Non-sparking tools | Non-sparking tools
- 24 Feb, 2025
Non-sparking tools
Life is a problem... But also a solution.
Non-sparking tools are tools that produce a low-energy spark, always below the ignition limit of the hazardous substances (gases or dusts) present in the environment. Tools are called "non-sparking" if the temperature of the spark emitted is below the lower ignition limit and are therefore safe to use in potentially explosive atmospheres.
Non-sparking tools are mainly divided into two types:
- Copper-Beryllium (Cu-Be)
- Aluminum-Brass (Al-Bron)
Of these two non-sparking alloys, the one with the most advantages is copper-beryllium.
Although it costs 20-40 percent more than aluminum-brass, it has superior mechanical and safety properties, making it the most profitable choice in the long run. Additionally, with a hardness of 40HRC, its useful life is 40 percent longer than Al-Bron.
Therefore, the resistance of the non-sparking Cu-Be alloy is 50% greater than that of Al-Bron, and therefore, it can withstand 50% more stress than the aluminum-copper alloy. Since the latter is a softer alloy, it requires 3% iron, making it a non-sparking alloy with a mild magnetic content, and therefore, the sparks it produces have more energy than the Cu-Be alloy, which is most recommended for Class IIC explosive environments.
Download our whitepaper to learn more about this topic.
Which non-sparking alloy should I choose? Cu-Be or Al-Bron?
The non-sparking Cu-Be alloy is the best choice in 90% of cases, as its better properties make it safer and more profitable.
Al-Bron is competitive if:
- The tool will be used infrequently, not periodically.
- No major effort was made
- Does not require complete non-magnetic
- It shall not be used in class IIC explosive atmospheres.
If these four conditions are met, the best choice is the non-sparking alloy Al-Bron. But if any of them are not met, then Cu-Be is better.
Explosive atmospheres created by acetylene: major exception
Acetylene is a group IIC gas, so non-sparking alloys are unlikely to cause it to ignite. However, it does react with any alloy containing more than 65% copper, which produces copper acetylene.
Since both the Cu-Be and Al-Bron non-sparking alloys contain more than 80% copper, the use of these alloys is not feasible in explosive environments containing acetylene.
ACETILEX: EGA Master's Solution
In addition to Cu-Be and Al-Bron, there are other non-sparking alloys, such as brass. However, although brass is made up of 60% copper, its mechanical resistance is very low compared to non-sparking copper-berylum and aluminum-brass alloys, namely 4 to 6 times lower mechanical resistance. This results in a shorter useful life and is a very unprofitable option.
For this reason, at EGA Master we have developed ACETILEX non-sparking tools, a non-sparking Cu-Be and Al-Bron alloy with a copper content of less than 65%, making it the only safe and cost-effective non-sparking option in acetylene environments.
