VW September-2017 Lowres

Materials & Manufacturing

24

Cover Story:

Neway: Global awareness, local solutions 44

Retired but still going strong: interview with actuation veteran Chris Warnett

56

EPC interview: the opportunities and challenges of the valve supply chain

59

A reconsideration of Nickel Aluminium Bronze for valve manufacture

72

Additive manufacturing for the valve industry: opportunities, limits, and challenges

The global magazine for valve and actuator users, suppliers, and specifiers | Vol. 22, Issue 8, September 2017

www.valve-world.net

FOLLOW THE QUALITY MONOBLOCK

TRISTAR

MADE IN ITALY ANTARES

SELENE LLYBR YBRA LYBRA

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EDITOR’S PAGE

The momentum of new technologies Volume 22, Issue 8, September 2017 Valve World is the global magazine for valve and actuator users, suppliers and specifiers. www.valve-world.net Publishing Director Robert-Jan à Campo [email protected] Tel: +31 575 585275 Editorial Team (print & online) [email protected] James Hoare [email protected] (The Netherlands) Sarah Bradley [email protected] (Canada) John Butterfield [email protected] (The Netherlands) James Chater [email protected] (The Netherlands) Gillian Gane [email protected] (The Netherlands) Jolanda Heunen [email protected] (The Netherlands) David Sear [email protected] (The Netherlands) Roy van IJzendoorn [email protected] (The Netherlands) Jewel Zhu [email protected] (China)

Dear readers, Here in the Northern hemisphere colleagues and clients are slowly returning to work from their summer holidays. For those of you who have been away, I hope you are returning to your workplace refreshed, inspired and ready for more. Indeed, this might be the perfect time to consider deepening your valve knowledge and broadening your professional networks? If so, may I highly recommend you attend our two upcoming events, namely the Valve World Expo & Conference Asia 2017 in Suzhou (China) on 20-21 September which will be followed by our Flow Control Exchange India Conference & Exhibition in New Delhi (India) from 5-6 October. For more details please see the Calendar sections of our website and magazine. Next month I’ll be off to Suzhou for the show and I am certainly looking forward to meeting members of the Valve World Community there. If you are attending then please be sure to come and say hello! I would be delighted to meet you.

Advertising contact (print & online) Mehmet Erel [email protected] Tel: +31 575 585286 Subscriptions (print & online) Erica Riethorst [email protected] Tel: +31 575 585271 Valve World is published eleven times per year. Subscriptions are renewed automatically in accordance with Dutch legislation. ISSN: 1383-8113 Publishing House KCI Publishing B.V. Jacob Damsingel 17, NL-7201 AN Zutphen, The Netherlands Mailing Address P.O. Box 396, NL-7200 AJ Zutphen, The Netherlands [email protected] Tel: +31 575 585270 Fax: +31 575 511099 Bank account: ABNAMRO 56.64.05.164 BIC: ABNANL2A IBAN: NL50ABNA0566405164 China Office KCI Shanghai, Room 603, 6F, #400 Zhejiang Mid. Road, 200001, Shanghai, China [email protected] Tel: +86 21 6351 9609 Fax: +86 21 6351 9607 Germany Office KCI GmbH, Tiergartenstr. 64, D-47533 Kleve, Germany [email protected] Tel: +49 2821 71145 0 Fax: +49 2821 71145 69 Canada Office KCI Corporation, 36 King East, Suite 701, Toronto ON M5C 1E5, Canada [email protected] Tel: +1 416 361 7030 Fax: +1 416 361 6191 www.twitter.com/ValveWorld https://www.facebook.com/valveworld http://linkd.in/UhTuE0 http://www.youtube.com/user/kcipub

The publishers and the authors state that this magazine has been compiled meticulously and to the best of their knowledge, however, the publisher and the authors can in no way guarantee the accuracy or completeness of the information. The publisher and authors therefore do not accept any liability for any damage resulting from actions or decision based on the information in question. Users of this magazine are strongly advised not to use this information solely, but to rely on their professional knowledge and experience, and to check the information to be used. KCI Publishing cannot guarantee the accuracy of information provided by participating companies and authorities. The publisher reserves the right to combine, delete and change sections. The publisher reserves the right to edit and re-use (parts of) the articles and to distribute the information by any means. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, photocopying recording or otherwise, without the written permission of the publisher. Valve World is a trademark of Technical Business Publications B.V. – registered under number 08084150 and holding company of the KCI group of companies. TBP BV, Donald D.F. Wiedemeyer (CEO), PO Box 67, 6680 AB Lingewaard, The Netherlands. ©2017 All rights reserved.

Back to this issue, which this month has a special focus on materials and manufacturing. As you’ll see in the contents page we have an article on the repercussions and implications of radioactive valves (p81); an EPC interview on managing supply chains (p56); a (re)consideration of nickel aluminum bronze for valve manufacture (p59); and an article on graphite packing (p82). I am also happy to see room for new technologies such as additive manufacturing (p72) and blockchain technology (p55). For those not yet familiar with blockchain, it is a distributed database that maintains a continuously growing list of records (called blocks) that are secured from tampering and revision. The implications of this technology for managing supply chains are gaining momentum. Major governments have delved into the topic whilst banks have professed saving millions when applying the technology, citing benefits of trust, speed, safety, and security in performing transactions. Interestingly, a recent study by IBM concluded that nine out of ten government organizations have suggested that they will be using, or at least experimenting with, blockchain technology by the year 2018. Will this technology have some impact on managing supply chains, including ours? I would say most certainly. Until next month, Happy reading,

