanger should be installed if NEMA flow. Although you could determine the
12 protection is needed. area using high school geometry, a formula
takes into account the positioning of the
If the ambient temperature is higher than enclosure, whether it is against a wall, free
the enclosure temperature, more robust standing or among a suite of enclosures.
cooling methods may be employed. If
chilled water is available at the site, an CALCULATE “CONTAINED HEAT”
air-water heat exchanger will cool the With the surface area determined, you can
components. Without chilled water, an air calculate “contained heat.” For an existing,
conditioning system and/or a chiller system completed system, the temperature differ-
plus an air-water heat exchanger should be ence can be gauged by using the difference
considered. The following flowchart illus- between the interior of the enclosure (Ti)
trates what products may be applicable to a and the surrounding exterior environment
given situation. (Ta). When configuring a new system, those
values can be found by totaling the heat
Ambient temperature < Enclosure temperature loss from all installed components utilizing
the information found on each data sheet.
Is NEMA 12 No Louvered grill
protection needed? Roof vent
Heat Calculation for a Previously Completed
Yes Filter fan
Air-air heat exchanger System
Qe = Qv – A × k × ΔT
Ambient temperature > Enclosure temperature Where:
• Qv is the amount of heat from the compo-
Is chilled water Yes Air-water heat nents inside the enclosure
available at exchanger
install site?
• A is the effective surface area from the
calculation above
Chiller system
• k is 5.5 w/m2 Celsius (sheet steel, different
No
numbers for different materials)
Air conditioner
• ΔT is the temperature difference Ta-Ti in
Celsius

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After this calculation is completed and Qe, Installed components should be spaced no
the amount of heat contained inside of the less than 8” away from the air generated by
enclosure is determined, now the selection the climate control products. The fans on
of the climate control solution can begin. the components should not face the climate
Among the common solutions: filter fans, control fans; the blowing and battling air
air-to-water heat exchangers, air condition- may cause a short circuit.
ers or air-to-air heat exchangers, each has
benefits and strengths based on its applica- Climate control units outside the enclosure
tion. From an energy-efficient standpoint, should have a clearance of 8-16” from pos-
filter fans and air-to-air heat exchangers sible air-blocking obstructions. Enclosures
will use less energy, but require an ambi- and cooling units should be placed away
ent temperature below that of the desired from any heat sources which could cause
internal temperature to be effective. If cool- excessive heating or possible damage.
ing to temperatures below the ambient air
is needed, an air conditioner or air-to-water When a climate control solution has been
heat exchanger must be used. selected, correct installation on the enclo-
sure is imperative for proper operation. It
The design phase, including the proper se- is normally recommended that filter fans
lection of a climate control device, maximiz- be placed at the bottom of the enclosure
es the energy efficiency of an application. with the corresponding exhaust filter
Correct installation and operation complete installed at the top of the opposite side.
the steps for using less energy. Air conditioners and heat exchangers can
be mounted either on the walls or roof of
THE INSTALLATION PHASE an enclosure. Unless otherwise required
When mounting components, including by the demands of an application, best re-
climate control, on or inside enclosures, sults are achieved by installing the cooling
adequate space for effective performance is system per manufacturer’s instructions.
critical.
In the course of plant operations, cables, With your climate control selections in-
spare parts, books or other objects left stalled and your enclosure components
within the enclosure can block the airflow to installed, the ongoing process of assured
the components. Improper climate regula- efficiency is just beginning.
tion can cause a shortened lifespan of com-
ponents or heat-related failures. OPERATION PHASE

