Facility Classification Update

JBW Consulting was engaged by an ethanol facility regarding the existing site hazardous areas with respect to the electrical classifications with the need to review and update them to current standards. It was understood that the facility was going to have the existing site hazardous area plan drawing updated to the most recent NFPA standards. JBW’s scope included the review and documentation of the existing systems layout and the fluids which are in the process areas and the identification of the electrical class and zone requirements for the facility. The design review would evaluate the NFPA requirements of each process fluid using criteria from NFPA-30 and evaluate the NFPA 70 – National Electrical Code zones required by each process fluid area. Mechanical design deliverables included creating a new site Hazardous Location Plan drawing based on the NFPA criteria and used NFPA 497, as additional guidance on specific area hazards. New drawings that cover storage tank areas and specific building zones which are in need of elevation and plan view to be shown for clarity of the hazard zones in the site process areas were also provided. Electrical design deliverables including the review and notation of class and zone definitions of the NFPA 70 requirements for each hazardous area.