James Hoare [email protected] www.valve-world.net

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CONTENT

COVER STORY Neway: Global awareness, local solutions

24

Neway, China’s largest valve manufacturer, enjoys worldwide-renown for providing customers with complete solutions for industrial valves. Indeed, the company has a solid brand reputation thanks to its unique products, top-notch technologies, and extensive sales and services teams. Now listed on the stock exchange, Neway’s smooth operations and favorable growth are providing a solid basis for further development. Valve World visited Neway Valve’s headquarters and production facility in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, and talked to Vice President Mr. Lu Liangfeng (Vincent Lu) to learn about the company’s future strategies in the global valve market

SPECIAL TOPIC Nickel Aluminium Bronze: a reconsideration for valve manufacture

TOP OF MIND 59

This article looks at the history and properties of Nickel Aluminium Bronze to help understand why it is often overlooked. ON the contrary, it has good tensile strength, is suitable against cavitation, does not embrittle at cryogenic temperatures and is resistant to biofouling. Furthermore, advancements in computer simulators have also overcome traditional challenges in casting processes. For these reasons this material can be opened up and reconsidered for a whole new range of applications.

Additive manufacturing for the valve industry: opportunities, limits and challenges

Dr. Hans Baumann, P.E.,who has designed valves for the Hanford Nuclear Plutonium reactor and for nuclear submarines, investigates what happens if those valves become radioactive since stainless steel, with its higher nickel content, presents more of a problem than carbon steel.

September 2017

39

Merger enables Sofis to increase innovation power and advance towards digitizing mechanical products to benefit customers.

72

Additive manufacturing, or 3D printing, is a process that turns digital 3D models into solid objects by building layers. Developed in the 1980s, the process has developed rapidly over the last 20 years in a number of ways, allowing greater variety of shapes and materials, especially printing of metals. The ability to produce parts with geometrical complexity is one of the most interesting characteristics of this industry. Orion Valves has signed an agreement with the University of Trieste to further evaluate 3D printing for valve manufacturing. The objective of this paper is to give an overview of the current status and the future of metal 3D printing, with special attention to the opportunities and challenges facing the valve manufacturing industry.

Is your valve radioactive?

Rising to the IIoT challenge

81

COLUMNS What is “Added Value?”

33

By Barrie Kirkman

Pipeline transient hydraulics

47

Surge in pipelines and valve selection By Gobind Khiani, P.Eng.

Graphite packing rings

67

By ESA member, Jan Kasprzyk

Mergers & acquisitions in the global valves industry

85

By Constantine Biller

5

CONTENT

END-USER / EPC FEATURES Five Minutes with Mr. Bronislav Balga

CASE HISTORY 37

During a recent trip to the Czech Republic Valve World had the opportunity to interview Bronislav Balga, Maintenance Director for Fosfa. We asked him about the company’s goals and approach to maintenance.

Launcher valve removal at 41 bar

71

Replacement of a launcher valve at a natural gas plant in Victoria, Australia required double block and bleed isolation prior to commencement of work.

56

“Safety is a top priority” Valve World recently sat down for an informal lunch with Philip Ovanessians, who has twenty years of experience managing the supply of industrial components and equipment destined for capital projects.

REGULAR FEATURES

POWER GENERATION On a roll: renewables are now the fastest growing energy sector

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Calendar

8

Advertisers’ index

8

40

In a world of increasing uncertainty, it is always pleasant to learn that something has gone better than expected. This is the case with renewable energy, where costs have fallen more sharply and innovation has progressed faster than expected. However, much work still needs to be done to achieve the goals set out in the Paris climate talks.

PORTRAIT A lifetime in actuation

Editorial

44

Industry Update

10

Project Report

29

Editor’s choice

55

Ready for Export

82

Innovations & Solutions

89

Interview with Chris Warnett He may have passed retirement age but Chris Warnett is by no means ready to slow down. He currently holds two jobs, has authored a best-selling book on valve actuators and is regularly asked to speak at events.

6

Buyers Guide

102

Phone Directory

111

Application Guide

113

September 2017

High-Integrity Pressure Protection System

High-integrity protection for your personnel, equipment, and environment. The Cameron high-integrity pressure protection system (HIPPS) is an independent, SIL 3–certified, customizable solution designed to fit your safety application—from wellhead to downstream process facilities. Each HIPPS comprises field-proven elements such as GROVE* valves and LEDEEN* actuators and is backed by our skilled service teams to help maintain safety and efficiency throughout the equipment lifecycle, ensuring minimal downtime and reducing total cost of ownership. Find out more at

cameron.slb.com/hipps *Mar Mar M aarrk off Sch Schlu lum lumb umb mberger. erg erge rggerr.. © 20 201 00117 Sc Schlumberg hlum mberg b ger. ber er All Alll ririg righ igghtss reser eese serve ved. 17ved. 177 V VL-2 VL L-26775 77558

A D V E RT I S E R S ’ I N D E X / C A L E N D A R

ADVERTISERS’ INDEX ABO Valve 19 API 31 ARCA Regler 98 Arflu Industrial Valves 45 Asahi Yukizai Corporation 58 Bonney Forge Corporation 66 Bray International 36 CAMERON, a Schlumberger Company 7 CIRCOR Energy 69 Changzhou Heighten Automation Equipment 101 CRANE Energy Flow Solutions 87 Derval 70 De Tomi 115 Effebi 2

Fangzheng Valve FBV Flosil Group Of Companies FR Valve Goodwin International Hartmann Valves IMI STI Indra KCON Valve Kingdom Flow Control KITZ Corporation Kong Jih Valve L&T Valves - Larsen & Toubro Manoir Industries Meide Group MRC Global