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Maintaining the selected units over the reducing the cooling output.
course of their service life will keep perfor-
mance levels up and energy usage down. To prevent the condenser coil from becom-
Each climate control solution will provide ing clogged, the coil can be treated with
maximum efficiency by following mainte- a protective substance like Rittal’s RiNano
nance guidelines. coating, to prevent oil, dirt and other con-
taminants from adhering. Filters are de-
FILTER FANS AND signed to prevent particulates from reach-
AIR CONDITIONERS ing the coils. If a filter is used, it should be
The filter media for fans is relatively simple designed for the environment: metal filters
to maintain, because it is usually possible for oily atmospheres, lint filters for fiber
with a visual inspection to determine if they filled air or foam filters, effective for excep-
are clean, dirty or need replacing. Although tionally dusty environs. Appropriate clean-
a simple maintenance step, it will add to ing ad replacement frequency will depend
heat stress and component inefficiency if on the conditions at the installation.
not routinely performed.
Both fans and air conditioners will produce
Air conditioners require slightly more main- consistently high levels of performance and
tenance. A rudimentary understanding of efficiency with general required mainte-
how air conditioners operate illustrates their nance.
maintenance checkpoints.
AIR-TO-WATER HEAT
Air conditioners have a hot and cold side, EXCHANGERS
the cold side facing the internal area to Air-to-water heat exchangers can be used
be cooled. Both sides are lined with cop- in harsher environments than filter fans and
per coils, the condenser coil externally and can cool components inside an enclosure
the evaporator coil internally. Refrigerant to temperatures below ambient conditions,
passes through these coils and transfers like air conditioners. They operate with a
the head from the inside of the enclosure chilled water supply which runs through
to the outside. Fans circulate the air treated a coil in the heat exchanger. An internal
by the coils dispersing the air to its needed fan blows air across the coil. Heat is trans-
direction. If these coils become blocked or ferred from the inside of the enclosure
clogged with contaminants, the airflow is to the water, which absorbs it and then
reduced, lowering the unit’s efficiency, mak- carries it to the chiller, where the water is
ing it work harder, using more energy and cooled and recirculated.

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installation plan. Attention to detail and

Air-to-water heat exchangers require very proper installation of the climate control
little energy to operate and are a low-main- system and the components in accordance
tenance and highly efficient climate control with the design plan and manufacturer’s
solution. They do require a chilled water recommendations will improve the effec-
supply, which may be readily available in tiveness. Recommended checkpoint: Check
some industrial factories. Industrial chiller for proper enclosure seals and other po-
systems are generally large in scale and tential trouble spots to eliminate leakage in
vital to plant operations. The piping system the system.
and the chiller itself should be insulated and
not exposed to excessive heat. Once operational, climate control devices
and other components should be monitored
THE THREE-STEP SOLUTION for performance and a regular maintenance
TO EFFICIENT ENERGY schedule performed. Recommended check-
COOLING CONTROL point: Establish a day-one efficiency level
Attaining effective and energy-efficient log for a baseline gauge of energy con-
climate control solutions for industrial ap- sumption and to note any changes in de-
plications covers three fundamental steps: sired operating levels.
design, installation, and operation.
Pursuing savings and efficiency in cooling
In the design period, the overall panel lay- can reduce one of the largest expenditures
out, heat calculations, and climate control in many installations. Whether a new sys-
selection should be completed. Determining tem is being configured, or an existing sys-
the amount of cooling needed and the type tem is being evaluated, following the steps
of environment in which the enclosure will to the highest level of enclosure, climate
be deployed will be crucial factors in select- control energy efficiency will improve your
ing the type and size of cooling solution bottom line.
that will deliver both performance and ef-
ficiency. Recommended checkpoint: Ensure
adequate airflow within the enclosure with-
out obstructions when laying out the panel.

The design phase will dictate much of the

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Maintenance and
engineering considerations
in hazardous areas
Wood Group Mustang uses all four protection methodologies
for installing automation systems in hazardous areas.

By Dan Hebert

A
utomation and instrumentation components and systems must often be installed
in areas classified as hazardous according to IEC or NEC. These projects present
design, installation and maintenance challenges.

For all such installations, there are four main options (see table): explosion-proof, intrinsical-
ly safe, non-incendive or purged. Each has its advantages and drawbacks, and many instal-
lations are best served by combining two or more.

Perhaps the newest development in hazardous-area installation is more widespread use of

the non-incendive or non-sparking approach, which requires AEx nA-rated components.
“We’re seeing numerous installations using AEx nA (non-sparking equipment) located in
Zone 2 areas in relation to remote I/O and remote PLC installations,” says David Dalke, dis-
cipline technical authority for systems and networks, Wood Group Mustang (www.wood-
group.com). “The biggest issue with this type of installation is making sure internal compo-
nents are certified for this protection in the enclosure.” Wood Group Mustang uses various
compliance approaches. (See “Maintenance and Engineering Considerations” sidebar).

EXPLOSION-PROOF RELIES ON BRUTE STRENGTH

This is the oldest, most familiar and simplest method of protection. “An explosion-proof
housing is designed to prevent combustible gases or dust from coming in contact with in-

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WHICH APPROACH IS BEST FOR YOU?

