Apparatus for and method of protecting the safe side wiring of a protective barrier against transferring fault energy into a potentially explosive environment

摘要

A method of protecting safe side wiring (24) of a protective energy barrier (18) against transferring fault energy into a potentially explosive environment comprises the steps of: enclosing the safe side wiring (24) with at least one layer of shielding (30) completely along the length thereof, the at least one layer of shielding (30) capable of conducting the fault energy; connecting the safe side wiring (24) at one end to circuitry of the protective energy barrier (18) through a first connector (54) having a housing which completely surrounds the safe side wiring (24) prior to entering the protective energy barrier (18) and is capable of conducting the fault energy; connecting the at least one layer of shielding (30) of the safe side wiring (24) to the housing of the first connector (54) to conduct fault energy therebetween; connecting the safe side wiring (24) at another end to circuitry within the potentially explosive environment through a second connector (56) having a housing which completely surrounds the safe side wiring (24) prior to entering the potentially explosive environment and is capable of conducting the fault energy; connecting the at least one layer of shielding (30) of the safe side wiring (24) to the housing of the second connector (56) to conduct fault energy therebetween; and connecting the housings of the first and second connectors to structures capable of dissipating the fault energy.