54 16 15 80 9 23 21 12 35 99 75 38 79 92 76 4

Neway Nutork OMAL Oviko Group Qingdao Elite Machinery Manufacture Resolute Research Rotork Sammi Machinery Saporiti SEALCORE Shanghai Zengxin Siemens Sofis Valve Operation Southern California Valve Suzhou Douson Valve Suzhou Antiwear Valve

83 20 32 96 95 100 116 11 50 88 88 84 38 46 49 50

The WM Powell Valves Value Valves Valtec Velan VIZA Valve Weidouli Wuxi St. Hans Controls Xiamen Johncera Fluid Control Xuanda Industrial Group Yongjia Boutique Valve Zhejiang Fangdun Instrument Valve Zhejiang Hiton Valves Zhejiang Jinpu Industry. Zhejiang Victory Valve Zhongtai Valve

61 17 70 53 65 14 114 93 28 70 90 22 94 13 18

CALENDAR 20 – 21 SEPTEMBER 2017 Valve World Expo & Conference Asia 2017 Following the huge success of past Valve World Expos and Conferences, the Valve World Expo & Conference Asia 2017 promises to be a valuable meeting point for valve professionals from all over the world with a special emphasis on recent developments in China. Location: The Suzhou International Exhibition Center Co. Ltd., Expo Plaza, Xiandai Avenue, Suzhou Industrial Park, Suzhou, Jiangsu, Suzhou, 215021 China Contact: Rui Feng Phone: +86-512-6280-8858 Fax: +86-512-6280-4355 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.valve-world.net/vwa2017 25 – 28 SEPTEMBER 2017 Argentina Oil & Gas Expo 2017 This event offers a strategic tool for potential buyers to contact Argentine Oil & Gas producers ready to export. It connects current industry professionals to share their knowledge with the oil and gas young professionals who have recently joined the labour market. Location: La Rural Trade Center, Buenos Aires, Argentina Phone: +54 11 4514 1400 Fax: +54 11 4514 1404 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.aogexpo.com.ar/en/exhibitors 3 – 4 OCTOBER 2017 European Waste Water Management Conference This conference considers all aspects of the wastewater treatment cycle from the sewer to discharge of final effluent and the impacts on receiving watercourses. The conference provides a forum for practitioners and researchers to meet and discuss the needs and interests of the European water industry Location: The Royal Armouries, Leeds, W.Yorkshire, UK Phone: +44 (0) 1924 257891 Email: [email protected]

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[email protected] Website: http://ewwmconference.com/ 5 – 6 OCTOBER 2017 Flow Control Exchange India Conference & Exhibition 2017 Flow Control Exchange India is a unique combined conference and exhibition focusing on valves, actuation and all related technologies in flow control systems hosted in India. This is an unprecedented opportunity for local and international suppliers and end users to expand their business across the Indian market. Location: Leela Ambience Convention Hotel, New Delhi, India Contact: Mrs Kay Creedon Phone: +91-77-18-018-424 (India); +31-68-36-71-708 (Netherlands) Email: [email protected] Website: http://india.flowcontrolexchange.com/ 15 – 18 OCTOBER 2017 Kuwait Oil & Gas Show and Conference (KOGS, 2017) The KOGS 2017 incorporates an international exhibition of oil and gas hardware and services and a broad spectrum technical conference. It serves all areas of the oil and gas industry; including petroleum geosciences, exploration & production and refining & petrochemical products and services. Location: Kuwait Contact: Fawzi Al Shehabi Phone: +973 17 550033 Fax: +973 17 553288 Email: [email protected] Website: http://kogs2017.com/ 16 – 19 OCTOBER 2017 Iran International Water & Wastewater Exhibition The 13th International Water and Wastewater Exhibition of Iran focuses exclusively on the water industry. The objective of this exposition is to act as a comprehensive resource for the industry, its members, prospective business visitors and customers by providing in-depth information about the industry and the latest trends influencing its progress.

Location: Tehran, Iran Contact: Ali Tolouei Phone: (0098-21) 4291 7000 Fax: (0098-21) 4291 7100 Email: [email protected] Website: http://watex.ir/English/default.aspx 13 – 16 NOVEMBER 2017 The Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition & Conference (ADIPEC) The Abu Dhabi International Petroleum Exhibition and Conference (ADIPEC) is provides a global platform for oil & gas professionals to do business. The conference programme further educates and provides knowledge transfer and networking opportunities. Location: ADNEC, Abu Dhabi, UAE Phone: +971 (0) 2 444 6900 Email: [email protected] Website: http://www.spe.org/events/en/2017/ conference/17adip/homepage 13 – 15 NOVEMBER 2017 Annual Global Petrochemicals Conference The Global Petrochemicals Summit (GPS), now co-located with ERTC, brings together representatives from European and Middle Eastern producers. This event is focus on downstream manufacturing, refinerypetrochemicals integration developments, refining towards petrochemicals, polymer demand and pricing and safety & reliability. Location: Athens, Greece Contact: Kay Mitchell Phone: +971 (0) 44 356 101 Email: [email protected] Website: http://gps.wraconferences.com/

WEB CALENDAR For more details about these and other events, see the calendar on Valve World's website, www.valve-world.net. Information about upcoming events can be submitted to [email protected]

September 2017

Rack-Pinion-Rack Gear Train

Tight Shut Off

High Capacity Single Stage Trim

High Pressure Drop Multi-Stage Trim

SEE US AT... FLOW CONTROL EXCHANGE

INDIA (NEW DELHI) 5-6 OCTOBER STAND B27

ADIPEC

UAE (ABU DHABI) 13-16 NOVEMBER HALL 8

AXIAL ISOLATION

Goodwin Axial Isolation and Control Valves provide durability, reliability and control, with the exceptional service that Goodwin is renowned for.

