Ex proof led light in the food factory lighting fundamental applications
Accompanied by the food processing industry on production safety, health standards are increasingly stringent, Ex proof led light as the core technical equipment in the field of industrial lighting, is becoming a food factory workshop, warehouse, cleaning area fundamental cornerstone facilities.
In this paper, we will discuss the Ex proof led light in the food factory environment in the core value, selection principles and practice cases, to help companies build a safe, compliant and energy-saving lighting system.
First, why food factories have to choose explosion-proof lights? –Analysis of the industry’s immediate needs
1. food factory environment explosion risk potential hazards
Food processing, dust [such as flour, powdered sugar], volatile gases [alcohol, grease vapor] and high humidity environment to form a typical explosive mixture.
According to the U.S. NFPA 70 guidelines, this type of area is classified as a Class II Division 1 hazardous area, and explosions can easily be triggered by electrical sparks or high surface temperatures from ordinary lighting equipment. An international dairy group 2022 accident report shows that its non-explosion-proof lighting caused by dust explosion direct losses of more than 3 million U.S. dollars.
2. Ex proof led light core protection mechanism
Approved triple protection design to ensure intrinsic safety:
Explosion-proof shell: aluminum alloy die-casting process, shell seam depth of more than 12mm, can effectively block the internal explosion diffusion Temperature control technology: LED module with cooling fins, surface temperature control below 85 ℃ [lower than the T6 temperature group guidelines] IP66/68 protection level: to prevent dust, high-pressure water intrusion, suitable for flushing and disinfection scenes
3. Compulsory requirements and certification system
Global mainstream certification covers:
ATEX certification [EU Directive 2014/34/EU] IECEx international explosion-proof certification UL 844 [North American hazardous location lighting guidelines] GB 3836 [China explosion-proof electrical guidelines].
Second, the food factory Ex proof led light selection guide – accurate matching scene demand
1. Regional risk classification and lamp selection
Raw material crushing workshop: hazardous substances combustible dust, zoning guidelines Zone 21, recommended Ex proof led light type LED explosion-proof floodlights [100-150W].
Edible Oil Filling Line: Hazardous substance grease vapor, Zone 1, recommended Ex proof led light type stainless steel explosion-proof downlight [IP68].
Low-temperature cold storage: no direct risk of hazardous substances, zoning guidelines for non-hazardous areas, recommended Ex proof led light type Moisture-proof explosion-proof emergency lights
2. special scene technical requirements
High-pressure washing area: need to be equipped with corrosion-resistant stainless steel [such as 316L], to withstand 80 ℃ hot water rinse cycle low-temperature environment: the use of -40 ℃ low-temperature start-up power supply, to avoid the failure of the cold start of the clean room: equipped with an antistatic coating, the surface resistance value of <1 × 10 ⁶ Ω
3. Energy efficiency improvement program
A meat processing plant approved the replacement of the third generation of LED explosion-proof lights, the implementation of:
Lighting energy consumption by 65% [from the traditional 250W metal halide lamps down to 80W LED] maintenance cycle from 6 months to 5 years to extend the illumination uniformity increased to more than 0.8 [GB 50034-2013 guidelines].
Third, Ex proof led light installation and maintenance best practices
1. Project installation specification points
Wiring system: galvanized steel pipe threading, bending radius > 6 times the diameter of the pipe grounding resistance: <4Ω [GB 50169-2016 requirements] Installation spacing: hazardous area lamps and lanterns spaced no more than 1.5 times the height of the lamps and lanterns
2. Intelligent control system integration
Explosion-proof microwave sensor: automatic dimming of personnel activity areas Intrinsically safe IoT module: real-time monitoring of lamps and lanterns temperature, power consumption data Explosion-proof emergency power supply: to meet the emergency lighting needs of 90 minutes [EN 60598-2-22 guidelines].
3. Full life cycle management strategy
Year 1: Monthly visual inspection of seal integrity Year 3: Professional instrumentation to detect explosion-proof joint surface gap [should be <0.15mm] Year 5: A full set of explosion-proof performance testing and certification updates
Fourth, successful cases: explosion-proof lights in the food business transformation practice
Case 1: a multinational candy manufacturer lighting upgrade
Scope of transformation: 120,000 square meters of production workshop technical solutions: the deployment of 580 sets of 120W explosion-proof industrial and mining lamps [Ex d IIC T6 Gb] implementation effect: annual savings of 470,000 yuan in electricity costs, the accident rate fell by 92% approval of the BRCGS food safety certification audit
Case 2: Seafood processing plant explosion-proof lighting system
Core challenge: high salt spray corrosive environment to fix the program: the use of titanium alloy Ex proof led light body + nano hydrophobic coating ROI analysis: 3.2 years to recover the cost of renovation [calculation cycle of 15 years].
Fifth. Future momentum: Ex proof led light technology evolution direction
Material innovation: graphene heat dissipation module to reduce the thickness of the lamps and lanterns by 40% intelligent perception: integrated combustible gas detection explosion-proof lighting system energy revolution: photovoltaic energy storage for Ex proof led lightsupplying off-grid power supply program digital twin: according to BIM explosion-proof lighting system simulation platform
By approving the design and implementation of specialized explosion-proof lighting systems, food companies can not only meet the mandatory requirements of the regulations, but also obtain significant economic benefits. Choosing suppliers with ATEX/IECEx dual certification of explosion-proof lighting and laying a full-cycle risk management system will become the key cornerstone of intelligent upgrading of the food industry.
Get a customized explosion-proof lighting solution today and build a safe line of defense for your production line.