INTRINSICALLY SAFE CIRCUIT

Prof. ANANDA SHANKAR HATI

ASSISTANT PROFESSOR
CHARTERED ENGINEER-INDIA (ELECTRICAL ENGINEERING)
DEPARTMENT OF MINING MACHINERY ENGINEERING
INDIAN INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY (INDIAN SCHOOL OF
MINES), DHANBAD
 INTRINSICALLY SAFE CIRCUIT
A single small spark is sometimes capable of igniting firedamp;
some types of circuit, however, can be designed so that the
discharge of reactive energy is controlled, and does not
produce an incentive spark when the circuit is broken.
A circuit which is so designed that it is incapable of producing
a spark which will ignite firedamp is described as an
intrinsically safe circuit.
ESSENTIAL REQUIREMENTS OF INTRINSIC SAFETY
There are two requirements for intrinsic safety in an electric
circuit:
1. The power obtainable from the source of supply must be
limited so that the reactive energy in the circuit does not at
any time exceed the limit of safety.
2. There must be a means of absorbing the reactive energy
which is released when the circuit is broken.
 LIMITATIONS OF SOURCE OF SUPPLY
An intrinsically safe circuit may be supplied from either a direct
current or an alternating current source, provided that the open-
circuit voltage at no time exceeds 25 volts.
Direct current circuits are supplied by certified primary batteries,
usually of 22·5 volts.
Alternating current circuits are supplied by certified step-down
transformers. The open-circuit voltage of an alternating current
source is limited to 15 volts R.M.S. In order to ensure that the peak
voltage cannot exceed 25 volts.
INTRINSICALLY SAFE TRANSFORMER
METHODS OF LIMITING THE ENERGY AVAILABLE
AT SPARK

SHUNT CAPACITOR SHUNT RESISTOR

ZENER DIODES
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