In hazardous environments with flammable gases, vapors, or combustible dust, surveillance cameras themselves must be designed to prevent ignition, contain potential internal explosions, and resist harsh conditions — and this paper explores the relevant principles, standards, implementation strategies, and how ACTi’s anti-explosion housing solutions align with best practices.

Introduction

• Industrial environments such as chemical plants, oil & gas installations, mining, and refineries often pose explosion risks; any electrical or electronic device in these zones must ensure it does not become a source of ignition.

• Standard surveillance cameras, if unprotected, risk sparking or surface heating that can trigger explosions.

• Thus, anti-explosion (explosion-protected / explosion-proof) design becomes essential when deploying IP surveillance in hazardous areas.

• This white paper covers: definitions and classifications, key protective principles, relevant standards, design strategies, trade-offs, and how ACTi’s implementation embodies these principles.

Explosion Zone Classification & Safety Fundamentals
Hazardous Area Zones & Divisions

• Globally, hazardous areas are classified under systems such as the IEC/ATEX “Zone” system (e.g. Zone 0, 1, 2 for gases; Zone 20, 21, 22 for dust) and in the U.S. the Class/Division system (e.g. Class I, Division 1/2 for gases)

• The classification depends on the frequency, duration, and concentration of potentially explosive atmospheres. Cameras must have protection ratings appropriate for the zone in which they are installed (i.e. a Zone 1 or Division 1 rated camera can often cover lower zones as well).

Principles of Explosion Protection Two fundamental principles dominate:

• Containment (“flameproof / explosion-proof enclosure, type d”): If an internal ignition or spark occurs, the enclosure confines it so that the explosion does not propagate to the ambient hazardous atmosphere. The enclosure must endure internal pressure and prevent flame passage through joints.

• Prevention designs: Ensure that the device does not generate sufficient energy or temperature (spark, heat, arc) to ignite the external environment, under normal or fault conditions (intrinsically safe, restricted energy, etc.). support.hanwhavision.com

Other supportive principles include segregation of circuits, temperature control, limiting surface temperatures, and robust sealing and joint design.

Certification & Standards Cameras or their housings must be certified against recognized safety standards, such as:

• IEC 60079 series (e.g. 60079-0 general requirements, 60079-1 flameproof “d”, 60079-11 intrinsic safety “i”, 60079-31 dust protection “t”)

• ATEX (European directive): e.g. equipment under ATEX II 2G, etc.

• IECEx (international equivalence of explosion protection certification)

• Additional regional/market standards (e.g. UL, CSA, local regulations)

• Marking must show protection level, group (gas/dust), temperature class, etc.

Ensuring compliance gives confidence that the design has been independently verified and tested for ignition safety.

Key Design Considerations & Techniques

Material & Enclosure Construction

• Use stainless steel (e.g. grade 316) or other corrosion-resistant, high strength material to resist internal pressures and hostile chemical environments — many explosion-proof housings are built using SS316.

• Enclosure walls and components must be thick enough to withstand internal explosion stress and avoid permanent deformation.

• Joints between parts (flanges, threaded connections) must have tight tolerances, flame paths, or special designs (e.g. cylindrical mating surfaces, overlapping surfaces) to block flame propagation.

• Seamless enclosures or minimal joined surfaces reduce risk of flame leakage.

Thermal & Electrical Safety

• The internal electronics’ design must ensure maximum surface temperature stays below the threshold for ignition (temperature class: T6, T5, etc.).

• Heat-generating elements (power supplies, LEDs, IR lamps) must be isolated, thermally managed, or limited in power.

• Suppress or avoid arcs, sparks, or switching transients in hazardous circuits. Use intrinsically safe circuits or energy-limited designs in some subcircuits if needed.

Cable Entry, Seals & Glands

• Cable glands and conduits must be rated for hazardous area use (e.g. Ex-rated glands) and maintain integrity of the flameproof boundary.

• Seals and gaskets must resist chemical attack and maintain sealing over temperature ranges.

• Wiring layout should avoid paths that may allow flame propagation or breach the enclosure boundary.

