Any equipment present in hazardous areas is subjected to corrosive conditions, harsh weather, explosions, or other threats. So, for such an environment, protection equipment that works reliably is necessary. Here, the good news is that the GRP enclosures are available for the protection of your electrical equipment in hazardous areas.
In this blog, you will analyse the GRP enclosure, its key advantages, its applications, and many more. So, keep reading!
1) What Is a GRP Enclosure?
“A GRP enclosure (Glass Reinforced Plastic) is a specialised box for protecting electrical or control equipment.”
Broadly speaking, safety is a priority when working in dangerous areas. The protective GRP enclosure comes with additional advantages that ensure the safety, support operational efficiency.
The GRP is made by mixing the plastic resin with the glass fibre material, which is quite reliable due to its toughness towards extreme heat and bad weather. Moreover, GRP is lightweight and, therefore, easy to manage and install.
Apart from this, in heavy rainfall, strong sunlight or even salty air, such materials provide adequate durability that enables withstand all adversities while maintaining their structural integrity.
You might be asking, “Why not use a metal box instead?” Good question! Well, Enclosures made from metals do have advantages, but as we will see shortly, GRP brings several remarkable benefits. Ok, let’s discuss its benefits in detail in the next section.
2) Key Advantages of GRP Enclosures in Hazardous Areas
Alright! In difficult and highly dangerous locations like offshore oil fields, chemical plants, or other marine sites, safety is a priority alongside the equipment used. So, let’s discuss the key advantages of GRP enclosures in hazardous areas, so keep in touch!
+ Corrosion Resistance That Lasts: One of the biggest advantages of GRP enclosures is that it is corrosion resistant. Unlike metals, it remains rust-proof when put against water, chemicals or salty air over long periods.
So, you don’t have to worry about corrosion or damage. Your GRP enclosure keeps your equipment protected and saves you from costly replacements.
+ Lightweight but Surprisingly Strong: GRP has vast applications due to its lightweight characteristic combined with impressive strength. Thus, it easily controls the bumps, impacts or daily wear. As it is lightweight, it is easy to carry, move, and install. Thus, the end result is a faster setup on-site.
+ Weather and UV Resistance: Another important advantage of GRP is that it is weather and UV resistant. However, their strong defence against ultraviolet light ensures that they will be unaffected even after years of sun exposure. Hence, they do not crack, fade, or weaken during exposure to harsh weather conditions.
This means you receive a long-lasting product that performs well regardless of the climate.
+ Electrical Safety You Can Trust: Safety always comes first, especially in hazardous zones. Hence, GRP is non-conductive, which means it does not conduct electricity. This is very useful for people working near live circuits as it reduces shocking hazards, making the workplace much safer for everyone.
+ Low Maintenance, High Reliability: No one wants to spend time repairing and repainting enclosures, as this can be quite irritating. The good news is that GRP requires minimal upkeep as it doesn’t rust, peel or fall apart over time, which saves both effort and money in the long term.
+ Fire and Chemical Resistance: Lastly, GRP enclosures are particularly effective in settings where there is fire risk or vulnerability to chemicals. They provide extra protection since they are made with special materials containing both heat and chemical-attack-resistant materials.
+ Customisation for Any Application
One more notable benefit is how easily GRP enclosures can be customised. If you require additional mounting areas, specific cutouts, or even multiple compartments, with GRP, you can achieve almost any design while retaining its strength. Hence, this ability greatly assists in fulfilling your requirements, unlike metal boxes.
+ Excellent Thermal Insulation
Moreover, the primary characteristic of GRP enclosures is their natural insulating properties. Its ability to reduce overheating, freezing or sudden temperature changes helps stabilise internal temperatures. This characteristic is essential for areas with extreme climate changes or sensitive control systems.
3) Typical Applications in Hazardous Areas
You know well that in high danger zones, electrical equipment requires adequate protection. Selecting the proper enclosure isn’t just a matter of personal preference. It is an important consideration. So, let’s talk about some typical applications of GRP in hazardous zones!
Oil and Gas Facilities
Most importantly, explosion-prone areas like oil refineries and rigs are filled with dangerous gases as well as heavy machinery. GRP enclosures are perfect in this regard. Why? Because they don’t rust in exposure to salty air or chemical vapours.
In addition, they protect electrical parts from sparks and flames, which makes the enclosures safer for use in high-risk areas.
Chemical Plants
Another important application of GRP is in the Chemical companies that work with hazardous liquids, chemicals, gases, and high temperatures. Metal containers will suffer corrosion in such environments.
On the other hand, GRP enclosures have proved useful because they resist both acids and alkalis. This protective feature is precisely what prompts chemical engineers to trust GRP materials for safeguarding essential appliances.
Marine and Offshore Locations
Well, out at sea, conditions can be rough. Thus, Saltwater, high winds, and strong sunlight can damage regular enclosures fast. But GRP enclosures are built to survive. They don’t crack or rust and stay strong through storms and spray. That’s why they’re commonly found on ships, docks, and offshore platforms
Industrial Areas With Dust Or Water
Significantly, factories and food processing plants deal with steam or dust, which can cause electrical panels severe damage over time. Such places need GRP due to their tight seals as well as their weatherproof structure, which allows them to withstand moisture or dirt.
Tunnelling and Mining Sites
Well, you are working whether in deep underground or open-pit mines, safety comes first. You risk falling rocks, leaks of water, and dust that can catch fire easily. However, GRP enclosures assist in safeguarding power and control systems from these threats.
