The Dirty Secret of IoT in the Hazardous Area

By Kyle Price, Aircom Sales Manager

As industry moves forward with digitizing existing assets through IoT implementation to enhance efficiency and productivity, a wide range of innovative IoT products designed specifically for hazardous areas—certified under ATEX or IECEx—are entering the market.

The IoT sector, particularly in hazardous environments, is growing rapidly due to the significant cost savings these devices provide. Whether monitoring pressure, temperature, or vibration, these technologies are shaping a digital future thanks to their ease of installation and low maintenance costs. Many of these devices are battery-powered, which is where the real challenge arises—the battery.

Many IoT devices in hazardous areas boast long battery life, primarily because they use communication protocols within the LPWAN (Low Power Wide Area Network) category, which requires minimal power to read and transmit data. Some devices claim to offer a battery lifespan of five years or more. As a result, many currently deployed units have yet to undergo a battery replacement.

This is where the dirty secret lies.

Although these devices may be advertised as “field-replaceable,” this is often misleading. While the device itself may be ATEX or IECEx certified, the battery may not be.

A closer examination of the device certification often reveals that the battery cannot be replaced while in an active hazardous environment. This means that companies deploying thousands of ATEX/IECEx IoT sensors will eventually face an unexpected reality: when the battery needs replacing, they must either remove the device from the hazardous area or shut down operations—just to change a battery.

Why is this a problem?

A solution meant to increase productivity and reduce operational expenses (OPEX) ends up doing the opposite due to misinformation and misleading certification claims.

With decades of experience working within the UK’s gas distribution networks, YZ Systems recognized this issue early on. That’s why, when designing the Aircom IIoT end node, we not only ensured it met the strict ATEX certification standards but also applied the same rigorous standards to the battery.

We specifically designed our battery to be replaced safely within a hazardous area, eliminating the need for process shutdowns, operational halts, or device removal just to swap out a battery.

Does the industry need legislation?

Should regulations be put in place to prevent the replacement of non-ATEX/IECEx-certified batteries in hazardous environments—where a simple mistake could lead to an explosion, an accident, or even fatalities?

Aircom’s Certified Battery Solution

Our Aircom ATEX Certification explicitly states:

         The equipment is designed to be powered by an Aircom type WTP03-BEX Lithium Thionyl Chloride replaceable battery pack, mounted inside the enclosure, which can be changed in the hazardous area. Alternatively, the equipment can be powered by a suitably certified auxiliary supply.

By addressing this critical gap in hazardous-area IoT solutions, we ensure that productivity is truly enhanced, and safety remains non-negotiable.