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Industry

AMPO SERVICE provides start-up services

UPDATE AUMA's modular actuators tackle a tight squeeze AUMA supplied 72 electric actuators with Modbus RTU communications for a wastewater treatment plant upgrade in Pittsburgh, PA, USA. The Allegheny County Sanitary Authority (ALCOSAN) had problems with manually operated valves controlling the flow of raw sewage into primary treatment tanks at its facility next to the Ohio River, in Pittsburgh’s North Side district. ALCOSAN provides wastewater treatment services to 83 municipalities including the City of Pittsburgh with a total capacity of 250 million gallons (950,000 m3) a day. The original 24-inch (600 mm) inflow valves had non-rising stems that were permanently submerged in raw sewage. The exposed threads on the valve stem collected debris; thus making the valves hard to operate. The solution for this problem was to convert the non-rising stem gate valves over to rising stem types that would be less prone to fouling. To free up operators for other tasks, the new valves would also be fitted with electric actuators linked to the plant’s control system. In January 2017, AUMA supplied 72 SA multi-turn actuators with GK gearboxes, floor stands, new stainless steel valve stems and thrust blocks. All the actuators are equipped with AC controls and Modbus RTU communications. 10

72 submerged 24-inch gate valves control sewage flow into the primary tanks at ALCOSAN’s treatment plant. Thanks to their compact design and flexible positioning, AUMA actuators fit the narrow space between the valve stems and the wall. The ability to fit into tight spaces was an important reason why ALCOSAN chose AUMA actuators. The center of each valve stem is less than 4 inches (100 mm) from a concrete block wall. With other suppliers, ALCOSAN would have had to make significant changes to the wall structure to get the actuators to fit. Thanks to AUMA’s modular design, which offers flexible mounting positions, AUMA provided a compact GK multi-turn gearbox that fits into the narrow space without having to modify the wall. Price and previous experience were also significant factors behind ALCOSAN’s decision. AUMA is the company’s preferred actuator supplier and there are now around 300 AUMA actuators on site.

AMPO SERVICE is providing construction and commissioning services for Plateau Tailing Dam project at the Paragominas bauxite mine, located in the east of the state of Pará in Northern Brazil. Several AMPO SERVICE engineers have moved to Brazil in order to guarantee the correct installation and commissioning in plant of a total of 65 severe service valves that AMPO POYAM VALVES supplied previously in 2016. Whole the valves will be installed on the tailings pipeline of the bauxite mine owned by HYDRO

(MINERAÇAO PARAGOMINAS S.A), whose main objective is bauxite transportation. The valve sizes ranges from 2” to 24” and the pressure range varies from 150# to 900#. AMPO SERVICE engineers have coordinated for several months the start-up service activities in close collaboration with the customer. In addition to this, AMPO SERVICE is also providing training plans for operators and maintenance technicians responsible for construction/installation, operation and maintenance of the plant.

PCI technology is popular in JAPAN

Paul Wurth IHI Co., Ltd.has reached an understanding with a leading international steel group for upgrading their existing dilute phase PCI plants in Japan. The key measure of these modernizations is the installation of Gritzko type coal flow control valves in the injection lines. This installation is based on the excellent operation results reported from a recently commissioned Paul Wurth PCI plant. A first order for the supply of over 160 Gritzko valves for two blast furnaces has been awarded in March 2017. The orders for further customer’s blast furnaces

will follow gradually until March 2018. All projects will be awarded on EPC basis and the scheduled completion for these projects encompassing around 700 Gritzko valves will be April 2019. Paul Wurth IHI management believes that this achievement will help to further promote upgrades for existing PCI plants of both dense phase and dilute flow systems. Pulverised coal injection (PCI) helps to reduce the cost of ironmaking and the carbon footprint of the primary cycle of integrated steelmaking.

September 2017

I N D U S T RY U P D AT E ABO has new distribution center in Germany

Due to a rising demand for quality industrial valves from users in Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands and Luxembourg, ABO management has decided to establish a distribution center in western Germany.

After the expansion of its automation and service center in Russia in March 2017, ABO valve has decided to support its worldwide sales network by establishing ABO Armaturen GmbH in Mönchengladbach, Germany. Starting from September 2017, ABO’s global presence will be further strengthened via expanding its North American headquarters in Houston, and via installing a brand new manufacturing plant in India.

Rotork Gears extends established range of manual bevel valve gearboxes The Rotork Gears Hand Operated Bevel HOB3 gearbox is a new addition to the well-established

HOB/MPR range of bevel gearboxes, designed to offer robust, reliable and cost effective

manual operation of gate valves, globe valves and penstocks. The single ratio HOB3 design extends the scope of the range for the operation of smaller valves, such as 100 mm to 300 mm (4” to 12”) gate valves. F10 to F16 baseplate options with stem diameter acceptance up to 40 mm offers maximium flexibility for valve adaptation. Manufactured with a cast iron gearcase, ductile iron baseplate, protected steel input shaft and fasteners, the HOB3 has been lifetested to ensure that maximum performance, reliability and quality is consistently maintained. The totally enclosed, maintenance-free gearing is grease filled for life and environmentally sealed to IP67. The HOB3 maximum torque output is 315 Nm, with 75 kN maximum thrust. The standard ambient operating temperature range is -40 to +120 °C, with high and low temperature options available. Further options include

The Rotork Gears Hand Operated Bevel HOB3 gearbox extends the scope of the established HOB/MPR bevel gearbox range. increasing the IP67 watertight enclosure to IP68, padlockable input, local position indicator, cover tubes, special coatings for aggressive environments and a firesafe trim conforming to ISO10497. The HOB3 is available with a complete range of mounting brackets, extension shafts, pedestals and accessories to suit any valve application, whilst the Rotork worldwide network of offices and representatives provides a local source for sales, service and support for all Rotork Gears products.