You know what? GRP enclosures are durable, tough, designed to withstand the harshest conditions, and are flame-retardant. Hence, they are very important for tunnelling and mining sites.
Renewable Energy Sites
The equipment located at wind and solar power sites is routinely subjected to harsh sunlight, rain, and temperature fluctuations. Moreover, GRP enclosures work particularly well in such conditions since they are non-corrosive and UV resistant.
So, their protective qualities also ensure sensitive control systems located far from the main stations that require minimal upkeep. Hence, it is best for modern energy management systems.
Wastewater Treatment Plants
Last but not least, the GRP enclosures have both positive and negative attributes for use in wastewater facilities where moisture, chemicals, and fumes are a constant challenge. Metal boxes would be utterly useless because they can rust or fail so quickly in these environments.
Conversely, GRP enclosures use weatherproof seals, ensuring that electrical components protected inside remain safe even in the most damp and aggressive environments.
4) GRP vs Metal Enclosures: Which One to Choose?
To be honest, no matter which industry you are working in, protecting your electrical equipment is a must. And when it comes to enclosures, they have to be strong and secure.
Two common choices a person can make are between GRP (glass reinforced plastic) and metal enclosures. The main question we are trying to answer today is which one serves your purpose the best? Let us analyse them step by step.
? Strength and Durability
Both GRP and metal enclosures possess some strengths through durability. As an example of extreme conditions, metal enclosures stand out with their high impact strength by being able to withstand physical damage fairly well.
On the other hand, GRP has its unique strengths too because it does not tend to rust away like most substances. This provides edges, such as living in wet or coastal environments.
? Weight and Handling
GRP glass fibres take the prize when it comes to weight, making them easier to lift and move around. On the other hand, metallic enclosers tend to be heavier, requiring extra manpower during installations.
Thus, saving time along with ease is something that becomes granted while using GRP materials, providing quick solutions compared to heavier metals.
? Resistance to Corrosion and Weather
GRP’s strengths become apparent in these areas as it protects entirely against corrosion, UV rays, moisture, and chemicals. This makes it useful in coastal regions and even factories and chemical plants.
In contrast, if metal enclosures are not coated properly, they will rust or corrode over time. Unlike other materials, GRP is strongly resistant to shape deterioration and maintains its structural integrity despite harsh exposure.
? Safety and Insulation
Because metal conducts electricity, additional procedures must be followed to ground the box properly. Actually, GRP is non-conductive, which makes it safer to use around electrical systems. This reduces the chances of electric shocks and faults. If you value safety highly, and it should be a priority, then GRP does give you peace of mind.
? When to Choose What
Well, for clean and dry spaces requiring a heavy-duty box, a metal enclosure remains useful. These locations will often be indoors or areas where grounding is straightforward.
On the other hand, explosive wet environments tend to favour GRP since less maintenance is required, providing better long-term reliability and safety trustworthiness.
5) Our most popular GRP enclosure ranges
At Hexlon, we focus on meeting the specific needs of customers by designing GRP enclosures which provide superior performance in particularly extreme environments.
However, two of our most trusted ranges are HLBX03 Series and HLBX05 Series; both are designed to cope with explosive and hazardous areas safely and reliably. Let’s explore key highlights that make this range unique.
HLBX03 Series – Explosion-Proof Control Station
The HLBX03 Series is a GRP explosion-proof control station designed for application in zones where explosive gases or dust may be present. This enclosure series is constructed using high-strength glass-reinforced flame-retardant polyester.
In addition, it is also anti-static, corrosion resistant, UV resistant, as well as impact resistant, making it ideal for harsh industrial or outdoor conditions. Moreover, you can implement numerous multifunctional controls through the use of the HLBX03 Series.
With this control station, you have reliable operation and high safety, whether at an oil refinery, offshore rig or chemical plant. In addition to this equipment’s exceptional functionalities, having an IP66 classification safeguards it from complete exposure to dust.
Furthermore, it also safeguards from high-pressure water jets, making it crucial in wet surroundings.
HLBX05 Series – Explosion-Proof Control Apparatus
Well, the HLBX05 Series, composed of GRP materials, is another top performer. It is a GRP explosion-proof control apparatus employed in zone 1 and zone 2 hazardous locations. Like the HBLX03, it also retains high working temperature performance.
Other electrical devices, such as circuit breakers, contactors, and relays, can be packaged within this device, giving space for complex control arrangements. Well, this is ideal for application in bigger systems that need more control in one unit.
In simple words, you can get safety, flexibility, and durability in hazardous zones offered by both HBLX03 and HBLX05 series controllers. Moreover, these smart control solutions are specially designed to withstand explosive environments while providing ease of use through robust GRP enclosures.
6) Conclusion
Alright! As with all electrical enclosures, GRP enclosures are strong and designed to last while providing safety in highly dangerous areas. They safeguard your equipment from moisture, chemicals, dust, and even extreme weather.
Moreover, GRP enclosures are easier to maintain than metals since they do not rust or conduct electricity. If you are working in the marine, chemical, oil or gas industries, then GRP enclosures will work best for you.
For trusted performance, we recommend Hexlonex’s HLBX03 and HLBX05 Series. These explosion-proof GRP enclosures are reliable, durable, and built for the toughest environments. Ok, you can contact us right now!
