EN 1839:2012
(Main)Determination of explosion limits of gases and vapours
Determination of explosion limits of gases and vapours
This European Standard specifies two test methods (method T and method B) to determine the explosion limits of gases, vapours and their mixtures, mixed with air. An air/inert gas mixture (volume fraction of the oxygen < 21 %) can be used as the oxidizer instead of air. In this European Standard, the term "air" includes such air/inert mixtures.
This European Standard applies to gases, vapours and their mixtures at atmospheric pressure for temperatures up to 200 °C.
Bestimmung der Explosionsgrenzen von Gasen und Dämpfen
Diese Europäische Norm legt zwei Prüfverfahren (Verfahren T und Verfahren B) zum Bestimmen der Explosions¬grenzen von Gasen, Dämpfen und deren Gemischen in Mischung mit Luft fest. An Stelle von Luft kann als Oxidator auch ein Luft/Inertgas-Gemisch (Volumenanteil des Sauerstoffs 21 %) verwendet werden. In dieser Norm subsumiert der Ausdruck „Luft“ auch derartige Luft/Inertgas-Gemische.
Dieses Dokument gilt für Gase, Dämpfe und deren Gemische bei Umgebungsdruck und Temperaturen von Raumtemperatur bis 200 °C.
Détermination des limites d'exposivité des gaz et vapeurs
La présente Norme européenne spécifie deux méthodes d’essai (la méthode T et la méthode B) pour déterminer les limites d’explosivité de gaz, de vapeurs et de mélanges de gaz et de vapeurs mélangé à l’air. Un mélange d’air et de gaz inerte (fraction volumique de l’oxygène < 21 %) peut servir d’oxydant à la place de l’air. Dans la présente Norme européenne, le terme « air » inclut ces mélanges d’air et de gaz inerte.
La présente Norme européenne s’applique aux gaz, aux vapeurs et à leurs mélanges à la pression atmosphérique pour des températures jusqu’à 200 °C.
Ugotavljanje mej eksplozivnosti plinov in hlapov
Ta evropski standard določa dve preskusni metodi (metodo T in metodo B) za ugotavljanje mej eksplozivnosti plinov, hlapov in njihovih mešanic, zmešanih z zrakom. Namesto zraka je kot oksidant mogoče uporabiti mešanico zraka in inertnega plina (delež prostornine kisika < 21 %). Izraz »zrak« v tem evropskem standardu vključuje take mešanice zraka/inertnega plina. Ta evropski standard se uporablja za pline, hlape in njihove mešanice pri atmosferskem tlaku pri temperaturah do 200 °C.
General Information
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Standards Content (Sample)
SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-januar-2013
1DGRPHãþD
SIST EN 1839:2003
Ugotavljanje mej eksplozivnosti plinov in hlapov
Determination of explosion limits of gases and vapours
Bestimmung der Explosionsgrenzen von Gasen und Dämpfen
Détermination des limites d'exposivité des gaz et vapeurs
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN 1839:2012
ICS:
13.230 Varstvo pred eksplozijo Explosion protection
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.
EUROPEAN STANDARD
EN 1839
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
September 2012
ICS 13.230 Supersedes EN 1839:2003
English Version
Determination of explosion limits of gases and vapours
Détermination des limites d'exposivité des gaz et vapeurs Bestimmung der Explosionsgrenzen von Gasen und
Dämpfen
This European Standard was approved by CEN on 27 July 2012.
CEN members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European
Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration. Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national
standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre or to any CEN member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translation
under the responsibility of a CEN member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre has the same
status as the official versions.
CEN members are the national standards bodies of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia,
Finland, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania,
Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and United
Kingdom.
EUROPEAN COMMITTEE FOR STANDARDIZATION
COMITÉ EUROPÉEN DE NORMALISATION
EUROPÄISCHES KOMITEE FÜR NORMUNG
Management Centre: Avenue Marnix 17, B-1000 Brussels
© 2012 CEN All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved Ref. No. EN 1839:2012: E
worldwide for CEN national Members.
