BARTEC GUB Flameproof Ex d IIC Enclosure

Overview

The BARTEC GUB series is a range of flameproof Ex d enclosures for gas group IIC, cast in marine grade copper-free aluminium alloy and designed to house ordinary industrial electrical components inside a hazardous area. BARTEC describes the GUB and its system version, BARTEC C, as enclosures for fuses, transformers, circuit breakers, relays, PLCs and similar equipment on a mounting plate, so that a complete control or power panel can be installed directly in Zone 1, Zone 2, Zone 21 or Zone 22. The range runs from the small GUB00 junction box to the GUB5 panel enclosure, with windowed GUBW versions for displays and indicators.

Seven Star LLC supplies the BARTEC GUB range on request to panel builders, EPC contractors and maintenance teams in Oman and the GCC, with engineering support in Muscat. Flameproof enclosures are among the most frequently ordered items on oil and gas, gas processing and petrochemical projects in the region, and having one family that covers small junction boxes through to large control panels helps keep certification, spares and inspection procedures consistent across a site.

Protection Principle

Flameproof protection, Ex d to IEC 60079-1, does not try to keep gas out of the enclosure. Instead, the enclosure is built strong enough to withstand an internal explosion of the gas-air mixture without damage, and its flame paths, the precisely machined joints between body and cover, cool the escaping gases so that the explosion cannot ignite the surrounding atmosphere. This is why standard, non-certified components can be mounted inside a BARTEC GUB: any spark they produce is contained by the enclosure itself.

The BARTEC GUB is certified Ex db IIC T6 to T3 Gb for gas and Ex tb IIIC T85 °C to T200 °C Db for dust, covering the most demanding gas group IIC, which includes hydrogen and acetylene. Versions are also certified to combine flameproof protection with intrinsically safe circuits, marked Ex db [ia/ib/ic] IIC, so barriers or isolators can be mounted inside the enclosure to feed Ex i field instruments. The temperature class depends on the dissipated power of the installed components.

Engineering Design of the BARTEC GUB

Body and cover of the BARTEC GUB are cast in marine grade copper-free aluminium alloy with stainless steel screws, and the fixing lugs are cast into the body. The internal mounting plate is hot dip galvanised steel or aluminium. The enclosures are rated IP66 and certified for ambient temperatures from -60 °C to +80 °C. On request BARTEC supplies external epoxy paint in a chosen colour, orange anti-condensation interior paint, glass windows in the cover, drain and breather valves, and galvanised steel or cast iron body versions.

The data sheet gives a drilling guide for every size, showing the maximum number of cable entries per wall for thread sizes from M20 (size 1) up to M90 (size 8), and an indicative count of terminals from 2.5 mm² up to 240 mm². For example, the BARTEC GUB4 at 420 × 420 mm can take up to 23 size-1 entries on its long side and around 48 terminals of 2.5 mm² per row, while the GUB00 accepts up to two size-1 entries. Metric, NPT, BSP and taper threads are listed in the thread comparison table.

Key Features

The BARTEC GUB data sheet highlights the following points:

• Flameproof Ex db IIC protection allows standard electrical components to be used in Zone 1 and Zone 2.
• Dust protection Ex tb IIIC extends use to Zone 21 and Zone 22.
• Associated intrinsically safe circuits, Ex db [ia/ib/ic], can be built into the same enclosure.
• The enclosures are cast in copper-free marine grade aluminium alloy with stainless steel screws.
• Ingress protection is IP66, with an ambient range from -60 °C to +80 °C.
• Eleven standard sizes run from GUB00 to GUB5, including windowed GUBW versions.
• Certification includes ATEX, IECEx, INMETRO, UL NEC-505 (NEMA 4X), CCC, ECASEx and PESO.
• Options include anti-condensation paint, windows, breather and drain valves and steel or cast iron bodies.

Industrial Applications

Typical uses of the BARTEC GUB include local motor control and isolation panels, lighting and small power panels, heat tracing control, instrument junction boxes with intrinsically safe barriers, and enclosures for PLC remote I/O at wellheads, gathering stations, gas plants, refineries, tank farms and chemical plants. In Oman, these are found on upstream production facilities, on gas processing and LNG sites, in the Sohar and Duqm refining and petrochemical areas and at marine terminals, where the marine grade alloy and IP66 rating suit coastal humidity and salt-laden air.

Seven Star LLC can supply the BARTEC GUB as an empty enclosure for panel builders or coordinate drilled and equipped versions. Many sites mix enclosure brands, and we also supply alternatives such as the Cooper Crouse-Hinds GUB01 explosionproof junction box and the MEDC SM87JB Ex junction box. For field teams working in the same hazardous areas, BARTEC also offers equipment such as the Bartec Agile-X Zone 1 tablet, which we supply alongside BARTEC GUB enclosures for complete project packages.

Technical Specifications

The BARTEC GUB specifications below are taken from the BARTEC data sheet (03-0330-0918, REV-A-01-2023).

How to Order

Send Seven Star LLC an RFQ with the BARTEC GUB size, drilling schedule, internal components and any options such as windows or anti-condensation paint. Our instrumentation division will confirm availability and lead time, and the BARTEC GUB data sheet and operating instructions can be downloaded from this page for design checks. Seven Star LLC supplies BARTEC explosion-protected equipment to contractors and plant operators across Oman and the GCC, with support from Muscat.