LOCKEN’s latest, contactless, cable free access control product has gained certification from the health and safety regulator ATEX, meeting new explosive atmosphere requirements.
Approved to ATEX II 2 G Ex ib IIB T4, the product is suitable for gas delivery and regulation stations, specific hydrocarbon processing and distribution infrastructures and chemical factory enclosures; and for areas where an explosive mixture of gas, vapour or mist may “occasionally” occur in “normal operation”. Such potentially explosive atmospheres are most prevalent in the energy, chemicals, timber, household waste and food and drink industries.
Communication and energy transfer between the key and cylinder is based on tight inductive coupling. An alternating magnetic field, which is generated by the key, transfers energy to the cylinder. Data is transferred by modulation of the magnetic field. The system is made by two coils. One, which generates the alternating magnetic field, is inside the key, and the second resides inside the cylinder. The metal parts of the key and the cylinder are designed in order to close the magnetic circuit. To permit good alignment of the two coils a mechanism that activates the magnetic field generation in the primary coil is implemented. A Hall Effect sensor, mounted close to the primary coils, senses a permanent magnet inside the cylinder and the magnetic field generation is activated. Energy and data transfer is only possible when the key is inserted into the cylinder and the horizontal alignment of primary and secondary coil is within few hundredths of a millimetre.
Catherine Laug, Marketing Director of LOCKEN says: “Meeting ATEX legislation guarantees that our latest access control innovation, the new contactless key, is safe to use at potentially hazardous sites, enabling us to provide the most robust and future-proof solution to our customers.
“Several large-scale organisations in the gas and hydrocarbons industries have already opted for the LOCKEN smart key solution and we are looking forward to working with many more in the future.”
Visit www.locken.co.uk.
