In Europe, the entire system chain, from design to installation, is regulated by the Pressure Equipment Directive (PED). This is a directive with rather strict parameters, requiring the adoption of specific equipment whenever an installation, vessel or other hydraulic system is subject to an internal pressure exceeding 0.5 bar.
Why it is important to adapt installations to the PED standard
Beyond the mere regulatory aspect (here the details of the law), it must be remembered that the pressure equipment directive is primarily aimed at limiting damage to property and persons, particularly in the event of destructive breakage.
The standard itself focuses on safety aspects and invites us to assess the risks following a breakage and to define a list of preventive operations accordingly.
Safety devices such as pressure switches and thermostats play a key role in controlling the pressure and temperature in the system, and in intervening if the parameters are outside the safety limits.
These devices play a major role in the chain of security elements that must prevent destructive events.
Fantini Cosmi products for the pressure equipment directive
In order to guarantee the conformity of the systems to the European directive, Fantini Cosmi offers a range of products certified for the current regulations, among which the regulation 2014/68/CE, to which is added the certification CE 0497 issued by CSI Spa (we suggest to verify the specifications of each product before the installation).
With regard to the family of thermostats, for example, the immersion thermostats with manual reset of the 9P2 family with internal adjustment or 9P6 with fixed adjustment are suitable for group 2 PED fluids.
The Immersion bithermostats, also suitable for PED type 2 fluids, allow the system to be monitored by means of two threshold values: one externally adjustable and one fixed tripping setting (or internally in the 8P6 family products).
With regard to pressure control, it is possible to rely on manual reset pressure switches, e.g B01FML, minimum pressure switch, and B01BMX, maximum pressure switch. Both of these safety devices provide for reset by an operator, to ensure maximum safety of the installations and to allow the necessary checks in the event of faults.
Areas of use for PED products
We have seen how the PED standard covers any system subjected to an internal pressure of 0.5 bar or more. Fantini Cosmi products are mainly suitable for the main fields of use, especially those with a greater diffusion: compressed air and especially steam. Particular attention must be paid to the use of gases at temperature, as changes in temperature can lead to changes in pressure and vice versa. For this reason it is essential, and required by the standard, that the systems are equipped with thermostats and pressure switches capable of intervening effectively if the threshold values are exceeded.