Characteristic Explosion-Proof Intrinsically Safe Non-Incendive Purged

Component cost High Medium Low Medium

High, requires
Design cost Medium Medium Low
engineering
Installation cost High Low Low Medium
High, requires air
Operating cost None None None or inert gas
Required maintenance High Low Low Medium
Difficult because Difficult because
Ease of maintenance Easy Easy
of sealed cabinets of purged cabinets
Zone 0 acceptability No Yes No No

Availability of components High Low Medium High

Acceptance in process
High High Medium High
industries

ternally mounted components that produce to be more familiar and comfortable with
energy,” explains Len Laskowski, principal installation requirements,” he notes.
technical SIS consultant, Emerson Process
Management (www.emersonprocess.com). One of the disadvantages, he says, is main-
“If enough energy is present and an explo- tenance difficulty. “Opening an EX en-
sion occurs, the housing is designed to closure or device isn’t permitted without
contain it to prevent further explosions in shutting down power to contained circuits—
the area.” complicating troubleshooting, maintenance
and inspection. Because EX-proof/contain-
Because it’s been around so long, there are ment is based on the enclosures’ mechani-
many components available with explosion- cal integrity, periodic inspections are need-
proof housings and ratings. However, hous- ed. Maintenance personnel and technicians
ings can get large and expensive, extreme also must be trained on requirements.”
care must be taken during installation, and Under ATEX and IECEx rules, EX-Proof/
ongoing maintenance is required. containment technology isn’t viewed as safe
enough for Zone 0 areas.
Derek Sackett, marketing specialist, Phoe-
nix Contact (www.phoenixcon.com), adds Likewise, Neal Cammy, engineering man-
the main advantages of explosion-proof or ager at BLAC (www.blacinc.com), which
explosion-containment technology are their builds severe-service, electro-hydraulic,
ability to use higher-powered devices in en- linear valve actuators, reports, “BLAC’s
closures and higher-powered end devices. electro-hydraulic actuators are mainly used
“Also, at least in the U.S., end users seem in oil refinery applications, such as control-

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MAINTENANCE AND ENGINEERING CONSIDERATIONS

System integrator Wood Group Mustang (www.
woodgroup.com) in Houston, Texas, uses all types of
hazardous area protection methods, depending on
the installation environment and other factors. David
Dalke, systems and networks expert at Wood Group
Mustang, explains some of the considerations.

First, explosion-proof housings can be a maintenance

problem. “Maintenance is an issue, as the housing
needs to remain in good working order to function
properly,” he notes. “The actual integrity of protec- GAS PLANT USES ALL THE TOOLS
tion of explosion-proof housings is a real soft spot, as Wood Group Mustang uses all four protection
human factors increase the risk of bolts being lost or methodologies for installing automation sys-
not properly reinstalled following maintenance.” tems in hazardous areas such as this natural
gas plant.
Maintenance is also needed for purging. “A key
strength of purged systems is improved accessibility “While intrinsically safe (IS) systems don’t require as
for periodic maintenance, but principal problems of much maintenance, they’re difficult to design. Added
purged enclosures are the cleanliness and moisture space for the barriers and separation is required, and
content of the purge gas source—and monitoring, engineering is needed to perform IS calculations to
maintenance and testing of the cabinet supervisory confirm they meet intrinsically safe installation re-
alarms,” Dalke explains. quirements,” Dalke adds. “Passive barriers can cause
a significant voltage drop if not designed properly
Filter systems for the purge-gas supplies also need and require a low-impedance ground system. Life-
routine inspection and maintenance. “In some facili- cycle inspection and verification are needed to assure
ties, where inert purge gases other than air is used the integrity of the protection system.”
(typically nitrogen), additional safety considerations,
labeling and potentially monitoring may be required, At a chemical plant on the U.S. Gulf Coast, the facility
depending on the size of the cabinet, its location standard was to use non-incendive protection in Class
and the capacity of the purge supply, especially if I, Div. 2 areas and explosion-proof solutions in Class I,
the cabinets are located inside buildings or shelters,” Div. 1. However, for a truck and rail-loading overflow
says Dalke. “Virtually every one of our clients has protection system, requirements for a lightweight,
had some sort of purging, and almost all our North easy-to-manipulate overfill protection system led the
American projects use explosion-proof housings on plant to install lower-cost, IS level-sensing systems.
transmitter installations.” Dalke reports that use of IS design also enabled
improved integrity of protection in the Div. 1 area,
Most of the time, Wood Group Mustang’s Automation where the sensor cable was subject to mechanical
Group installs purge boxes in classified areas, or all the abuse with frequent connecting and disconnecting of
components are rated to be within the classified area. the loading arm and rail/tank car connections.