Excellence in Performance & Reliability

TRIPLE DBB VALVE INTEGRAL TYPE SPECIAL ENGINEERING

The DBB Three Balls Valve in one solid piece is another step ahead for integral body solution with isolation and vent patterns flowing throught ball bore 10 or 14 mm.

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TECHNICAL FEATURES • Flanged and/or threaded inlet/outlet • Size from ½” to 6” • Rating #150/2500 • Temperature Range -46°C to +240°C • Bore size: 10/14 mm (Integral body) 20/150 mm (Split body) • Exotic materials availability • Locking device

VERSION *On demand • Fire safe API 607 – ISO 10497 • Fugitive emission ISO 15818 Cl. A-B-C-D ; Part 1 & 2 • CU-TR Russia-Kazakhstan-Byelorussia* • CRN Alberta-New Foundland-Labrador-Ontario* • UA.TR.107.D Ukraine* • PED

L = 254 mm L = Actual face to face dimension for integral DBB 3/4” #150 - ball bore 14 mm

September 2017

I N D U S T RY U P D AT E Siemens adds to its damper actuators

The Siemens Building Technologies Division is expanding its range of OpenAir damper actuators for heating, ventilation and air conditioning applications with spring-return models with 4 Nm of torque. At the same time, new features are being added to conventional damper actuators with 2 Nm of torque. With the new 4 Nm-torque spring-return actuators, building technologies can more finely scale air damper motorization, thus avoiding unnecessary and

September 2017

expensive over-motorization. Spring-return actuators are primarily used when spring force is needed to move de-energized air dampers into a defined failsafe position. The new conventional damper actuators with 2 Nm torque are now available for AC 230 V as well as AC/DC 24 V. This means greater flexibility and less effort during installation because no additional power supply needs to be installed, regardless of the controller's specifications. Other variants with DC 0/2-10 V control signals for continuously modulating actuators and for non-modulating actuators with 2/3- positions open up new control options for damper actuators. The modern air damper actuators of the OpenAir family are fast and easy to install due to the new one-screw shaft adapter.

Albion invests in Middle East Albion Valves Ltd is investing in its export business with specific focus on the Middle East. Albion is creating a dedicated export team and has forged new partnerships with representatives in the region to support growth. Albion has had some representation in the Middle East for several years, however with the emergence of several new major infrastructure projects in the region such as facilities to accommodate the 2022 World Cup, there has been increasing demand for building services from Dubai to Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Kuwait.

Albion has recently agreed deals with leading agents in UAE, Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia. Albion will consider opening a Middle Eastern base for business; however in the shortterm export will be supported by a growing UK based team, which will be managed by new Export Sales Coordinator, Ryan Moore.

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I N D U S T RY U P D AT E AR Controls now owns IncoValve and Controls

AR Controls of Vanderbijlpark has announced that it has acquired IncoValve and Controls. The latter will be established as a leading producer for a range of industries. IncoValve and Controls has worked closely with AR Controls to combine the latest design and manufacturing technologies with decades of field experience.

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Industries to be targeted initially by IncoValve and Controls are mining, minerals processing, power generation, petrochemical, oil and gas, water and wastewater, pulp and paper, food and beverage, sugar, and ethanol. Products include butterfly valves, available in concentric, high-performance doubleoffset, and triple-offset severeservice valve designs in various material, trim, and connection configurations, from PN10 to PN100. Ball valves include one-, two-, and three-piece flanged and screwed floating ball valves, and metal-seated, trunnionmounted, and severe service ball valves, available in pressure classes up to Class 2500 in various material, trim, and connection configurations. Actuators on offer include stainless steel and aluminium

alloy rack and pinion actuators, high-performance, high-torque output scotch yoke actuators, and stainless steel and standard linear actuators. All actuators

are available in either doubleacting or fail-safe, with the latter being achieved through spring return or air failsafe reservoir designs.

ZD VALVE delivers DN4100 PN5 valves to nuclear plant

ZD VALVE has delivered two sets DN4100 PN5 double eccentric double flanged butterfly valve with related dismantling joints and other accessories to Zhejiang Sanmen nuclear power plant. ZD VALVE, a subsidiary of China Valves Technology,

focuses on water industry butterfly valves. The company manufactured butterfly valves are widely used for water plant, water treatment, water supply, water distribution, waste water treatment, sewerage, seawater desalination, etc.

September 2017

I N D U S T RY U P D AT E Rotork’s RHS solves valve access issue at water treatment plant

The Rotork RHS mounted on the walkway enable the user to conveniently and safely operate, interrogate and configure the IQ3 actuators below. Recent rehabilitation at the drinking Water Treatment Plant #2 in Olathe, Kansas, USA, has included the installation of Rotork IQ3 intelligent electric valve actuators to replace electric actuators from another manufacturer. In the gravity filter plant, 18 butterfly valves are situated in an area beneath a walkway which made it difficult to access and operate the old actuators. With the new Rotork actuators, the installation of Remote Hand Stations (RHS) has now eliminated this problem.

September 2017

Providing an exact duplicate of the actuator switches, display window and control interface, the RHS are mounted on the walkway to enable the user to conveniently and safely operate, interrogate and configure the actuators below. Power for each RHS is supplied by the actuator, with which the unit shares all the benefits of the same O-ring sealed IP68 double-sealed environmental enclosure. Standard comms wiring suitable for the operating environment is all that is required between the actuator and the RHS, which can be installed at a distance of up to 100 metres (328 ft) from the valve. Unlike alternative options offering only basic operation and indication, the RHS retains all of the actuator’s functionality, presenting an identical window into the process, showing diagnostic data including the valve torque and usage profiles. Using the Rotork hand-held setting tool with its secure wireless Bluetooth® link, this information can be downloaded and transferred to a PC for analysis using Rotork Insight2 diagnostic software to fulfil asset management requirements.

