Intrinsic Safety Now Available without Power Limits
April 4, 2011
The Dynamic Arc Recognition and Termination System (DART) is a dynamic power supply and control system for intrinsically safe fieldbus installations that increases the power available to field devices in explosion hazardous areas, while maintaining intrinsically safe energy levels. DART represents a revolutionary next step in the evolution of intrinsic safety. During normal operation, a DART power supply feeds full nominal power of 8 to 50 watts. Should a fault occur the potential spark remains non-incendive, and DART detects the resulting change in current and immediately switches off the power supply. In microseconds energy from the electrical system is reduced to a safe level, robbing a spark of the energy needed to ignite hazardous gases. DART applied to fieldbus provides a much higher intrinsically safe power allowance to the trunk so that the segment can support up to about 32 devices per segment – the maximum permitted per segment. This reduces capital costs by eliminating excessive fieldbus infrastructure. Cable lengths as long as 1000 meters are possible. The higher device count per segment eliminates the problem of having to design complex network topologies with many sub-segments, each requiring its own power supply, junction boxes, and barriers. DART technology also offers advanced diagnostics to help users rectify problems quickly and ensure system availability. And DART Fieldbus is suitable for both green- and brown field sites.