SB3073-EX SUPCON

Product Overview

The SUPCON SB3073-EX is identified as an Isolated Safety Barrier (or “Safety Grid” in some listings) manufactured by SUPCON. This module is a critical component in industrial automation and safety systems, particularly in hazardous areas where intrinsic safety is required. Its primary function is to limit the energy that can be transmitted from a safe area (e.g., control room) to a hazardous area (e.g., field devices in an explosive atmosphere).

The SB3073-EX ensures that sparks or thermal effects produced by electrical equipment in the hazardous area are incapable of igniting flammable gases, vapors, dusts, or fibers present. This is achieved through sophisticated internal circuitry that incorporates current and voltage limiting components, such as Zener diodes, resistors, and fuses. As an isolated safety barrier, it also provides galvanic isolation between the safe and hazardous area circuits, preventing common-mode voltage differences or ground loops from compromising safety or measurement integrity. The “EX” in its model designation explicitly indicates its suitability for use in potentially explosive atmospheres, signifying that it meets stringent international safety standards (e.g., ATEX, IECEx, or national explosion-proof certifications for intrinsically safe circuits). The SUPCON SB3073-EX is essential for protecting personnel, equipment, and the environment in industries such as oil & gas, petrochemical, chemical, and pharmaceuticals.

Technical Specifications

While detailed specifications for the SB3073-EX are not widely published in a concise format, based on its function as an isolated safety barrier and common industry standards, typical technical specifications for such a device would include:

Parameter Name	Parameter Value (Estimated/Typical for Isolated Safety Barriers)
Product Model	SB3073-EX
Manufacturer	SUPCON
Product Type	Isolated Safety Barrier
Function	Limits energy to hazardous areas, provides galvanic isolation
Number of Channels	Varies (often 1 or 2 channels per module)
Input Signal Type	Analog (e.g., 4-20 mA), Digital (e.g., discrete switch)
Output Signal Type	Corresponding isolated analog or digital signal
Maximum Voltage (Um)	(Safe Area) Typically 250 VAC / 30 VDC or higher
Maximum Output Voltage (Vo)	(Hazardous Area) Typically < 30 VDC
Maximum Output Current (Io)	(Hazardous Area) Typically < 100 mA
Maximum Output Power (Po)	(Hazardous Area) Typically < 1 W
Intrinsic Safety (Ex) Rating	Ex ia IIC T4 ~ T6 Ga (Intrinsically safe, for specific gas groups/temperature classes)
Certifications	ATEX, IECEx, UL, CSA, or local national explosion-proof certifications
Operating Temperature	-20°C to +60°C (typical)
Mounting	DIN Rail mounting
Electrical Isolation	Galvanic isolation between safe and hazardous areas
Terminals	Screw terminals or removable terminal blocks

Main Features and Advantages

The SUPCON SB3073-EX Isolated Safety Barrier offers critical features and advantages, particularly for ensuring safety and reliability in industrial processes operating in hazardous environments.

Intrinsic Safety Compliance (EX Designation): The most significant feature is its “EX” designation, indicating compliance with intrinsic safety standards. The SB3073-EX actively limits the electrical energy (voltage and current) that can reach devices in hazardous areas. This prevents the generation of sparks or excessive heat, thereby eliminating potential ignition sources for flammable gases, vapors, or dusts. This is paramount for personnel safety and preventing explosions in critical industrial settings.

Galvanic Isolation: The SB3073-EX provides galvanic isolation between the circuits in the safe area and those in the hazardous area. This isolation prevents ground loops, common-mode noise, and transient voltages from propagating between the two areas, enhancing signal integrity, reducing interference, and further contributing to overall system safety and reliability.

High Reliability and Robustness: Designed for continuous operation in demanding industrial environments, the SUPCON SB3073-EX is built with high-quality components and robust construction. This ensures long-term stability and dependable performance, reducing the risk of system failures and ensuring that safety functions remain active when needed.