Prelude in Australia Shell Australia has confirmed that its Prelude floating liquefied natural gas (FLNG) facility has arrived in Australian waters. Prelude is the first deployment of Shell’s FLNG technology, that will see a 488 metre long floating facility extracting and liquefying gas at sea, before it is exported to customers around the globe. The project is located approximately 475km north-north east of Broome in Western Australia. Shell Australia Chairman Zoe Yujnovich said the arrival of the Prelude FLNG facility signalled a new era for the Australian LNG export

industry, with the first floating liquefaction facility deployed in local waters. The Prelude project will employ 260 local workers on board the facility during operations and create over a 1500 jobs during the hook-up and commissioning phase of the project. Shell expects to see cashflow from the project during 2018.

Wison Engineering gets a new American contract Wison Engineering Services Co. Ltd. (Wison Engineering) has announced that its non-wholly owned affiliated company, Wison Engineering (China) Limited, has been awarded an EPFC (engineering, procurement, fabrication and construction) contract for one section of a Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE)

project in Texas by Formosa Plastics Corporation, U.S.A. (Formosa Plastics). This is Wison Engineering’s first contract awarded in the American market. Wison Engineering will be responsible for modularization engineering, fabrication, transportation and on-site installation for the project.

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I N D U S T RY U P D AT E Seacroft has new engineering & DP manager Seacroft Marine Consultants has appointed Richard Pearce to the role of Marine Engineering and Dynamic Positioning (DP) Manager. Mr. Pearce has sixteen years’ experience in engineering and technical disciplines of the marine and offshore industry, including spells at some of the sector’s most prominent names. Most recently he was technical manager at Fletcher Group and service delivery manager at Bibby Offshore in Aberdeen and was responsible for the safe and reliable operation of the company's offshore support vessels. Mr. Pearce has also served in seagoing engineering positions and been technical superintendent and technical manager

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services, International Safety Management audits, safety audits and inspections and incident investigation. The firm also offers dynamic positioning services as

well as simulator training in ship handling and bridge team management and specialist recovery and rescue consultancy services.

TAQA awards Schlumberger EPCIC contract

with major offshore vessel operators. Seacroft was established in 1995 and provides marine consultancy and assurance services to the UK and international offshore oil and gas arena. Seacroft Marine Consultants’ expertise includes marine assurance packages, OVID and CMID inspections, dynamic positioning assurance, marine warranty work, rig move

OneSubsea has announced the award of an engineering, procurement, construction, installation and commissioning (EPCIC) contract for a subsea multiphase boosting system by TAQA, for the Otter field in the UK North Sea. Through the EPCIC contract, OneSubsea and its Subsea Integration Alliance partner, Subsea 7, will supply and install a subsea multiphase boosting system including topside and subsea controls, as well as associated life-of-field

services. The project will result in a 30-km subsea tieback to the TAQAoperated North Cormorant platform. OneSubsea and Subsea 7 will deliver a turnkey integrated project from design through supply, installation and commissioning.

September 2017

I N D U S T RY U P D AT E Oil field contract generates innovative Rotork actuator solution Rotork has received an order for 220 pneumatic actuators for the NASR Phase II Full Field Development Project in the UAE. The aim of the project is to increase The addition of a second pneumatic cylinder enables the Rotork actuator to meet the increased output torque the field's oil production capacity requirement demanded by the oil field contract. to 65,000 barrels Rotork Research & Development per day (BPD) from the existing department successfully created capacity of 22,000 BPD. an innovative and simple solution. Awarded by Hyundai Heavy Rotork engineers added a Industries, the order included second pneumatic cylinder, spring-return pneumatic mounted between the GP actuators to operate 30" and scotch yoke centre body and 36" Class 1500 ball valves, the spring-return cylinder. Both with the specification that the cylinders are pressurised in the maximum actuator output same direction at the same torque at a design pressure of time, so one delivers torque for 9.4 bar should not be in excess valve movement, satisfying the of 90% of the valves’ maximum valve MAST requirement, whilst allowable stem torque (MAST). the other independently applies Due to the huge force required the torque to compress the to compress the spring, this spring. requirement is beyond the The resulting actuator is the performance limits of the largest GP350 actuator built tostandard range of Rotork GP date, with a total length of 8.5 pneumatic actuators. However, metres and weighing 19 tonnes. faced with this challenge, the

The plant will be designed to produce diesel, gasoline and

jet A fuel to be sold to the local Guinean market.

Fluor gets a contract from PETRONAS

Fluor Corporation has been awarded an engineering, procurement and construction management (EPCM) contract by PETRONAS Refinery and Petrochemical Corporation Sdn. Bhd. for an isononanol plant located in Pengerang, Johor, Malaysia. The project is part of PETRONAS’ Refinery and Petrochemical Integrated Development (RAPID) project and the mammoth USD 27B Pengerang Integrated

Complex development. Fluor, in a consortium with Technip, is serving as the program management consultant for the RAPID project, as well as the EPCM contractor for the utilities, interconnecting and offsites scope. The facility will produce 250,000T per year of isononanol, which is a key chemical building block in plasticizers used in the automotive and building industries. Facility start-up is expected in 2019.

