Industrial Automation Magazine India

Cost-saving hybrid panelboards now with IECEx and ATEX certifications

Published on : Friday 24-01-2020

Approved for international hazardous regions, Emerson’s Appleton™ PlexPower™ IEC Fibre Panel helps reduce project installation expenditure by up to 50%.

Emerson has gained International Electrotechnical Commission Explosive (IECEx) and Atmosphere Explosible (ATEX) certifications for use of its Appleton™ PlexPower™ Fibre Panel in hazardous locations in Europe and multiple international regions including the Middle East, Africa and Asia Pacific.

The new hybrid panelboard is the first to bring hybrid power and data capabilities into industries that operate in highly explosive environments requiring IECEx and ATEX certifications. This includes the oil and gas, chemical and pharmaceutical sectors. Combined with a National Electrical Code (NEC) certified version of the panel, today's launch of the Appleton PlexPower IEC Fibre Panel makes this product line the first simplified and global solution for power and data distribution throughout hazardous locations for manufacturers.

Traditionally, power distribution technology and instrument/process monitoring have been routed from two separate enclosures located in a "safe" control room outside the hazardous location. High material and labour costs, system complexity, and multiple points-of-failure along long cable runs have proven significant challenges to this design, especially for companies transitioning to the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT).

The Appleton PlexPower IEC Fibre Panel meets these challenges by serving as a single point of control for both data and power installed within the hazardous area, rather than outside it, bringing cables from up to 24 field junction boxes throughout the facility back to a central location. As a result, users save up to 57% on installation, commissioning and maintenance costs through the elimination of long dedicated cable runs, cable trays, conduit and other support structure. In addition, the installation process is safer, since overall construction scope is reduced and conduit seals are not needed.

The Appleton PlexPower IEC Fibre Panel is available with multiple design options, giving end-users flexibility and convenience in configuration. In addition to FRP, the enclosure is available in 316L stainless steel.

 

Emerson Process Management (India) Pvt Ltd. Tel: 91 22 6662-0566. Email: [email protected]