What is the correct positioning of power supplies for intrinsically safe equipment in hazardous locations?

The correct positioning of power supplies for intrinsically safe equipment in hazardous locations is crucial for ensuring safety and compliance with relevant standards. When dealing with intrinsically safe systems, power supplies must be located where they will not contribute to the risk of ignition in potentially explosive atmospheres.

Intrinsic safety is a protection technique in which the electrical energy is restricted to levels that are insufficient to cause ignition in the presence of an explosive atmosphere. For power supplies, this means they must be situated in areas where the likelihood of encountering flammable atmospheres is minimized.

Class 1 Division 1 locations are areas where ignitable concentrations of flammable gases, vapors, or liquids can exist under normal operating conditions, making them unsuitable for the placement of power supplies due to the heightened risk of fire or explosion.

Class 1 Division 2 locations, on the other hand, may have flammable materials present only under abnormal conditions, but they still pose a risk that could be exacerbated by non-intrinsically safe power supplies.

Class 2 Division 1 locations deal with combustible dusts, presenting a different set of risks where extra caution regarding equipment placement is also necessary.

Considering all this information, power supplies for intrinsically safe equipment should be placed in