NFPA 496 - Standard for Purged and Pressurized Enclosures for Electrical Equipment, 2013 Edition

Protect electrical equipment in flammable atmospheres by following the latest protection techniques outlined in the 2013 NFPA 496. NFPA 496: Standard for Purged and Pressurized Enclosures for Electrical Equipment contains requirements for the design and operation of purged and pressurized electrical equipment enclosures. This protection technique is used in Class I and Class II hazardous (classified) locations to reduce or prevent the presence of flammable materials within electrical equipment enclosures as specified by NFPA 70?: National Electrical Code?. NFPA 496 also includes chapters covering protection of analyzers and rooms housing analyzers as well as a chapter on pressurized control rooms. Consistent with the 2011 NEC®, the 2013 NFPA 496 includes the following updates to help control fire hazards: Revisions to the definitions for Type X Pressurizing, Type Y Pressurizing, and Type Z Pressurizing clarify that pressurizing keeps a flammable atmosphere around a protected enclosure from entering an enclosure, which enables the use of either ignition-capable equipment (in Type X Pressurizing or Type Z Pressurizing) or Division 2 or Zone 2 equipment (Type Y Pressurizing) inside an enclosure . Added a new requirement affecting electrical alarm actuators in Type Y Pressurizing to require them to be identified for a Division 1 or Zone 1 location Clarified requirements affecting cutoff switch actuators in Type X Pressurizing Order today to make sure you have the specialized knowledge needed to head off electrical equipment fires and explosions.