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Technical articles

The aircraft warning lighting

Thursday, 19 July 2018 PDF icon The aircraft warning lighting
1. Introduction
 
"Obstacles to fly" are commonly defined vertical constructions such as buildings of large dimensions, power lines, antenna repeaters, supports, chimneys, wind generators, cableways, stretched ropes and similar infrastructures that exceed a certain height from the ground, divided into:
  • vertical obstacles with a height equal to or greater than 60 meters from the ground, if located in residential areas and with a height of 15 meters from the ground, if located outside the residential areas.
  • linear obstacles with a height above the ground of 15 meters or more, consisting of power lines with a voltage exceeding 50 kV (regardless of the height above the ground) and all obstacles with a height of less than 15 meters above the built-up areas; having a particular location and not easily recognizable.
 
2.

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From food to textile industry: the often disguised explosiveness of dusts

Thursday, 19 April 2018 PDF icon From food to textile industry: the often disguised explosiveness of dusts
1. Preface
 
Dust explosions can occur in any activity in which solid materials are treated and finely divided (metals, organic substances, polymers, resins, coals, wood, etc.). Dust may be the end product of a process or an unwanted by-product. Even very common substances such as wheat flour, cocoa powder, icing sugar, tea, coffee, present an explosion hazard, often masked by their familiar appearance, when they are treated, in powder form, on industrial scale in milling, transport, separation, drying processes.
A myriad of small-sized particles is produced during the processes, thus creating dust. The particles with dimensions that are too large to remain suspended in the air are deposited, while the smaller ones remain suspended for an unlimited period.
 
The powders are measured in microns (μm). The micron is a unit of length equal to 10-4 (0,0001) centimeters or about 1/ 25,000 of an inch.

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The use of batteries in hazardous areas

Tuesday, 20 March 2018 PDF icon The use of batteries in hazardous areas
1. Type of batteries and technical evolution
 
The electric energy in alternating current produced by thermal systems (coal-fired or oil power stations etc.) or by hydroelectric plants, is "non-accumulable" while the energy in direct current can be stored using devices called "Battery". This system allows to dispose of the energy over time and to be able to use it even in the absence or failure of the supply of traditional energy in alternating current.
 
With the rechargeable batteries, the charge can be completely re-established through the application of adequate electrical energy, with voltage/current control.

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The barrier cable gland: moldable sealant (two-component filler) vs auto-forming sealant (two-component resin)

Friday, 23 February 2018 PDF icon The barrier cable gland: moldable sealant (two-component filler) vs auto-forming sealant (two-component resin)
1. Preface: the selection of the cable gland
 
In the plant concept it has always been of primary importance the physical separation between safe area and classified area. This concept was applied in the electric energy transport systems by means of cables buried in sand bed and then derived to the user (an electric motor or a junction box or an end user) with the use of a conduit tube suitable for the insertion of electrical cables (Freez-Moon) free from internal ridges and terminated on the end user through a physical separation made with explosion-proof sealing device (for example a sealing fitting).
 
With the advent of the IEC/EN 61241-0 and IEC/EN 60079-0 standards, as well as the IEC/EN 60079-1 standard, changed the concept of cable entry in electrical and electronic equipment suitable for areas with danger of explosion, allowing to have the cable entry with appropriate sealing cable gland.

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The importance of the anti-condensation and the pre-heating systems in electric panels for environments with risk of explosion

Tuesday, 23 January 2018 PDF icon The importance of the anti-condensation and the pre-heating systems in electric panels for environments with risk of explosion
In electrical panels for industrial environments, are usually installed systems for preventing the formation of inside condensation, a formation caused by the heat exchange deriving from variations of the ambient temperature in the transition from day to night and vice versa.

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The materials suitable for hazardous areas

Friday, 1 December 2017
In chemical, petrochemical, oil plants and, generally, in all types of industrial facilities which present a danger of explosion due to the presence of gas in the form of cloud or flammable dust, there are also harsh chemical substances that can be harmful and source of deterioration of electric and non-electric equipment.
 
Many different materials are used for producing enclosures, equipment, fittings and components designed for areas with a potentially explosive atmosphere.
 
The aluminum alloy is today one of the most widely used worldwide materials for the construction of a ex-proof enclosure.

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The flash flow time constant in LED lighting technology

Thursday, 19 October 2017 PDF icon The flash flow time constant in LED lighting technology
The significant percentage respect to the initial luminous flux emission
 
1. Preface
 
The continuous growth of LED lighting is significantly transforming the lighting industry, providing a range of millions of colours and dynamic effects that conventional lighting cannot match in terms of design. Furthermore, the miniaturization of the dimensions and the low thermal radiation allow LEDs to be incorporated almost everywhere.

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The importance of the certification of an accredited laboratory also for ‘Ex nA’ or ‘Ex nR’ equipment suitable for installation in environments with explosive atmospheres

Wednesday, 20 September 2017 PDF icon The importance of the certification by a laboratory for Ex nA and Ex nR equipment
1. Introduction
 

The choice of the specific construction design, whether ‘Ex d’, ‘Ex e’ or ‘Ex nA’ or ‘nR’, is in accordance with the hazardous areas classification normed by IEC 60079-10 and EN 60079-10 standard.

Cortem Group, for almost fifty years present on the ex-protected international market, produces various types of equipment and products that meet plant requirements in accordance with international standards such as IEC 60079-0, 60079-1, 60079-7, 60079-15, 60079-31 etc., as well as for similar European EN standards.

Also for the ‘Ex nA’ or ‘Ex nR’ restricted breathing devices, Cortem Group decided to appoint accredited certification bodies aiming to ensure full credibility to the quality of these products instead of using self-certification procedures as many companies are still following today.

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Nofake Project: new holographic authentication label for Cortem Group products

Tuesday, 13 June 2017

Since 2012 Cortem Group ensures the quality and authenticity of its products and fights the illegal distribution of imitations and falsifications on the international market with the Nofake Project.

This project consists in the application, on all products, of a tamper-evident security label with a unique product authentication code. After a first visual inspection, it is possible to check on Cortem Group web site the validity of the unique alphanumeric code printed on the label.

The technologies used for making labels make it impossible to reproduce them thanks to the use of the most modern anti-counterfeit materials and the most advanced security protocols for on-line communications.

Another safety element is that the Nofake Project provides for a periodic update of the safety label, both the material and the process technology.

From 2012 up to 2014, an adhesive sticker round shaped, with a security hologram which contained a visible text "TESTED", "ORIGINAL PRODUCT" and an alphanumeric code has been applied on all the products.

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The use of LEDs in explosive atmospheres: evolution, foundation and advantage of an ever-changing technology

Tuesday, 13 June 2017 PDF icon The use of LEDs in explosive atmospheres evolutions foundation advantages

1. The "op is" safe optical radiation protection and the photo-biological risk

As already mentioned in previous articles, the LED (Light Emitter Diode) has revolutionized the way of designing and manufacturing lighting equipment suitable for hazardous environments with presence of gas or dust. As consequence, the Ex manufacturers had to completely renew the construction range.

Cortem Group has been designing and manufacturing for several LED lighting equipment and it is constantly pursuing the search for new high performance LEDs, conforming to the new dictates in terms of security and in full respect of regulations specific to explosive atmospheres.

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