ling reactor product temperatures. India INTRINSIC SAFETY

requires the equivalent of ATEX Zone 2, IIb CONSIDERED SAFEST
certification for hazardous areas, so at an This method is generally considered the
FCC unit in India, we use Balluff explosion- safest because it’s the only one accepted
proof linear position sensors (Figure 1).” for use in IEC Zone 0, and is accepted in

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all other classified areas. “Intrinsic safety is

based on limiting energy to a level below
that required to ignite hazardous gas or
dust,” says Robert Schosker, product man-
ager and team lead for process automation,
Pepperl+Fuchs (www.pepperl-fuchs.com).
“The energy limitation also pertains to
thermal energy. So in normal operation or
during a fault, no sparks or thermal effects
may occur that could ignite a potentially
explosive atmosphere” (Figure 2).

Charlie Norz, product manager, Wago (www.

wago.com), adds, “Intrinsically safe I/O mod-
ules provide users with all the benefits of a
modern fieldbus technology. The modules
combine digital and analog I/O with intrinsi-
HIGH POWER CALLS FOR HARD CASE
cally safe barriers, making it easy to engi-
Figure 1: A redundant linear position
neer, and it reduces wiring costs.” sensor is mounted externally on a valve
actuator. At the top of the photo is the
explosion-proof electronics housing, and
One of its brewery customers used Wa- at the bottom is the target marker that
tracks valve actuator position
go’s standard and intrinsically safe (IS)
I/O modules to optimize operation of its
fermentation stage (Figure 3). “The appli-
cation used a wall to separate the haz-
Intrinsic safety "i", example Ex ia
ardous and non-hazardous locations. The Divisions 1, 2 / Zones 0, 1, 2
Barrier Hazardous area
customer mounted our intrinsically safe Isc/Io Cable
+ L
digital input modules in a non-hazardous R
V 3x Voc/Uo C
location, and intrinsically safe sensors and -

actuators located in the hazardous area

were wired directly to these I/O modules.”

NO SPARK, NO FIRE
The main drawback of IS is the limited avail- Figure 2: Intrinsic safety barriers are
used to limit the amount of electrical
ability of components because those requir- energy delivered to devices in hazardous
ing power above 300 mA at 24 Vdc can’t areas. Source: Pepperl+Fuchs

be made intrinsically safe. Another draw-

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back is the time required to design an IS

Non-hazardous Hazardous system because complex entity parameters
area area
and calculations are required.
Fermentation
Wago I/O tank
750-439
On/off Kelli Malloy, leader, U.S. process automa-
switch
tion, Turck (www.turck.com),
Diagram 1. says intrinsic

Wall safety is gaining popularity in the U.S. and

Limit switch
is accepted worldwide in part because it’s
Brewery fermentation process
Not to scale considered safest for classified areas. “In-
stallation costs are considerably less than
IS WORKS THROUGH WALLS
explosion-proof enclosures, and the ability
Figure 3: This brewery uses intrinsically safe
I/O modules installed in a non-hazardous to install it in an instrument tray, even in
location connected to sensors and actuators
Class I, Div. 1 areas, is a huge cost savings,”
located in the hazardous area. Source: Wago
Malloy says.

OPTIMATION OPTS FOR DUAL PROTECTION

Optimation (www.optimation.us), a systems integrator in manager of automation and integration at Optimation. “The
Houston, Texas, designs and installs automation systems fluids are also flammable, so the electrical systems had to
for process plants and also builds process skids. be designed to meet electrical hazard classifications.”

