Aircraft industry

In the air transportion market, several companies use technologically advanced passenger and/or cargo handling vehicles to ensure performance with maximum comfort and the lowest cost. However, aircrafts are exposed to extreme environmental conditions and for this reason, they require continuous and extensive maintenance, in order to guarantee the maximum safety during flights. Due to the large dimensions of various aircraft, maintenance and repair operations are usually performed in special facilities or hangars, located within the airport area.

 

During routine and / or unscheduled maintenance, flammable substances such as gases and dusts may be released into the hangar environment, resulting in a potentially hazardous atmosphere.  It is crucial to install in such areas appropriate explosion-proof electrical equipment to avoid any spark, which could cause an ignition to occur.

 

In order to install the appropriate explosion-proof equipment, it is necessary to point out the main areas at risk and proceed with an evaluation analysis considering: flammable substances which may be present; the main operations which could lead to the presence of flammable gas and dust clouds in the atmosphere. Among the maintenance and repair activities performed in hangars, it is noteworthy to point out the following processes:

  • Defueling and fueling of open fuel tanks;
  • Painting;
  • Assembly, disassembly and handling of sensitive components.

Defueling and fueling of open fuel tanks


Maintenance personnel must be aware that fuel vapors can always escape from the airplane surge tank. For example, fuel can spill from the surge tank vents during fueling and/or defueling operations or if the tanks are overfilled.

For this reason, during the purging process and the refueling of tanks, the areas around the airplane are subject to stringent regulations.  Due to the presence of flammable substances and the high risk of fuel vapor leakage, only the use of explosion-proof equipment is permitted.

During defueling, the areas around the airplane are considered flammable until all the fuel is removed and the tanks are fully purged. When the tanks are defueled, the areas around the airplane are considered fire safe.

Painting


Other processes applied in this sector include the mixing of substances, distillation, filtration, heating and cooling, solvent extraction, centrifugation and injection. All these processes may cause the release of flammable gases and vapors. As a result, even in this case a thorough selection of ATEX/IECEx equipment is mandatory in order to ensure people and environment protection. Chemical injection systems, for instance, require an electrical control panel to be started and/or stopped. This panel needs to be ATEX/IECEx certified.

In order to select the correct Ex-proof electrical equipment, it is vital to carry out an assessment of the plant hazards for the risk of explosion. This evaluation is performed considering the area in which a potentially explosive atmosphere may be present, the degree of protection that ATEX/IECEx equipment must ensure and, obviously, the necessary preventive measures to avoid ignition sources to be present during normal operation. 

Assembly, disassembly and handling of sensitive components


During maintenance activities, sensitive aircraft parts need to be disassembled and transferred from the hangar to the mechanical workshops where repairing and maintenance activities are performed. The disassembling and moving of such appliances are extremely challenging and in some cases, leakage of unsafe and dangerous materials can cause potentially hazardous areas.

For this reason, aerial lifts and material handling equipment such as cranes need to be explosion-proof certified as well as all electrical equipment used for powering and monitoring such devices.

Our solutions for your business


The aircraft industry relies on high-standard explosion-proof electrical equipment. In particular, but not limited to: lighting systems, sockets and plugs suitable for connection and disconnection in hazardous areas and earthing systems which need to be robust and reliable over the years.  Our products can withstand potentially corrosive atmospheres, high pressure and extreme temperatures proving to be excellent choices for aircraft industry.

Technor Italsmea can supply a full range of Ex-proof enclosures, lighting fixtures and fittings:

  • In full compliance with ISO 9001, ATEX, IECEx and EAC requirements;
  • For installation in Zones 1, 2, 21, 22 & non-hazardous areas;
  • With high resistance to high temperatures;
  • With diverse materials: Copper-free aluminium, GRP & stainless steel to satisfy any requirement;
  • With a full range of protection methods;
  • Designed to be robust, durable and reliable over the years;
  • With long lifetime and low power consumption;
  • With low costs of ownership and maintenance.

Technor Italsmea Ex-proof product portfolio: