(614) 755-5091
Analynk Wireless manufactures hazardous area wireless access point enclosures and hazardous area wireless antennas. Analynk is also a certified UL508A panel manufacturer providing high quality control panels to Ohio and surrounding areas. For more information, visit the Analynk website here or call 614-755-5091.
Hazardous Area Antennas
(614) 755-5091
CTX/CTM Series Hazardous Area 4G LTE Explosion Proof Antennas
The Analynk CTX/CTM 4G LTE antennas are designed for use in “Hazardous-Classified” and Industrial-Hardened applications. The antennas are omnidirectional, with an average gain of 1.27dBi with a peak gain of 2.46 dBi. Two antenna versions are available, the CTX series has a 3/4” NPT mount, and the CTM series has an M20 mount. The antennas can be mounted on an Explosion Proof enclosure or conduit. The mounting base is made of heavy nickel-plated brass with an integrated TNC-F connector for ease of installation. The radome is optimized for rugged industrial applications while maintaining maximum radio frequency transmission and reception efficiency. The antennas have a built in Explosion Proof seal and may be mounted up to 18” away from the enclosure without an additional seal.
Get more information and download a specification sheet here.
Analynk Wireless
(614) 755-5091
Coming This June: Analynk's Hazardous Area 4G LTE Antenna
Analynk Wireless, an innovative manufacturer of hazardous area antennas and access point enclosures and wireless instrumentation for the process control industry, announced a 4G LTE antenna rated for Class I, Division 1 Groups C & D, ATEX, and IECEx Zone 1 areas.
4G, which stands for "Fourth Generation," is a standard developed by the International Telecommunications Union (ITU) in 2008, established explicitly by the ITU-R. (which deals with radio communications). Today, 4G is better known for its broadband capabilities and dramatically higher speed than 3G, which pioneered data access in the cellular space.
The ITU standard mandated a minimum download speed of 100 Mbps, which was highly hypothetical at the time. In reality, several years later, carrier networks are only now realizing these goals. A wireless network must be capable of downloading at a rate of at least 100 Mbps to qualify as true 4G.
Analynk will introduce the new product this June 2021.
For more information, contact Analynk Wireless, LLC, 790 Cross Pointe Road, Columbus, OH 43230
Call them at 614-755-5091 or visit https://analynk.com.
Antennas Designed for Hazardous-Classified, Industrial Hardened Applications
Wireless communication has seen increasing prevalence in the industrial process measurement and control field for several years. It has provided years of reliable communications for monitoring and controlling processes, where using cables is either too costly or impractical. The absence of wires saves space, reduces the potential for damage, and simplifies modifications to the equipment layout. Implementing wireless communications in hazardous areas, whether through WiFi or other radio frequency channels, presents a particular set of challenges to successful implementation. Points of network access and further transmission and receiving equipment can require a level of isolation and hardening appropriate for the hazardous environment. In response to customers' desire to incorporate the technology across an ever-widening array of application scenarios, vendors continue developing and releasing new products and technologies that expand the potential for industrial wireless communication.
Many industrial process control operations can benefit from wireless connections between measurement and control devices. Analynk Wireless provides patented hazardous area explosion-proof antennas for industrial installations. Analynk antennas are operable across an extensive temperature range and provide substantial impact resistance, signal output, and third-party ratings for hazardous environments. These rugged antennas are for global application in the industrial process control field. Analynk hazardous area antennas are very robust and intended for industrial applications. All hazardous area antennas have UL listed Class I, Groups C and D, ATEX/IECEx Certification, and range of frequencies available- from 900MHz, 2.4GHz, and Cellular GPS, 4G, Iridium, and dual bands.
For more information, contact Analynk Wireless.
(614) 755-5091
Methods of Isolating Electrical Equipment in Hazardous Areas

Combustion or fire is a chemical reaction in which a combustible material combines with an oxidant to release energy. Part of the energy release is used to sustain the explosion, by utilizing existing heat or creating a vacuum to consume more oxygen. Within a hazardous environment there are three elements necessary for a fire or explosion:
- A combustible material also known as a fuel
- Ignition source - electrical arcing or general heat
- An oxidizer also known as oxygen
Another key factor in a fire or explosion are the explosive limits. These are the maximum and minimum concentration needed of a given combustible material to support a fire or explosion. To form an explosive mixture, the hazardous gas must have sufficient concentration levels. The minimum concentration of oxygen to combustible material is known as the lower explosive limit or LEL. If the concentration is below the LEL, it will not be flammable or have enough flammable material present. The same condition would apply if gas concentration is too rich, meaning it will not ignite because it will not have sufficient oxygen to sustain the fire or explosion. This is known as the upper explosive limit, or UEL. It should be noted that different gases will have different threshold limits.
In addition to the explosive limits, each hazardous material will have an autoignition temperature and a flashpoint. The flashpoint is the temperature at which the material will generate sufficient quantity of vapor to form an ignitable mixture. As the liquid is heated and reaches the flashpoint, autoignition could occur. An autoignition is the lowest temperature at which a combustible material will spontaneously ignite in a normal atmosphere. For example, if we have the heating of a combustible liquid, explosive vapors are created. As the material reaches the explosive limits creating the flashpoint. If the general atmosphere is increased, the autoignition temperature, fire, or explosion will occur.
To simplify, the specification of electrical devices into hazardous environments, IEC classification methods utilize autoignition, flashpoint, and explosive limits to place hazardous materials within groups.
The two predominant methods used for classification of hazardous environments are the NEC and IEC standards. IEC and NEC standards both classify the level of risk into three main categories:
- Continuous
- Occasional
- Not normally present
Referring back to the necessary requirements for an explosive triangle, we know we need ignition source, oxygen, gas and or dust combustible material in the correct mixture within the atmosphere. In order to specify electrical devices and hazardous locations, we need to identify the general Zones within each area. When working with liquids or gas, we locate the most hazardous or flammable location directly above the material. Due to the possibility of the valve leaking, at the top of the containment structure we must classify the area as Zone 1. As we move further away from the possible explosive atmospheric condition the Zone classification would be reduced to Zone 2. By altering the combustible material properties to a solid form, the area classification above the material would be Zone 20. If the dust escapes the same failed valve, the external area around the same containment unit would be classified as Zone 21. As we continue to move away from the containment unit and with reduction of Category risk, the new classification for the general area would be Zone 22.
Now that we know combustible materials whether liquid, gas and or dust will have different upper and lower explosive limits, and we understand the general heat could be the ignition source, within the IEC standards the T rating specifies the maximum surface temperature an electrical device will create. As the temperature increases, the associate rating will decrease, meaningless heat will have a higher T rating, while an increase in surface temperature will reduce the T number.
As a recap the IEC standards classify hazardous areas as environments that could contain explosive vapors, gases, and/or dust within the atmosphere. The primary categories provide the risk levels as constant, occasional, and not likely. Since elements have a variety of flammability and the physical properties could be different, IEC standards segment the types of combustible materials into Zone classifications. The most hazardous is Zone 0 or Zone 20. By reducing the risk level to have occasional explosive atmospheres the Zone classification is Zone 1 or Zone 21 and further reduction of Category risks would change the hazards classification to Zone 2 or Zone 22
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Flameproof enclosure for wireless access point (Analynk) |
Methods of Isolation/Protection
Let's take a look at each method of protection and the general application. To ensure safety in a given situation, equipment is placed in protective level categories. As mentioned before Category 1 is the highest safety level, making Category 3 the lowest risk and safety level. The general 8 protective methods are:
- Flameproof enclosures
- Sand encapsulation
- Pressurization
- Oil encapsulation
- General encapsulation
- Increased safety
- Intrinsic safety
- Non-sparking
- Power operated equipment
- Switchgear
- Motors
- Any equipment that produces ignition source during normal operation.
Pressurization is a method of protection by which the entry of a surrounding combustible material is prevented by maintaining a protective gas within the enclosure. This is generally accomplished by creating a higher pressure within the enclosure than the surrounding atmosphere. This protective method would be used for any power operated equipment.
Oil encapsulation is a type of protection in which the electrical apparatus or part of the electrical apparatus are immersed within an oil-based fluid. The general application for this type of protection would be used for:
- Switchgear units
- Circuit breakers
- Transformers
- Electrical circuit boards
- Miniature motors
- Valves
Connection and distribution boxes
Luminaires
Measuring instruments and devices that do not normally produce ignition within operation
Intrinsic safety is a protective method to ensure that the available electrical and thermal energy in the system is always low enough that the ignition of the hazardous atmosphere cannot occur. This is achieved by ensuring that only low voltages and currents enter the hazardous area as well as all electrical supply and signal wires are protected by safety barriers. The general application for intrinsic safety would be used for:
- Measuring and control engineering
- Data engineering
- Low electrical valves
- Motors
- Lighting
- Junction boxes
- Electrical equipment
In summary hazardous locations could exist in multiple industries. The geographical location will dictate the general method used for classification. The European Standard or IEC provides guidance of risk into three main categories. These risk levels are then divided into Zones and have numerical values that relate to the possibility of explosive gases or dusts present within the atmosphere. Because combustible material could have a variety of explosive limits, the method of protection will be important. Nevertheless all electrical devices placed within hazardous environments will follow the device markings to ensure fire or explosion does not occur.
Hazardous Area Antennas
Hazardous area antennas from Analynk Wireless are designed and constructed for very rugged industrial applications. Furthermore, all Analynk hazardous area antennas are UL listed for Class 1, Groups C & D and have ATEX/IECEx Certification. Finally, a range of frequencies are available from 900MHz, 2.4GHz, Cellular, GPS, Iridium and dual bands.