Last week I translated a manual with ATEX installation instructions for sensors. I now know that ATEX stands for ATmosphères EXplosives:
"Since 2003, manufacturers across the European Union are obliged to comply with strict new EU directives governing safety in explosive atmospheres. Called ATEX (from the French ATmosphères EXplosives), the ATEX directive has an impact not only on European manufacturers, but also on the makers of industrial equipment wishing to sell to manufacturers in Europe."
http://www.bureauveritas.com/services/atex_directive.htm
For some reason, such areas are referred to in English as 'hazardous areas'...
In such atmospheres, equipment should be mounted in enclosures which are certified as: EEx 'p', EEx 'd', EEx 'e' and EEx 'i'.
My sensors and transmitters were either EEx d, EEx e or EEx i certified: a flameproof (or flame-proof) enclosure, an enclosure for increased safety or an intrinsically safe one.
The translation of the latter ones was not a problem - they are literal translations.
My Translation Memory mentioned 'vlambestendig' as a translation for flameproof in this case, but I found a range of different translations for the term itself in the usual sources (Eurodic, technical dictionaries). I could not find many hits on google for the combination 'vlambestendig' and 'EEx d'. I found out eventually that the translation was one you would not expect: the translation into Dutch is something like 'pressure-proof' and it actually describes better what the idea behind this type of protection is - the enclosure contains the 'explosion' which might occur inside.
" EN 50 018 - EEx d (drukvast omhulsel)
Een drukvast omhulsel kan onderdelen bevatten, welke onder normaal gebruik vonken, lichtbogen of hoge temperaturen kunnen veroorzaken, welke op hun beurt een explosie zouden kunnen inleiden.Het explosieve gasmengsel wordt geacht ook in het drukvaste omhulsel aanwezig te kunnen zijn, maar een eventuele explosie binnen het omhulsel kan zich niet voortplanten naar de buitenliggende atmosfeer."
http://www.bartec.nl/inhoud/explosieveiligheid/en-ontwerpnormen.shtml