On a recent acid purification skid, the automation sys- In addition, the immediate area around the skid is Class
tems had to meet Class I, Div. 1 requirements. After a I, Div. 1, and at a distance from the skid, the classification
chemical pretreatment step was completed on the skid, changes to Class I, Div. 2.
the system runs automatically to create purified acid,
minimizing human interaction with the process. “A combination of explosion-proof wiring and intrinsi-
cally safe barriers was used,” explains Curry. “Some
“The fluids recovered from the production process are very pumps are powered by air rather than electricity, and
corrosive and can eat through stainless steel, so this skid some valves were controlled pneumatically rather than
was fabricated with specialized materials,” says Dan Curry, with electrical signals. The I/Ps and solenoid valves were
installed outside the classified areas.”

The combination of explosion-proof wiring and intrinsically

safe barriers was necessary because IS barriers can only be
used for low-voltage applications, and the skid had some
high-voltage pump controls. “IS systems are generally al-
ways 24 Vdc,” notes Curry. “I’m not aware of any 120-Vac IS
barriers due to the available power level being too high, and
power to the pump motors is in excess of IS limits.”
COMBO PUTS SAFETY ON SKIDS
Combining explosion-proof and intrinsic safety Cost was analyzed for each component to determine which
methods allows this acid recovery skid to meet the could accomplish safe operation while staying within budget,
Class I, Div. 1 requirements of highly corrosive and
and the combination of explosion-proof wiring and intrinsi-
flammable fluids. Source: Optimation
cally safe barriers proved to be workable and affordable.

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Mike Bond, senior program manager at

Optimation (www.optimation.us), agrees.
“I think the U.S. uses IS just as much as
Europe does,” he says. “My observation is
that there are more cord connections to
IS devices in Europe, whereas the U.S. still
prefers conduit systems.” (See “Optima-
tion Opts for Dual Protection” sidebar).

NON-INCENDIVE ALLOWS MOTOR DRIVE WON’T BLOW

HIGHER POWER Figure 4: This Vacon X5 HazLo non-incendive
Non-incendive is similar to intrinsic safety, AC variable-frequency drive (VFD) is being
used to control the flow rate of an oil pump
as both methods limit the energy released on a system designed to capture wellhead
to a level insufficient to cause ignition of the production rates in an outdoor Class I, Div. 2
environment. Source: Vacon
surrounding atmosphere. However, a much
wider range of components is available with
non-incendive ratings as compared to IS and FM requirements can be confusing
certification, including variable-frequency because of ambiguity in the language and
drives (VFDs) rated up 100 hp. On the other potential for misinterpretation. Second,
hand, this method isn’t suitable for Zone 0, non-incendive installations don’t account
as intrinsic safety is. for abnormal conditions, and this can
cause users consternation if plant stan-
“Non-incendive installations have gained dards require multiple layers of protec-
popularity, especially with digital bus tech- tion. However, the methodology is safe
nologies, because they’re inexpensive to and has been used widely in Class I, Div. 2
install,” says Malloy. “Ease of installation installations.”
using quick disconnects and junctioning,
expandability and low equipment cost are a Vacon (www.vacon.com) provides non-
huge benefit to users. Bus technologies and incendive VFDs that have UL approvals
non-incendive installations are often done in for installation in Class I, II and III, Div. 2
instrument trays rather than conduit, an- hazardous locations. Its Vacon X5 HazLo
other cost savings. drive was used in a Class I, Div. 2 location
instead of an explosion-proof enclosure,
“There are two drawbacks to this technol- providing a 66% weight reduction and a
ogy. First, interpreting the electrical code 35% cost reduction (Figure 4).

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“Purged enclosures allow for use of higher powered

devices and also devices that don’t have or couldn’t
get proper approval for use within a hazardous area,
but purging does add cost to the enclosure system.