SNC-Lavalin gets a EPC contract SNC-Lavalin has been awarded a contract by Brahms Oil Refineries Limited to undertake a front-end engineering design (FEED) conversion to EPC contract for a 10,000 barrel per day crude oil refinery in Kamsar, Guinea. The FEED will provide a budget cost estimate to obtain a final investment decision (FID) for the project in the Q3 of 2017. SNC-Lavalin’s scope for this phase of the work includes project management, coordination and management of the process licensor, management of the geotechnical and topographic

September 2017

survey contractors, preliminary engineering and procurement, as well as estimating services and EPC execution plan for the complete grassroots refinery, including the tank farm and marine works required for import of crude oil by ship. The contract signed to date is for the short form FEED, with a process to agree a phased development of the project ultimately into an EPC project following FID approval. 17

I N D U S T RY U P D AT E DNV GL expands research, testing portfolio

Testing and Research Centre is one of the world's most advanced locations for full-scale destructive- and non-destructive

testing for the oil and gas, chemical, utilities and security industries. It is the largest facility of its kind in the UK.

AMPO FOUNDRY supplies valve components

DNV GL has reorganised their research and testing capability in the UK adding a facility at Bishop Auckland, County Durham, UK, to the portfolio. The site, formerly known as the Flow Centre, has been positioned to complement and enhance the research and testing capability at Spadeadam in Cumbria, increasing the scope across the two centres. The Bishop Auckland test facility boasts one of the largest high-pressure natural gas test facilities in the world. It is

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connected to the UK national gas transmission system and uses dry natural gas at pressures from approximately 38 to 55 bar and flow rates from 20 to 19,500 actual m3/hr with nominal gas temperature of 5 to 10°C. A wide range of components from 1” to 48” diameter can be gas flow tested. Calibration of pressure and temperature equipment is also performed along with dimensional calibration of orifice plates in laboratories on site. In Cumbria, the Spadeadam

An international leading manufacturer of district heating valves for the entire heating network, has put trust in AMPO FOUNDRY for the manufacture of large size (>DN1000) stainless steel and pre-machined parts. In order to offer customers the widest possible range of castings and best solutions AMPO has four production lines. In this case, for the development of this project,

AMPO will use its cutting edge sand moulding facilities and all of the components will also be pre-machined on a 5 axis machining center with FMS (Flexible Manufacturing System). AMPO is currently completing the construction of a new 12,500 m2 machining workshop in Idiazabal (Spain), where it has invested in intelligent machine tools. The weight of the components will vary from 600 kgs to 1.2T.

September 2017

BM Engineering’s Zwick valves at a distillery

Zwick valves produced by BM Engineering are used in the oil & gas industry. Recently, BM Engineering supplied Zwick double block and bleed units to a large distillery in Scotland. The distillery, which produces some of the world’s most recognisable alcohol brands available, plans to combine biomass combustion with anaerobic digestion and water recovery, aiming to generate 30MW of energy and meet 95% of the site’s energy needs. Their use of double block and bleed valves from BM Engineering

will save space, weight and maintenance costs. Zwick block and bleed units combine all block and bleed components into a single unit, minimising the risk of leak paths to the atmosphere while providing significant weight savings. BM Engineering was tasked with finding double block and bleed units in order to replace an old system that used two parallel slide valves for double isolation. As Zwick valves have been specially manufactured for use in critical services, their specialist design is significantly smaller and lighter than the distillery’s previous components. The longevity of the Zwick units is also far greater than the parallel slide valves.

Butterfly Valves

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and the largest consumer of cumene, which is an essential raw material. The company has confirmed that the unit will use Badger cumene technology and a full study of investment options is to be completed by the end of 2017.

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INEOS Phenol has announced it is planning to build a world scale Cumene plant in Germany with planned start up in 2020. The construction of the new plant will support customer demand and improve the security of raw material supply to INEOS phenol and acetone plants located in Gladbeck and Antwerp. INEOS Phenol is the world largest producer of phenol and acetone

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INEOS Phenol to investment in a Cumene unit

ABO valve, s.r.o., Dalimilova 54, Olomouc, Czech Republic E [email protected], T +420 585 224 087

www.abovalve.com

I N D U S T RY U P D AT E AUMA actuator retrofit improves safety at OLPP tank farm An upgrade and retrofit project based on AUMA electric actuators has increased safety at a Polish tank farm handling liquid fuels by making emergency valve closing more reliable. The tank farm lies on the outskirts of Koluszki, a town in central Poland, 25 km east of Łód. Its operator is OLPP Sp. z o.o., a leader in the storage and trans-shipment of liquid fuels in Poland. OLPP uses the tank farm to store fuels for distribution, and to maintain national strategic fuel reserves. OLPP is part of Poland’s PERN group, which stores and transports crude oil and other hydrocarbons. The actuator project is part of a new system to protect the Koluszki storage tanks against

over-filling. OLPP wanted to add a dedicated emergency shutdown (ESD) function to the tank valves, alongside the Profibus DP system used for normal control. In May 2017, AUMA delivered and installed 94 new SAEx.2 actuators with ACExC actuator controls, which feature both Profibus DP and a separate hard-wired ESD input. 29 existing AUMA actuators were also retrofitted with the ESD functionality. Other work by AUMA included designing and supplying adapters to connect old nonstandard valves to the new actuators, removing the old actuators, replacing overcurrent protection devices, and make changes in the control room to provide the 24 V DC

electrical supply needed for the ESD system. AUMA actuators with Profibus DP support all three versions of the protocol (Profibus DP-V0, DP-V1 and DP-V2) at speeds up to 1.5 Mbit/s, corresponding AUMA actuators increase safety at an OLPP tank to cycle times of farm in Koluszki, Poland. approximately 0.3 ms per actuator. Each segment can data communication safety, support up to 126 devices, with overvoltage protection up to 4 kV, cable lengths up to around and fiber optic cables to cope with 10 km. Options include long distances that are frequently redundant cabling for increased encountered in tank farms.

