Romanian Wild Carpathia constitutes the ultimate pristine wilderness of the old European continent. Carpathian Mountains landscape experiences and outdoor recreation represents quite unique cultural ecosystem services. The new annotations to the Forest Law are restricting any public access in the woods without authorities' pre-approval for organised sport, leisure and tourism activities. However, off road vehicle (ORV) recreation is a popular activity and a growing transparency concern of National Forest Administration Authorities that is not managed accordingly. Here we show that our ORV recreation frame model can securely allow public access and protect all Romanian mountains. Our results demonstrate how growing ORV recreation popularity can be used in an honest and open way if it is well organized and controlled. We anticipate our assay to be a starting point for a regional and national forest administration sustainable development plan. Furthermore, stopping illegal forest activities is a major target of the anti-logging movement. A well-defined assay for the ORV recreation frame model will be relevant for such developments.

Explosion-proof equipment must be designed so that the ignition of the surrounding explosive atmosphere to be avoided. This is very important because an explosion can have particular implications over goods, life and not least over the environment. One of the ignition sources of an explosive atmosphere is represented by hot surfaces. Each equipment designed to operate in explosive atmospheres develops a maximum surface temperature. The specific standards used to assess explosion protection characteristics cover only indirectly and in part the factors influencing the maximum surface temperature. By this study, using a standardized testing methodology, the factors influencing the maximum surface temperature in case of explosion-proof luminaires with type of protection flameproof enclosure "d" and increased safety "e" were pointed out and analyzed (i.e. maximum designed ambient temperature of the luminaire; placement of temperature sensors to capture the points where the maximum surface temperature is recorded; type, power and size of the light source installed in the luminaire; operating position of the luminaire; supply voltage of the luminaire). The measures to be taken, in order to determine as accurately as possible the maximum surface temperature, in relation with the influencing factors, were also identified.

The research carried out in the specialized Laboratory of the National Institute for Research and Development in Mine Safety and Explosion Protection-INSEMEX Petrosani has identified the causes of high pressure peaks occurrence in the case of large electric motor enclosures as: the extremely large internal volume, the geometrical shape of motor enclosures and the very intricate and complex internal arrangement of such motor enclosures, having in mind the tendency of motor manufacturers for chemical and petrochemical industry to manufacture motors having more complex geometrical shapes. These results proved to be very useful in assisting designers of large flameproof electric motors to improve motors design so as to make them more reliable when testing in explosive mixtures.

Equipment operating in installations endangered by the occurrence of potentially explosive atmospheres have special features designed in order to make them suitable for operations in such areas. Equipment designed for use in potentially explosive atmospheres shall be placed on the EU market considering the provisions of the ATEX Directive 2014/34/EU and the harmonized European standards under this Directive. Even if equipment is placed on the EU market in accordance with ATEX Directive 2014/34/EU provisions, the special characteristics providing protection to explosion can be invalidated in installation design, erection, operation, inspection, maintenance or repairing phases. In order to prevent invalidation of explosion protection characteristics an important accent is placed on training and authorization of personnel involved in design, mounting, operation, inspection, maintenance or repairing of equipment/installations operating in potentially explosive atmospheres.

No abstract

Abstract. Explosive risk occurs in all activities involving flammable substances in the form of gases, vapors, mists or dusts which, in mixture with air, can generate an explosive atmosphere. As explosions can cause human losses and huge material damage, the assessment of the explosion risk and the establishment of appropriate measures to reduce it to acceptable levels according to the standards and standards in force is of particular importance for the safety and health of people and goods

The special characteristics providing protection to explosion for equipment design for use in potentially explosive atmospheres must be preserved during their entire period of use. Thus, the equipment designed for use in potentially explosive atmosphere shall be subjected to specific inspections in order to verify that the characteristics on which explosion protection is based were not depreciated in time. The purpose of the paper is to underline the importance of inspections in case of equipment intended to be used in potentially explosive atmospheres and to provide specific recommendations in this matter.

The purpose of this paper is to present the tests carried out on cable entries with a flameproof enclosure protection type used in potentially explosive atmospheres. Assessment of explosion-protected electrical equipment is accomplished through tests carried out in accordance with the standard SR EN 60079-0, which includes all general requirements for explosion-protected electrical equipment. The requirements of this standard are supplemented with those for each type of protection in separate standards. To elaborate this paper, the requirements in force were studied. It resulted that a stand for sealing test of cable glands with flameproof enclosure protection type is required. This test is essential in the process of certification of the equipment used in explosive areas. In the first stage of the project, the test stand was conceived, whose design has been considered taking into account the specifications of the reference standard for electrical equipment used in potentially explosive atmospheres. The paper also presents the stand for sealing test of cable glands (with type of protection flameproof enclosure).