WHEN IN DOUBT, PURGE plays. Louis Szabo, business development

Purged enclosures are continuously sup- manager at Pepperl+Fuchs, notes that one
plied with clean instrument air or an inert of its customers had older display systems
gas, either of which won’t allow ignition in Class I Div 1 areas that were beginning
to occur when combined with the energy to fail, and the original supplier had long
emitted by the components within the en- since gone out of business. “P+F installed
closure. its Div 2-certified KVM display to replace
the old HMI. This certification is important,
“Purged enclosures allow for use of higher as non-certified equipment will not get
powered devices and also devices that past the safety inspectors, risk assessment
don’t have or couldn’t get proper ap- personnel and insurance underwriters,”
proval for use within a hazardous area, but says Szabo.
purging does add cost to the enclosure
system. A source of clean instrument air WIRELESS AVOIDS ISSUES
or an inert gas is required, and hot per- Ian McDonald, wireless solution architect
mits are required to open the enclosure,” at Emerson Process Management, points
explains Sackett. “Using devices with no out that wireless can alleviate many prob-
extra approvals for hazardous areas can lems and costs in hazardous areas. “Wire-
keep costs down. Also, filling the internal lessHART devices certified to the relevant
area of the enclosure with either clean protection level can reduce equipment
instrument air or a clean inert gas has the installed in a hazardous area, such as
two-fold effect of increasing the lifetime the wiring and supporting infrastructure
of electrical components, and prevent- needed with a traditional wired installa-
ing an explosion by isolating the electrical tion,” he explains. “WirelessHART process
components from the corrosive hazardous transmitters are battery-powered, which
material.” eliminates the need for power wiring, and
battery power is safe for use in most haz-
Purged enclosures often house HMI dis- ardous areas.”

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A new fashion in
industrial enclosures?
Will electronic marshalling mean the end of the “bespoke” enclosure?

By Nancy Bartels

U
nlike clothing fashions, enclosure styles don’t change a lot from year to year. A
40-year-old enclosure doesn’t stand out like your dad’s leisure suit. After all, a big
metal box is pretty much a big metal box, even with the added glitz of ventilation,
temperature control or an explosion-proof or safety rating. However, like a classic, tailor-
made suit, enclosure styles are slowly evolving. Driven by the advent of electronic marshal-
ling, as surely as hemlines get shorter, enclosure boxes are getting smaller and becoming
more standardized.

Dan McGrath, solutions manager at physical infrastructure products and solutions provider
Panduit (www.panduit.com), explains: “Electronic marshalling provides the ability to more
readily distribute enclosures around facilities, rather than needing as many home runs to
central consolidation marshalling points. The enclosures can be smaller and more efficient
with this technology. Ultimately, we are talking about standardizing with best practice
designs rather than ‘one-offs,’ or every designer needing to sweat the details and develop
custom specifications each time.”

So how did this happen? The short answer is a shift in the way marshalling is done. Emer-
son Process Management (www.emersonprocess.com) led the way in 2010 with its “char-
acterization modules,” or CHARMs. These signal-conditioning modules are available in a
number of types. When the system is installed remotely, each loop’s field wiring is landed

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Although each of these approaches is technically

different in some respects, the result is similar:
fewer wires, more flexibility, a much more compact
footprint, lower costs, reduced inventory and an
installation that is much more forgiving of late
changes in engineering plans.

on one of the special terminal blocks, and tion assembly. What plugs into that is the I/O
the loop signal is characterized by plugging module. These communicate with the control-
the appropriate CHARM into the terminal, ler. It’s totally software-configurable, and it’s
and the marshalling is configured electroni- all done from the engineering console.”
cally, eliminating the spaghetti nest of cross
wiring. To make a change simply remove Invensys Foxboro’s I/A Series Intelligent
one CHARM and install a different one. It is Marshalling from Invensys (iom.invensys.
the equivalent of traditional wired marshal- com), released in late 2011, also takes a crack
ling, but with far fewer wires. at eliminating much of the marshalling work.
Its FBM247 Universal Fieldbus Module for the
While Emerson was first out of the gate, Foxboro I/A Series DCS fits into the standard
other automation vendors have not been I/A series base plate. Base plate-mounted ter-
far behind. Honeywell Process Solutions mination assemblies provide the link between
(www.honeywellprocess.com) is offering its field wiring and the FBM247 modules.
Universal Process I/O for its Series C I/O.
The module reduces or eliminates marshal- “This module is a hybrid type,” says Thad
ling and allows immediate configuration Frost, who oversees Foxboro’s intelligent
without the need for additional hardware. marshalling solution. “It bypasses the mar-
Released in May of 2012, the SIL-3-certified shalling process. It can handle multiple
solution uses a single, universal, optionally types of I/O signals. [With this system] you
redundant, 32-channel I/O module that can are able to bypass the marshalling cabinet
accept DIN, DOU, AIN, AOU or smoke/heat/ and go directly to the control cabinet, and
gas detector signals. once the cables come into the control cabi-
net, they can be adapted with software to
Joe Bastone, Honeywell’s solution manager the required signal types.”
for Experion control I/O, describes it this way:
“It’s a funny looking module with a termina- Although each of these approaches is tech-

