The Cobadú Agro-food cooperative project
The Cobadú agro-food cooperative was launched in 1979 thanks to the work of 300 shareholders and the Agriculture Outreach service managed by the Regional Government of Castilla y León. Today, Cobadú is not just the leading cooperative in the local area; with 10,500 members, it is a leading entity in Spain.
In this article we will talk about...
- ATEX luminaires in Cobadú warehouses
- ATEX qualification luminaires in Cobadú industrial warehouses
- Secom Iluminación ATEX luminaires: reliability and safety
- A satisfactory result that lived up to the customer’s expectations
Cobadú cooperative is active in the livestock and agriculture sectors and it promotes product diversification. Its work begins when seeds are sowed and extends right through to feeding livestock and elaboration of fodder, among others.
Given the importance of this sector to society as a whole, the luminaires installed at these facilities need to address the basic needs of workers at work stations, guarantee safety and avoid potential accidents.
ATEX luminaires in Cobadú warehouses
Suspended particles are generated during the wide range of tasks undertaken at the cooperative and this means sparks or energy surges are a fire risk. Avoiding deflagration or spontaneous combustion means using luminaires that meet ATEX standards. Doing so translates into prioritising employee safety and protecting the integrity of the facilities.
In October 2021, Cobadú cooperative needed to install luminaires of the type mentioned above in six industrial warehouses used for storage, preservation and treatment of several types of cereals. The cooperative chose to work with one of the leading brands on the market: Secom Iluminación.
ATEX qualification luminaires in Cobadú industrial warehouses
The ATEX standards that apply in the agro-food industry fall under Class II.
Transportation and storage of products in the food industry can generate explosive dust particles. Combustible dust products include flour and flour derivatives, cereals, grain, starch and hay, all which can be found around work stations, in handling areas and in storage areas.
Class II luminaires for installation in environments where there are particles in suspension and dust need to have an anti-deflagration seal and must not generate electrical sparks.
Secom Iluminación ATEX luminaires: reliability and safety
Choosing the right luminaires for this project meant meeting the aforementioned ATEX requirements. In fact, the cooperative itself included this in the agreement conditions because preserving the integrity and safety of the facilities was key.
Secom Iluminación suggested using its ATEX 5020 industrial spotlight. Not only does this luminaire maintain homogeneous and appropriate levels of light across surfaces, it also provides protection against the hazards mentioned above.
It has an adjustable bracket so its position can be moved at any time to make the most of light emissions. The fact that it has a series of secondary optics also means it has a 60º aperture angle. This enables users to focus beams of light onto key areas without compromising average levels of light and while continuing to adhere to the luminous uniformity values for the types of tasks carried out in these facilities, as provided for in existing legislation.
The luminaire also meets the demands of the following ATEX dust group: II 2 D Ex tb IIIC T80ºC Db ECM 18 ATEX 2599. It can even withstand room temperatures ranging from -30ºC to 50ºC.
Furthermore, the luminaire has a very long service life and can meet standard L80 B10 or 100,000 hours. This helps to bring maintenance costs down quite considerably and makes for a speedy return on investment given that the efficiency levels of these lights are also very high. This translates into energy savings and a direct impact on facility costs.
A satisfactory result that lived up to the customer’s expectations
Cobadú’s warehouses needed to be up and running within a short space of time and so we set about optimising turnaround. The cooperative had imminent plans to fill the warehouses with grain, which would have rendered luminaire installation work impossible. Secom Iluminación was able to meet the delivery demands because it has a centralised manufacturing facility in Spain and could optimise response, manufacture and transportation times.
Over one hundred ATEX luminaires were supplied for installation in six Cobadú industrial warehouses in Zamora, Spain. The owners were completely satisfied with the quality of the lights and the results they obtained.
Thanks to Secom, the lights went on at the agro-food facilities and, by preventing accidents and fires, employee safety was guaranteed.