Internal Components & Module Layout

• Sensitive modules (sensors, electronics) may be mounted on explosion-proof plates or isolated compartments.

• Redundancy or separation may be used so that a fault in one section does not propagate.

• Internal surfaces should be free of sharp edges or features that encourage arc propagation.

• Use conformal coatings, insulation, and potting where needed to avoid spark paths.

Certification Testing & Simulation

• Use finite element analysis (FEA) and pressure/force simulations to validate enclosure designs under overpressure scenarios.

• Conduct explosion testing in certified labs to validate that enclosures contain ignition and do not propagate flame.

• Thermal aging, vibration, and environmental stress testing to ensure durability under field conditions.

• Inspect for flame path integrity, material fatigue, deformation, and seal performance.

ACTi’s Approach to Anti-Explosion Enclosures
ACTi's implementation of anti-explosion design includes the following attributes which align well with best practices:

• ACTi offers box and PTZ camera enclosures designed specifically for flammable/hazardous environments.

• These housings are built using stainless steel 316, which provides excellent corrosion resistance and mechanical strength in harsh conditions.

• The enclosures carry IP68 protection, ensuring dust-tight and water-resistant sealing—essential for long-term reliability in harsh sites.

• They are certified under ATEX II 2G Ex d IIB T6 Gb, and also support TS Ex d IIC T5/T6 (gas hazard classes) and TS Ex tb IIIC T100℃ Db (dust hazard) protection.

• ACTi’s enclosures incorporate built-in heaters and fans to prevent internal condensation, maintain stable temperature, and ensure reliable operation in diverse ambient conditions.

• Their anti-explosion housings support both fixed and zoom optics (i.e. both box and PTZ style) so that surveillance coverage and functionality are preserved under explosion-safe constraints.

These design decisions reflect many of the principles outlined earlier (robust housing, proper certification, temperature & sealing control, modular enclosures), thereby improving the safety and reliability of cameras deployed in hazardous zones.

Deployment & Operational Guidelines

• Zone matching: Select a camera/housing rated for the highest hazard zone anticipated (e.g. Zone 1 if flammable gas is expected).

• Mounting & mechanical safety: Use explosion-rated brackets, secure mounting, safety ropes or tethers to prevent accidental drops.

• Cable routing: Use explosion-rated conduits, glands, and junction boxes; avoid having non-certified cables breach enclosure boundaries.

• Inspection & maintenance: Schedule regular inspections of seals, corrosion, structural integrity, and optical windows.

• Firmware & electronics: Inside the explosion enclosure, design electronics with margin for safety; ensure no internal firmware operations generate overheating or high-energy events.

• Fail-safe planning: Plan for failure modes that avoid sparking — e.g. supervised shutdown, redundant circuits, current limiting.

• Documentation & labeling: Provide appropriate Ex markings, certificates, and installation manuals for safe use.

• Environmental mitigation: For extremely harsh chemical or marine environments, additional protective coatings or sacrificial layers may be warranted.

Summary

• Anti-explosion design is critical when deploying IP cameras into flammable or dust-prone areas; without it, the camera becomes a hazard rather than a security asset.

• A well-designed solution combines robust enclosure mechanics, strict certification, thermal & electrical safety, and maintainability.

• ACTi’s anti-explosion housing approach (stainless steel 316, IP68 sealing, ATEX/TS certifications, heater/fan integration) exemplifies how a surveillance vendor can integrate these elements into a practical solution.

• When specifying or sourcing anti-explosion cameras, insist on proper certification (ATEX, IECEx, etc.), and verify design reports (FEA, explosion test results, thermal analysis).

• For your projects, align design requirements early with site classification (zone), environmental challenges, and expected service conditions.

Applications

• Chemical plants
• Oil Installations
• Gas Installations
• Mining

Solutions

ACTi offers several types of anti-explosion enclosures for various IP camera types. Please refer to the Anti-Explosion enclosure options here. Each enclosure has its own product page and shows the list of all the IP cameras that are compatible with those enclosures.