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nically different in some respects, the result STANDARD ISSUE

is similar: fewer wires, more flexibility, a More standardization is also in the offing.
much more compact footprint, lower costs, Erik de Groot, marketing manager at Hon-
reduced inventory and an installation that eywell Process Solutions says, “There are
is much more forgiving of late changes in always going to be places where you have a
engineering plans. custom-built cabinet, but one of the things
we’re working at is putting together a
HEADING FOR SIZE 0? cabinet that will have 64 I/O, and can be all
Anyone who follows women’s fashions will bundled together with all the known parts.
tell you that over the past couple of de- Customers don’t want to specify all the indi-
cades, the “ideal size” has shrunk from 6 to vidual parts that go into the cabinet. That’s
4 to 2 to 0. Is the same thing going to hap- time-consuming. If you can stamp out the
pen to enclosures? Up to a point, yes. [required] cabinets and make them all iden-
tical, you don’t have to do a FAT [factory
Charlie Norz, product manager for I/O sys- acceptance test] on every one. We’re ex-
tems at component supplier Wago (www. ploring this with leading-edge customers.”
wago.com), says, “We’re seeing users
continuing to downsize. This need has trig- Frost says this standardization is appealing
gered a push for comprehensive, all-in-one to some of his largest customers. He tells
systems for ever-condensing control foot- the story of a large oil producer to whom
prints and enclosures. Ultimately, enclosure he was pointing out the virtues of his sys-
issues drill down to I/O size and keeping the tem—the shortened wiring times, the abil-
control system’s footprint compact for fu- ity to do remote configuration, the ease of
ture expansion. Thus, the primary focus will late changes to the plans, the reduction of
continue to be space-efficient I/O.” inventory, the lower costs.

Scott Pries, marketing manager for Emer- The customer told him, “I don’t care about all
son’s smart wireless systems, points out, that. In a mega-project, those things amount
“One of the things that will be going away is to petty cash. What I do care about is the
one of the two cabinets you need for home- fact that we could take the cabinets full of
run cable. You don’t need one whole cabinet. intelligent marshalling modules, ship them to
Intrinsically safe operation is being incor- the site and finish them up there. What you
porated into electronics. Now a single card have done is break the dependency between
incorporates that and reduces another 20% control system design and I/O system instal-
of the cabinet. If you reuse the old cabinets, lation. This gives me schedule compression
you can use the extra space for more I/O.” and makes scheduling easier.”

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Software-based marshalling is beginning to look

a lot like a new classic—say a pair of jeans for the
I/O world.

Emerson Process Management offers its boxes or electronic marshalling.”

own enclosure options for DeltaV, ver-
sion 11, systems. The “canned” solution is As for how this will affect the enclosures
a factory-tested enclosure which will hold business, it will change too, if only incre-
electronic marshalling equipment. The mentally.
company also offers both configure-to-
order and design-to-order enclosures. Panduit’s McGrath says, “Enclosure suppli-
ers need to consider product mix as part
A NEW CLASSIC? of their business strategy. Large marshal-
Software-based marshalling is beginning ling panels will diminish and be replaced
to look a lot like a new classic—say a pair with smaller panels in many cases. Panduit
of jeans for the I/O world. It won’t happen sees demand for a similar approach with
overnight, of course. The process indus- network zone enclosures, so [we’ll see] a
tries are full of “fast followers,” waiting for building-block approach with smaller en-
the other guy to try it first. But ARC Advi- closures strategically deployed to provide
sory Group (www.arcweb.com) points out plant coverage in harsh areas.”
that the installed base of systems 20 years
or older is $53 billion. Existing enclosures But there are also plenty of opportunities
will have a much longer useful life, but for new and different enclosures, he adds.
upgrades, either using the old enclosures “Custom enclosures will most certainly be
or new ones, are definitely on the hori- required, as innovation never stops, and
zon. As long as a customer is upgrading there are new devices, sensors and control-
anyway, why not at least consider the lers that will require custom housing. The
new marshalling systems and their smaller exciting part about standardization, though,
enclosures? is that as the industry advances, the build-
ing blocks will need to evolve and become
Emerson’s Pries says, “For migration, the smarter, providing advantages for custom-
path forward is easier because you have ers that can adopt new technology with
the option of wireless for field junction reduced risks and deployment times.”

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