Outdoor Industrial Battery Chargers and Outdoor UPS Systems with ATEX Certification

Introduction to ATEX-Certified Industrial Power Solutions

In today’s demanding industrial environments, particularly those classified as hazardous areas, reliable power solutions are not just a convenience, they’re necessary for safety and operational continuity. ATEX-Certified Outdoor Battery Chargers and UPS Systems represent specialized equipment designed to operate with safety in potentially explosive atmospheres and withstand extreme conditions. These solutions provide continuous operation where conventional power equipment would fail.

This article explores the critical technologies that enable ATEX-certified industrial battery chargers and UPS systems to thrive in harsh conditions, with particular focus on their cooling mechanisms and protective designs. We’ll examine how Hannibal Power and Technology meets the safety standards while delivering high performance in very challenging environments.

Outdoor Specifications for ATEX Power Equipment

For outdoor installations, ATEX-certified battery chargers and UPS systems must meet additional environmental and mechanical durability requirements to ensure long-term reliability. They include:

Ingress Protection (IP Rating)

• Protection against dust infiltration, strong water jets, and brief submersion is ensured by IP66, IP67, and IP69K, which is essential for chemical, mining, and offshore facilities.
• Gas and moisture intrusion in exterior enclosures can be avoided with sealed cable glands.

Material and Corrosion Resistance

• For extremely corrosive situations (sea, chemical exposure),  stainless steel (316L grade) is used.
• Powder-coated aluminum is a lightweight and resilient to harsh weather solution.
• UV-resistant coatings stop deterioration from extended exposure to sunshine.

Temperature and Climate Resilience

• Functionality in the icy Arctic or scorching desert is ensured by the wide operating range (-40°C to +70°C).
• Thermal management systems keep enclosed outdoor cabinets from overheating.
• Controlling condensation helps humid areas avoid internal moisture accumulation.

Mechanical Durability

• Resistance to shock and vibration is crucial for offshore, mining, and mobility applications.
• Locks and hinges that are resistant to explosions preserve structural integrity in harsh conditions.

Understanding ATEX Certification for Industrial Power Equipment

The ATEX Directive and Hazardous Area Classification

ATEX certification derives its name from the French “ATmosphères EXplosibles” and refers to equipment intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres as defined by European Directive 2014/34/EU. This certification ensures that electrical and mechanical equipment won’t ignite surrounding flammable substances in environments where hazards like gases, vapors, or combustible dusts may exist.

Industrial facilities are divided into zones based on the probability and duration of explosive atmospheres:

• Zone 0/20: Continuous hazard
• Zone 1/21: Likely to occur occasionally
• Zone 2/22: Not likely to occur or only briefly

Most industrial battery chargers and UPS systems are designed for Zone 1 and 2 (gas) or Zone 21 and 22 (dust) applications, where explosive atmospheres may occur during normal operation or only under abnormal conditions.

Protection Methods in ATEX Power Equipment

Manufacturers employ various protection concepts to achieve ATEX compliance:

• Flameproof Enclosures (Ex d): Contain any internal explosion and prevent ignition of external atmosphere.
• Increased Safety (Ex e): Prevents sparks or excessive temperatures in normal operation.
• Intrinsic Safety (Ex i): Limits energy to levels below what’s needed to ignite hazardous atmospheres.
• Encapsulation (Ex m): Seals potential ignition sources in resin.

For industrial battery chargers and UPS systems, flameproof enclosures combined with increased safety measures are most common, particularly for higher power applications.

Hannibal Outdoor Battery Charger: Design for Harsh & Hazardous Environments

Design Features for Harsh Environments

ATEX-compliant industrial battery chargers incorporate several design elements to ensure reliable operation in demanding conditions:

Robust Enclosure Construction:

• ATEX-ready enclosures in stainless steel or cast aluminum (IP55 standard, upgradable to IP65/IP66).
• Corrosion-resistant for offshore/marine use.

Electrical Performance Characteristics:

• Wide input range: 1-phase (110–240V) / 3-phase (190–415V) for unstable grids.
• Adjustable current limiting and temperature-compensated charging (lead-acid/NiCd).
• <1% voltage ripple (LC filtering).

Modular and Redundant Architectures:

• Parallel operation without extra kits (N+1 redundancy).
• Scalable output: Up to 2000A.

