No abstract

The use of electrical energy is growing constant in the world. Lithium-ion batteries have been largely used in these cases, therefore they are studied in the past years, with the aim of improve the level of safety guaranteed during their operation. Anyway, safety issues are still present, and the main topic is to avoid the rise of hazardous events, which may be associated to short circuits, over-charge/over-discharge electric currents and overheating. These dangerous conditions may lead to exothermic chain reactions inside the storage system, which then may release toxic and/or flammable gases and finally catch fire. These problems have to be verified in several applications and in particular, when Lithium-ion battery are used in Explosive Atmosphere. The goal of this Paper is the evaluation of the most safety type of Lithium technology in order to minimize the possible ignition source in the environment with presence of Explosive Atmosphere. Moreover, the paper analyzes the ability of the Battery Manager System to remove the ignition risk residual evaluating its minimum Safety Integrity Level in order to grant a sufficient reliability.

The scope of this paper is to highlight the different types of protection used in LED light sources making a complete overview of what is actually present on the market; the paper analyses different advantages and disadvantages of all type of protection. In particular, this paper aims to identify, and clarify from different points of view, all the Ex protections applied on LED lighting giving the reader a fully comprehensive understanding of the best solution which fits at best users' needs, describing all the advantages and disadvantages of each solution both from technical and economic points of view: indeed the knowledge and the correct use of appropriate LED lighting solutions allow to obtain numerous advantages compared with the use of traditional ones such as a lower power consumption and a higher number of operating hours

No abstract

The production of electricity from renewable sources, avoiding the use of fossil fuels that are running out, is proposed as an important topic on which to conduct innovative studies in favour of the environment and safety in particularly sensitive areas. Among the production methods, the greatest potential as regards the possible contribution of energy is the photovoltaic one which, with cost of materials accessible and increasing efficiency, is proposed as a solution to the electricity generation needs. In particular, the presence of solar systems on islands, i.e. separated from the public grid, makes it possible to meet the needs of particularly remote areas, difficult to connect or areas with explosive atmospheres (offshore platforms) thanks to the storage systems and connected regulation devices. A characteristic environment for a possible and essential application is the Explosion Atmosphere, for which energy generation systems, according to necessity, are always a particularly sensitive topic. In these areas, safety is not insignificant and, as can be easily understood, the use of static and combustion-free components can be much more suitable for the environment than traditional methods, i.e. combustion Diesel Engines or other technologies based on the use of fossil fuels or rotating mechanisms. Power generation systems based on solar technology are not, in fact, free from sources of danger for environments at risk of explosion, as it is possible that faults or operating conditions may occur that could trigger an explosion. Leaving each manufacturer the freedom to choose the protection mode he considers the best for this type of apparatus, it has been instead decided to deal with aspects considered "transversal" for the compliance of the photovoltaic panel. The results of a test campaign carried out on photovoltaic panels that can be installed in explosive atmospheres will then be shown in order to assess their efficiency under different conditions according to the impact test.