Fuel gas catalytic heater inside the building

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voicam01

New member
Location
Denver, CO, USA
Hello,

I have a project where a fuel gas (pipeline gas) catalytic heater will be installed in the Control Building to heat the room. We do not have enough power available for an electric heater so this seams to be the only solution right now. This room houses AGM batteries, battery chargers, AC & DC panelboards and a PLC cabinet. We have designed this Building as Unclassified but will adding this catalytic heater inside the building going to change the area classification to Class 1 Div 2 instead of Unclassified?

Thank you!
 

rbalex

Moderator
Staff member
Location
Mission Viejo, CA
Occupation
Professional Electrical Engineer
Hello,

I have a project where a fuel gas (pipeline gas) catalytic heater will be installed in the Control Building to heat the room. We do not have enough power available for an electric heater so this seams to be the only solution right now. This room houses AGM batteries, battery chargers, AC & DC panelboards and a PLC cabinet. We have designed this Building as Unclassified but will adding this catalytic heater inside the building going to change the area classification to Class 1 Div 2 instead of Unclassified?

Thank you!
Possibly. The heater itself may actually mitigate the classification, but the piping to the heater may also affect the classification. In fact, it might require a Division 1 classification. Hard to tell without the full geometry and process description of the installation.
 

kwired

Electron manager
Location
NE Nebraska
Generally speaking not a classified location. Pipelines, vessels that normally contain the gas do not normally create a classified location. Fuel burning appliances normally don't either, such appliances usually have controls that sense a flame, and have purge cycles and a lock out function if flame isn't detected when it should be. A leak outside of monitored controls is not a normal function and doesn't usually lead into making this a classified location. There may be a classified location near any pressure relief vent outlets or similar though.
 
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