Specifications

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Air Systems International
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1-800-866-8100 • w w w.airsys t ems.com
Once it is determined there is a hazardous location or potential for a hazardous work location, it is necessary
t
o take every precaution to guard against ignition of the hazardous atmosphere. The traditional “Combustion
Triangle” is made up of three elements: 1) fuel, 2) oxygen and 3) an ignition source. All three must be
considered when developing a plan to ventilate hazardous or potentially hazardous environments.
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The Saddle Vent
®
was developed and patented by Air Systems International over 25 years ago
as a safety tool to maintain continuous ventilation while allowing unrestricted entry and egress to
a manhole or tank. Air Systems has continued to improve the Saddle Vent
®
by developing a fully
conductive Saddle Vent
®
and a ventilation method for removing static electricity from the entire
ventilation system. This system consists of the entire length of ventilation duct all the way back
to the blower and safely discharging static to a safe electrical ground.
The new recommended method, The Conductive Saddle Vent
®
Ventilation System, uses conductive
ventilation ducting connected to the Conductive Saddle Vent
®
which is then connected to an
explosion-proof or pneumatic blower. The entire system is assembled above ground in less than
five minutes before installing it in the opening to the manhole or tank; it can then be tested for
electrical conductivity using a standard ohm meter.
Achieving an electrical resistance reading less than 500K ohms will assure an electrical path is
made for static electricity to safely discharge back to the blower and its grounded electrical
connection. This ventilation system is the only safety industry method for safely removing
static build-up during confined space entry; it provides continuous confined space ventilation,
unrestricted entry and egress and the entire system can be tested prior to commencing work
operations in a hazardous work area.
Controlling static electricity discharge will prevent spontaneous ignition of hazardous vapors
and dusts. As a work tool, The Conductive Saddle Vent
®
Ventilation System will allow workers
to concentrate on the many other hazards associated with working in a confined space while
maintaining continuous ventilation.
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The following is a list of equipment criteria to consider for all hazardous locations:
Explosion-Proof Electric Products - Units should have a hazard label
stating Class, Group, and Division approvals listed from the approving agency,
e.g. CSA or UL. Blowers should have a grounding lug to ground the unit and
safely remove the build-up of static electricity to a safe grounded source. These
types of electric blowers should have a metal frame and housing or a conductive
plastic housing to assure a good ground to the electrical source and an aluminum
non-sparking blower wheel to prevent metal sparking.
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fied as intrinsically safe due to its low voltage properties. Pneumatic or air
driven equipment cannot cause a spark and do not require third party electri-
cal approval because there are no electrical parts. Even with intrinsically safe
equipment, proper grounding and non-sparking components should still be
utilized at all times.
?>4E3D9F5E3D9>7 - Choose ventilation duct that has fabric made of conductive
material. This type of duct will reduce the potential build-up of static electricity on both
the interior and exterior surfaces of the duct that can result from the movement of air
and small dust particles during ventilation. Air Systems adds a grounding wire to the
conductive duct’s interior wire helix; it attaches to the blower so that any static charges
can be removed to either the blower’s ground lug or to Air Systems’ Conductive
Saddle Vent
®
Ventilation System.
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Air Systems International
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