Air hoist redesigned to EU safety standards

Ingersoll Rand said it has redesigned its Palair Premium to the EU's ATEX zone 2 standards. The hoist is designed to be used by the food processing, chemicals and petrochemicals industries. It is especially designed for clean room areas. The redesign will allow food and drink manufacturers to use the company's Palair Premium in areas where there is a possible danger that dust and gasses in the air might cause an explosion. Such a situation can occur in the bakery sector, where the movement of grains can form a dust in the air. Those handling powdered bulk food ingredients such as dried milk, coffee, starch, and sugar must also comply with ATEX. The EU's ATEX standard relates to any equipment used in a hazardous area where potentially explosive concentrations of gas, vapor, mist or dust can form in the air. Manufacturers of equipment that will be used in such areas must comply with the ATEX directive, which came into effect in 2003, before marketing the products in the EU. Equipment complying with ATEX Zone 2 requirements can be used in places where a mixture of air and flammable substances in the form of gas, vapor or mist is not likely to occur in normal operation but, if it does occur, will persist for only a short period. Ingersoll's Palair has a two-part gear motor with a service life of about 10 years, the company claims. It is designed to lift loads of 250 to 980 kg. The Rotorair motor has just two meshed moving gears, made of high-strength composite materials. It avoids the risks of rotor wear found in vane motors, Ingersoll claimed. Ingersoll Rand said the redesign conserved the initial characteristics of the hoist for clean environments. It operates without air lubrication and has an electro-galvanized chain and stainless steel casings. It can be washed using high-pressure cleaning. When making the ATEX version, Ingersoll has redesigned all the moving mechanical parts in bronze or stainless steel. The motor and the mechanical systems have been placed inside a sealed casing. The company has also added a ventilation system to the motor to eliminate the risk of gas pockets forming under pressure. The trolley wheels can be made of bronze or stainless steel as ordered. All the nuts and bolts are made of stainless steel. The ATEX Palair Premium air hoist can be pressure cleaned with water or steam, because the company has fitted drain channels in all the hollow spots likely to retain liquid. The hoists also have a load limiter as a standard feature, together with an automatic self-adjusting disc brake, protected by a sealed casing. A sensitive grip handle can be used to vary the load raising or lowering speed. The handle is fitted with an emergency stop button. The allows the operator to control the speed with one hand while guiding the load laterally with the other hand. The company can also supply an ATEX zone 1 version as an option. Zone 1 machines are approved for use in atmospheres where a mixture of air and flammable substances in the form of gas, vapour or mist is likely to occur occasionally during normal operations.