Whitepaper: Making Safe Waves in Hazardous Area

As wireless devices such as mobile phones and laptop computers become more reliable and cost effective, there is growing interest amongst the process industry as to the benefits to be found from enabling such devices to be used in hazardous areas. However, unlike most industries this is not a simple task. Installing wireless networks in hazardous areas requires careful, expert planning and execution.

This white paper covers:

Are radio frequency waves a hazard?

• consideration of the explosion protection standards
• defining the acceptable safe limits of RF
• international approval standards to which RF equipment should adhere
• how RF could cause an explosion

Installing wireless networks in hazardous areas

• antenna placement
• gas detectors as a protective system

How to minimise the potential risk

• previous methods used
• consideration of the various protection concepts
• limitations of existing methods
• new methods now available
• the role of antenna gain
• ensuring functionality as a wireless network