Extronics Launches World’s First Intrinsically-safe Rf Galvanic Isolator

iSOLATE500 reduces the cost of installing wireless equipment in hazardous environments
Extronics, the leading developer and manufacturer of intrinsically safe and explosion proof equipment has launched iSOLATE500, the world’s first radio frequency galvanic isolator for hazardous areas.  This unique solution revolutionises the way that wireless networks can be installed in hazardous environments and will deliver significant cost savings to users in a wide range of industries including oil, gas, pharmaceutical, chemical and food processing.

According to John Hartley, Managing Director of Extronics:  “Resulting from four years of extensive research and development, iSOLATE500 enables the rapid deployment of more effective wireless networks within hazardous process environments.  Enabling the use of standard, off the shelf hardware, it also makes networks easier to install and support, providing an effective barrier to prevent sparking and eliminate any danger of explosions.”
iSOLATE500 is fully ATEX and IECEx accredited and allows standard wireless equipment to be deployed without requiring costly assessment by notified bodies.  It blocks all known faults including AC/DC and hazardous transients making any RF output intrinsically safe.  This enables installers and system integrators to utilise any standard access point or antenna, including directional and omni-directional, to deliver higher performing wireless networks in any hazardous area.  iSOLATE500 also allows antennas to be easily changed as required without powering down the whole network.
The ability to use standard, high-performance antennas to concentrate the signal where it is needed the most will also help to reduce the cost of installing wireless networks in hazardous environments.  In fact, early deployments have shown that fewer access points are required when iSOLATE500 is used as part of high performance wireless networks.
iSOLATE500 has an operating temperature range of -60°C to +80°C and is available in three different versions to meet a wide variety of applications.  The 5GHz, and 2.4GHz models are designed for use with wireless voice and data networks, CCTV, IP telephony, video conferencing and Bluetooth applications.  The 900MHz version can be used for RFID tracking and GSM.