Wide Signal Compatibility: While the exact number of channels can vary, safety barriers like the SB3073-EX are typically compatible with a variety of signal types, including analog inputs (e.g., 4-20mA from transmitters) and digital inputs (e.g., from contact switches or proximity sensors). This versatility allows for broad application in various industrial monitoring and control loops.

DIN Rail Mounting: The modular design often features DIN rail mounting, which simplifies installation into control cabinets and allows for easy integration with other industrial automation components within a compact space.

Simplified Wiring and System Design: By providing intrinsically safe connections, the SB3073-EX can simplify overall system design and wiring compared to other explosion protection methods like explosion-proof enclosures, potentially reducing installation costs and complexity.

Application Field

The SUPCON SB3073-EX Isolated Safety Barrier is fundamental to ensuring safety in any industrial process that involves potentially explosive atmospheres. It serves as a crucial interface between control systems in safe areas and field devices located in hazardous classified locations. Its primary application fields include:

Oil and Gas Industry: This is a major application. The SB3073-EX is used on offshore platforms, refineries, pipelines, and gas processing plants to connect sensors (e.g., pressure, temperature, flow transmitters), switches (e.g., limit switches, emergency shutdown buttons), and solenoid valves in hazardous areas to DCSs (Distributed Control Systems) or PLCs (Programmable Logic Controllers) in safe areas. It ensures that no ignition energy can be transmitted into the explosive environment.

Chemical and Petrochemical Plants: In processes involving flammable chemicals, solvents, and gases, the SUPCON SB3073-EX is vital for safeguarding instrumentation and control loops. It protects circuits connected to level switches in tanks, pressure sensors in reactors, and control valve positioners operating within classified zones.

Pharmaceutical Manufacturing: Facilities dealing with flammable solvents or powders during drug production often utilize safety barriers like the SB3073-EX to isolate instruments and control equipment in mixing, drying, or processing areas that may contain hazardous concentrations of vapors or dusts.

Food and Beverage Industry: In certain food processing areas where flammable alcohol vapors or combustible dusts (e.g., flour dust) might be present, safety barriers are employed for equipment such as weighing scales, temperature sensors, and conveyor controls.

Power Generation (Coal Dust, Gas Turbines): In coal-fired power plants, safety barriers protect instrumentation in areas with combustible coal dust. For gas turbines, they are used in sections where natural gas leaks could create explosive atmospheres.

Mining: Particularly in underground mining operations, where methane gas and coal dust are prevalent hazards, the SB3073-EX ensures the intrinsic safety of electrical equipment and sensors.

Essentially, any industrial setup requiring the integration of electrical and electronic equipment in a hazardous zone with control systems in a non-hazardous zone will likely utilize isolated safety barriers like the SUPCON SB3073-EX to meet intrinsic safety requirements.

Related Products

The SUPCON SB3073-EX isolated safety barrier is part of a broader system of industrial automation and safety. It interacts with various other components to ensure safe and reliable operation in hazardous areas. Related products typically include:

Control Systems:

SUPCON Distributed Control Systems (DCS): Such as SUPCON’s Webfield® ECS-700, G5 Pro, or Universal Control System (UCS). These systems provide the control signals to and receive feedback signals from devices through the SB3073-EX.
SUPCON Programmable Logic Controllers (PLCs): Used for discrete control and safety logic, like SUPCON’s G3 Smart PLC.
SUPCON Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS): Specifically designed for critical safety functions, such as SUPCON’s Webfield® TCS-900 (TÜV Rheinland SIL3 certified), which would utilize safety barriers for field instrument interfaces.

Field Devices (Hazardous Area):

Transmitters: Pressure, temperature, flow, and level transmitters (e.g., SUPCON pressure transmitters with ATEX/IECEx certification) that measure process variables in the hazardous area and send signals through the SB3073-EX.
Sensors: Proximity switches, limit switches, and other discrete sensors located in hazardous zones.
Actuators/Solenoid Valves: Devices that receive control signals from the safe area via the SB3073-EX to perform actions in the hazardous area.