When gas instrumentation is used in potentially explosive atmospheres, the battery is more than simply a power source. It is a critical part of the overall equipment design, and it directly affects how the finished instrument is assessed and certified.
At YOK Energy, we supply and develop ATEX battery cells for specialist equipment, including gas detection and monitoring devices.
What are ATEX battery cells?
“ATEX cells” is the term the industry uses for cells intended for equipment operating in potentially explosive atmospheres, where a standard commercial cell would not be suitable.
It is worth being precise about what that means. The ATEX Directive 2014/34/EU, which replaced 94/9/EC in April 2016, sets out the essential health and safety requirements for equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres. Those requirements apply to the finished item of equipment. A cell on its own is not equipment in the sense of the Directive, so certification sits with the completed instrument rather than with the cell inside it.
What a cell can do is be tested and characterised against the relevant standard, so that it can be designed into an intrinsically safe product with confidence. That standard is IEC 60079-11, read alongside the general requirements of IEC 60079-0. IEC 60079-11 requires that components including cells and batteries cannot release enough electrical or thermal energy to ignite the surrounding atmosphere, even under fault and abuse conditions. Cells are subjected to external short-circuit testing with protective devices removed, and must not vent or leak, with only a limited rise in surface temperature.
YOK Energy holds ready-tested ATEX cells in our portfolio, assessed against IEC 60079-11 requirements, so manufacturers are not starting cell-level evaluation from scratch.
Typical applications include:
- Gas detectors and gas instrumentation
- Portable and wearable monitoring devices
- Intrinsically safe equipment
- Remote monitoring in hazardous areas
- Industrial equipment operating in Zoned areas
Why does the battery matter so much in gas instrumentation?
Gas detection equipment has to be dependable, because the consequences of it failing are not commercial but human. In an atmosphere where combustible gases may be present, the battery has to deliver that reliability while forming part of a design that can demonstrate compliance.
For manufacturers of gas instrumentation, selecting a cell therefore involves more than capacity and voltage. Chemistry, cell format, pack configuration, discharge characteristics, operating temperature range and the evidence available to support certification all need to be considered together.
YOK Energy works with customers to build the battery solution around the requirements of the specific application, rather than the other way round.
Which battery chemistries are available for ATEX applications?
YOK Energy provides ATEX cells across several chemistries, giving manufacturers flexibility when developing gas instrumentation and other hazardous area equipment.
- Li-ion: Rechargeable cells for applications requiring repeat charging and consistent energy delivery, available across a wide range of formats and voltage platforms.
- LiFePO4: A lithium chemistry recognised for its thermal stability and long cycle life, often specified where safety margin is the priority.
- LiSOCl2: Primary cells offering very high specific energy and long storage life, well suited to low-drain, long-service applications such as fixed remote monitoring.
The right choice depends on the equipment, the operating profile and the service expectations of the finished product.
What about charging rechargeable cells in a hazardous area?
This is a question worth settling early in a design. Rechargeable batteries used in intrinsically safe equipment are normally charged in a designated safe area, not in the Zoned environment where the instrument is used. High charge rates still matter, because they reduce the time an instrument spends off the job, but the charging arrangement needs to be part of the design and the instructions for use from the outset.
ATEX, UKEX or IECEx: which applies?
For manufacturers selling across multiple markets, the certification route is worth clarifying at specification stage.
- EU: ATEX Directive 2014/34/EU, supported by CE and Ex marking.
- Great Britain: the Equipment and Protective Systems Intended for Use in Potentially Explosive Atmospheres Regulations 2016, known as UKEX, alongside UKCA marking. CE-marked ATEX equipment certified by EU Notified Bodies continues to be accepted in GB.
- Northern Ireland: EU ATEX continues to apply under the Windsor Framework.
- International: IECEx, based on the same IEC 60079 series of standards.
The underlying technical requirements are essentially the same across these schemes, which is why cell-level test evidence against IEC 60079-11 is useful wherever the finished product is destined.
What are the benefits of YOK Energy ATEX cells?
Our ATEX cell range offers:
- High quality cells used by leading brands
- High charge rates on suitable rechargeable solutions
- Long cycle life options
- A wide range of voltage platforms and cell formats
- Li-ion, LiFePO4 and LiSOCl2 chemistry options
- Bespoke battery configurations
This means manufacturers can specify a battery that fits the equipment, rather than compromising the design around a standard pack.
Can YOK Energy supply a bespoke ATEX battery solution?
Yes. YOK Energy provides tailored battery solutions built around the requirements of the finished product. Voltage, capacity, chemistry, dimensions and configuration are all considered during specification.
For manufacturers developing gas instrumentation or other hazardous area equipment, involving the battery supplier early is the difference between a design that certifies smoothly and one that has to be reworked. Choosing the cell at the start helps the finished product achieve the right balance of performance, safety and compliance.
Looking for ATEX battery cells for your gas instrumentation? Explore YOK Energy’s ATEX battery cells or talk to us about a custom battery solution for your application.