Optimized Cooling for Harsh Environments

The Hannibal Outdoor Battery Charger delivers robust performance in extreme environments through its advanced thermal management system. Standard configurations utilize forced-air cooling to efficiently dissipate heat from critical power components, ensuring consistent operation under heavy loads. For hazardous area applications, an ATEX-compliant fanless design provides intrinsic safety by eliminating moving parts. When maximum thermal control is required, an optional integrated air conditioning system offers additional protection, maintaining ideal operating conditions regardless of external environmental challenges. This comprehensive approach to heat management guarantees reliable charging performance across diverse industrial applications. While staying within -10°C to 55°C operating range.

Key Features:

• Fan monitoring: Optional OPS-15 alerts for cooling failures.
• Smart thermal design: Patented heat sinks and enclosure geometry for optimal airflow in natural cooling models.
• Derating flexibility: Configurable for high-temperature environments.

Built for oil/gas, mining, and offshore applications where dust, moisture, or explosive atmospheres demand robust performance.

Hannibal Outdoor UPS: ATEX-Certified Power for Hazardous Environments.

Design Features for Harsh Environments

ATEX-compliant industrial UPS Systems engineered with key design features to ensure dependable performance in harsh environments.

Key Features of Hannibal ATEX compliant UPS Systems

• DC/AC Options: Combines rectifier, and IGBT inverter for seamless AC output (up to 500kVA).
• Modular Design: Scalable power with parallel redundancy (no extra kits required).

Performance

• Wide Voltage Range: 110V–415V (single/three-phase), ±15% tolerance.
• Temperature Resilience: Operates at -10°C to +55°C (storage: -20°C to +70°C).
• Efficiency: >90% with <3% THD (linear loads).

Specialized Models

• Offshore/Marine: IP66 stainless steel enclosures (optional).
• Nuclear/Industrial: 20-year design life, conformal-coated PCBs.

Optimized Cooling for Harsh Environments

The Hannibal Outdoor UPS ensures reliable operation in demanding environments through its adaptable thermal management system. Standard units feature forced-air cooling for optimal performance in typical industrial conditions, while fanless versions provide safe operation in hazardous areas. For the most challenging installations, an integrated air conditioning system offers additional protection, maintaining ideal operating conditions regardless of external environmental factors. This range of cooling solutions allows the UPS to meet diverse operational requirements and stay within -10°C to 55°C operating range.

Key Features:

• Fan Monitoring: Optional OPS-15 failure alerts ensure cooling system integrity.
• ATEX-Ready Design: Passive cooling or Air conditioner cooling with optimized heat dissipation for Zone 1/2 compliance.
• Wide Operational Range: Engineered for dust, moisture, and vibration (IP55 standard, upgradable to IP65/IP66).
• Scalable Power: Parallel-ready configurations up to 500kVA with no additional kits.

Ideal for oil/gas, marine, and mining applications requiring uninterrupted power in explosive atmospheres.

Applications

Typical Use Cases for ATEX Compliant Power Systems

These specialized battery chargers and UPS systems serve critical roles in various industries:

Oil & Gas:

• Offshore platforms (Zone 1).
• Refineries (Zone 2).
• Pipeline monitoring systems.

Mining:

• Explosive atmospheres in tunneling and excavation zones.
• Equipment rooms in methane-prone shafts.

Chemical & Pharmaceutical:

• Flammable chemical storage and transfer areas.
• Mixing and blending units with vapor or dust emissions.

Conclusion

ATEX-Certified Outdoor Battery Chargers and UPS Systems represent the pinnacle of robust power technology, combining intrinsic safety with exceptional environmental durability. Through careful design of enclosures, intelligent thermal management, and rigorous certification processes, these systems deliver reliable performance in some of the world’s most challenging operating environments.

Hannibal’s ATEX-certified products redefine rugged reliability, merging cutting-edge safety with uncompromising performance in extreme conditions. By combining intrinsically safe passive cooling, military-grade enclosures (IP55-IP66), and modular scalability, these systems deliver uninterrupted power where conventional solutions fail from offshore rigs to desert mining operations.

As industries continue to push into more extreme environments and face increasingly stringent safety regulations, the importance of properly designed, certified, and cooled power solutions will only grow.