Contents Page
Foreword . 4
1 Scope . 6
2 Normative references . 6
3 Terms and definitions . 6
4 Test Methods . 7
4.1 Method T (“tube” method) . 7
4.1.1 Principle . 7
4.1.2 Reagents and Materials . 7
4.1.3 Apparatus . 8
4.1.4 Preparation of the test mixture . 10
4.1.5 Procedure . 10
4.2 Method B ("bomb" method) . 11
4.2.1 Principle . 11
4.2.2 Reagents and materials . 11
4.2.3 Apparatus . 11
4.2.4 Preparation of the test mixture . 13
4.2.5 Procedure . 13
4.3 Recording of results . 15
4.4 Test report . 15
Annex A (normative) Method for determination of the explosion limits of substances that are difficult
to ignite . 17
A.1 Background . 17
A.2 Explanation . 17
A.3 Apparatus . 17
A.4 Safety equipment . 18
A.5 Preparation of the test mixture . 18
A.6 Procedure . 18
Annex B (informative) Examples to describe flame detachment . 20
Annex C (informative) Example of recommended evaporator equipment . 21
Annex D (normative) Safety measures . 23
D.1 General . 23
D.2 General safety measures . 23
D.3 Additional safety measures concerning the tube method . 23
)
Annex E (informative) Example of a form expressing the results Test report . 24
Annex F (normative) Verification . 25
Annex G (informative) Conversion of the values for the explosion limits . 27
G.1 Abbreviations and symbols . 27
G.2 Substance characteristics of air . 27
G.3 Definitions . 28
G.4 Mixture preparation . 28
G.5 Conversion . 29
Annex H (informative) Significant Changes between this European Standard and EN 1839:2003 . 31
Annex ZA (informative) Relationship between this European Standard and the Essential Requirements
of EU Directive 94/9/EC . 32
Bibliography . 33
Foreword
This document (EN 1839:2012) has been prepared by Technical Committee CEN/TC 305 “Potentially explosive
atmospheres — Explosion prevention and protection”, the secretariat of which is held by DIN.
This European Standard shall be given the status of a national standard, either by publication of an identical text or
by endorsement, at the latest by March 2013, and conflicting national standards shall be withdrawn at the latest by
March 2013.
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent rights.
CEN [and/or CENELEC] shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
This document supersedes EN 1839:2003.
The significant changes between this European Standard and EN 1839:2003 are given in Table H.1.
This document has been prepared under a mandate given to CEN by the European Commission and the European
Free Trade Association, and supports essential requirements of EU Directive 94/9/EC.
For relationship with EU Directive(s), see informative Annex ZA, which is an integral part of this document.
According to the CEN/CENELEC Internal Regulations, the national standards organisations of the following
countries are bound to implement this European Standard: Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech
Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia, France, Germany, Greece,
Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal,
Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey and the United Kingdom.
Introduction
The hazard of an explosion can be avoided by preventing the formation of explosive mixtures of gases and/or
vapours. To do so, the explosion limits (also known as “flammability limits") of the flammable substance need to be
known. These limits depend mainly on:
the properties of the flammable substance;
temperature and pressure;
size and shape of the test vessel;
ignition source (type, energy);
the criterion for self-propagating combustion.
To obtain reliable and comparable results it is necessary to standardise the conditions for determining the
explosion limits (i.e. apparatus and procedure). However, it is not possible to provide one single method that is
suitable for all types of substances. For practical reasons, it is preferable to use apparatus that can also be used for
the determination of other explosion characteristics. This European Standard, therefore, details two methods,
namely, the tube method (method T) and the bomb method (method B). In general, the tube method gives a wider
explosion range. Differences in the explosion limits determined by the two methods can vary by up to 10 % relative.
For substances which are difficult to ignite with large quenching distances, only a modified tube method is suitable.
This is described in Annex A.
1 Scope
This European Standard specifies two test methods (method T and method B) to determine the explosion limits of
gases, vapours and their mixtures, mixed with air. An air/inert gas mixture (volume fraction of the oxygen < 21 %)
can be used as the oxidizer instead of air. In this European Standard, the term “air” includes such air/inert mixtures.
This European Standard applies to gases, vapours and their mixtures at atmospheric pressure for temperatures up
to 200 °C.
2 Normative references
Not applicable.
3 Terms and definitions
For the purposes of this document, the following terms and definitions apply.
3.1
explosion range
range of the concentration of a flammable substance or mixture of substances in air, within which an explosion can
occur, respectively range of the concentration of a flammable substance or mixture of substances in mixture with
air/inert gas, within which an explosion can occur, determined under specified test conditions
[SOURCE: EN 13237:2012, 3.22]
3.2
lower explosion limit
LEL
lowest concentration of the explosion range at which an explosion can occur
Note 1 to entry: Those concentrations are given at which an explosion just fails during the tests.
[SOURCE: EN 13237:2012, 3.19.1]
3.3
upper explosion limit
UEL
highest concentration of the explosion range at which an explosion can occur
Note 1 to entry: Those concentrations are given at which an explosion just fails during the tests.
[SOURCE: EN 13237:2012, 3.19.2]
3.4
explosion criterion — flame detachment
in method T, the criterion for an explosion (self-propagating combustion) is the upward movement of the flame from
the spark gap for at least 100 mm or the formation of a halo which either reaches the top of the tube or reaches a
minimum height of 240 mm
Note 1 to entry: Throughout the duration of the ignition, spark test mixtures, whose test substance content lies just outside
the explosion range, may exhibit a lumino
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