DNV Spadeadam Research and Testing in the UK carried out a program of violent, long-duration, high-pressure gas explosions on Roxtec cable and pipe transits. The seals withstood the blast loads — by a significant margin.
Why test far beyond requirements?
Roxtec’s mission is to protect life and assets. That is why they test their cable and pipe transits far beyond the required protection levels. The DNV Spadeadam Research and Testing facility in the UK carried out a program of gas cloud blast tests on several seals, proving that the Roxtec solutions withstand gas explosions by a significant margin.
What was tested
The test consisted of five violent gas explosions of increasing severity. DNV used a large explosion chamber with a volume of 183 cubic meters to expose our installed cable and pipe seals to the effects of long-duration gas explosions. The explosion scenario was, in fact, more severe than the penetration seals are likely to encounter in the real world.
Reassuring results
DNV measured the average peak overpressure, duration, and impulse at the test samples and verified their condition at the end of the program. Here is what DNV noted:
“The test specimens remained firmly in place fixed to the concrete slabs. They remained structurally unchanged from their original condition. No gaps within the transit systems or loose fixings were observed. Some minor cosmetic damage was observed following the tests, including burn marks and peeling of material.”
“We achieved great results,” says Linus Liljequist, Test and Certificates Engineer at Roxtec, who witnessed the tests. “We see a lot of use cases for tight sealing and proven blast load protection within oil and gas, critical power infrastructure, and defense.”
DNV is an independent expert in risk management and a trusted voice for many successful and forward-thinking companies. The DNV Spadeadam Research and Testing facility is a large-scale hazardous laboratory inside an RAF base in the UK.
Roxtec in the process industries
Process plants operate in some of the most demanding and hazardous environments in the world. Refineries, petrochemical units, ammonia and fertilizer plants, green hydrogen facilities, biofuel and e-fuel sites, carbon capture installations, and mining and metals operations all share a common challenge: every cable and pipe penetration is a potential path for fire, gas, blast, water, or dust.
Roxtec sealing solutions are used across these segments to protect people, plant, and uptime. The seals are approved for use in hazardous locations (IECEx + ATEX + UL/NEC/CSA) and are specified as standard by leading EPC firms and operators.
Where Roxtec seals are used in process plants
- E-houses, motor control centers (MCC), and substations
- Control rooms, DCS and PLC cabinets
- Field terminal boxes, electric heat trace cabinets, and remote I/O cabinets
- Concrete walls, floors, and foundations
- Underground conduit entries
- Battery containers and modular energy storage systems
Protection against multiple hazards in one transit
A single Roxtec transit can provide certified protection against fire, gas, water, dust, blast, pests, pressure, and temperature changes. It can also reduce noise, vibration, and material fatigue, and exists in versions for EMC, hazardous locations, and bonding, grounding, and protection against the effects of lightning strikes.
Built on Multidiameter™
The Roxtec sealing system is based on Multidiameter™, the Roxtec invention based on sealing modules with removable layers. The modules adapt to a wide range of cable and pipe sizes and create a tight seal inside a frame. The same concept delivers built-in spare capacity — operators can add cables or make changes later without cutting new openings.
Customer benefits in process industries
- Approved for hazardous locations (IECEx + ATEX + UL/NEC/CSA)
- Alternative to traditional cable glands — saves space, weight, and installation time
- Handles multiple cable and pipe sizes in one frame
- Allows pre-terminated cables for faster installation
- Built-in spare capacity for changes in cable schedules
- Supports the energy transition: hydrogen, ammonia, CCS, biofuels, and e-fuels
- Backed by certificates, registered tests, and approvals — and now by blast performance proven at DNV Spadeadam
For plant designers, EPCs, and operators, certified and tested penetration sealing reduces residual risk in the safety case — and supports long project lifecycles without compromising integrity.
Want the technical detail and the test video? Read the full DNV Spadeadam test summary and watch the blast test footage: Roxtec seals withstand severe gas explosions
Explore Roxtec sealing solutions for process industries: roxtec.com/process-industries