Paladon Americas win a new project

Paladon Americas have recently been awarded an order for the supply of 200 complete valve automation systems for Statoil’s Bakken Shale Play. Each system will comprise a 2 1/16” Class 5000 ball valve, a PNS-2-314-SRC6E pneumatic scotch yoke actuator and a local control system. To be installed on the well pad, the systems will provide

ESD protection for the production oil lines. The Bakken Shale Play is located in Eastern Montana and Western North Dakota; as well as parts of Saskatchewan and Manitoba in the Williston Basin. The US Geological Survey has estimated that the Bakken Shale Formation could yield 4.3 billion barrels of oil.

Armatec Group acquires companies from ERIKS Armatec Group, part of Ernströmgruppen, has signed an agreement to acquire all of the shares in Dansk Ventil Center AS (DVC AS) and Valtor Offshore AS from ERIKS. DVC and Valtor will remain separate entities and the management teams of each business remain unchanged. DVC AS and Valtor Offshore AS, have combined annual 20

sales of approximately SEK 180 M and are leading suppliers in Denmark within their respective niches; valves for Danish flow industry and valves & services for the offshore market. In connection with the takeover, the companies become distributors of ERIKS' range of valves and supplementary products.

September 2017

I N D U S T RY U P D AT E Jereh wins EPC contract for Olkaria power project Jereh Group has successfully bid for a geothermal power plant at Olkaria in Nigeria with the offer price of USD 94.5M. The project owner, KenGen, is the largest publicly traded state-owned power company in Kenya. It awarded a consortium led by Yantai Jereh Petroleum Equipment & Technologies Co., Ltd., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Jereh Group and local contractor of H-Young & Company (East Africa) Ltd. to build two sections of a wellhead geothermal power plant in Olkaria. Under the contract, the consortium will carry out the project design, procurement and construction, and the financing will be provided by

Industrial and Commercial Bank of China and Standard Bank of South Africa (Kenya). After the completion of the project, the total installed capacity will be 61MW, the estimated net power generation will be 53.78MW, and the yearly electric generating capacity will be 447GWH, which can effectively transform the resources into economic advantages, driving the local development.

Foundation laid for Gazprom Amur GPP The first foundation for the Amur gas processing plant (GPP) was laid in the Svobodnensky District of the Amur Region. The Amur GPP has strategic importance for the Eastern Gas Program. The plant will be supplied via the Power of Siberia gas pipeline with multi-component gas from the Yakutia and Irkutsk gas production centers that are being set up by Gazprom. The GPP will extract valuable substances, primarily ethane and helium, from gas for the purposes of the petrochemical and other industries. The processed gas will then be exported to China. By laying the foundation for the plant, Gazprom launched the main phase of the construction project, namely

the establishment of the key gas processing facilities. The Amur GPP will have six production lines, each of which will be an independent gas processing facility with the annual capacity of 7 bcm. Two process lines will come online at the first start-up complex, while the other four will be consecutively put in operation later. The GPP will thus reach its design capacity of 42 bcm of gas per year. The plant will also include the world's largest helium production facility (up to 60 MCUM per year).

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September 2017

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I N D U S T RY U P D AT E AMFW wins FEED contract Amec Foster Wheeler has been awarded a Front-End Engineering Design (FEED) contract by Total Raffinage France, a subsidiary of Total. Total has stated that the Donges refinery in western France currently lacks desulphurisation capacity, and a significant proportion of its fuels are therefore exported because they no longer meet fuel quality European Union specifications. The project, comprising a new vacuum gas oil hydrotreater unit and sour water stripping unit, as well as modification of existing units and new interconnections, is part of the investment planned

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physical plant. Collating documents, data, and models of the plant, the AIH is a powerful information management system with which to control and review aspects of the plant

throughout its life in a secure environment. This is an important project for Total designed to increase the performance of the Donges refinery, which Amec Foster Wheeler knows well.

DeZURIK plug valves replaced after 60yr service by Total to upgrade its Donges refinery. Amec Foster Wheeler will support the modernisation of Total Raffinage’s Donges refinery by combining its refinery FEED expertise, integrated engineering systems capabilities and its Asset Information Hub (AIH) with the visualisation and digital asset Virtual Plant technology. The AIH provides a digital representation of the

DeZurik’s two 18” and three 14” PEC eccentric plug valves have been removed from service after over 60 years on the Intake Structure to the Primary Clarifiers at a Water Treatment Plant in Omaha, Nebraska. They are the PEC eccentric plug valves with the longest recorded service life. Over the past 60 years, these valves handled flows of 12 to 15 MGD and were cycled a couple times each day. The valves were originally installed when this portion of the plant

was built in the 1950’s and have been replaced with new, automated DeZURIK Eccentric plug valves.

September 2017

I N D U S T RY U P D AT E Bernard Controls’ solution was approved by both end user and fireworkers coordinating the project,

Bernard Controls electric actuators in use

Bernard Controls recently provided a hundred 24 VDC quarter-turn electric actuators, EZ15 models with LOGIC integrated control, to AG der Dillinger Hüttenwerke. Following local fireworkers’ regulatory inspection, there was a need to upgrade the hydraulic system of the plant. Amongst the requirements, two main points were decisive: First, the motor had to run

with a low starting current to match emergency power supply conditions. Then, it was necessary to receive signaling coming from the actuator. Bernard Controls’ teams offered to send a sample of EZ15 actuator for tests directly on site. Eventually, current rated was satisfying and matched perfectly customer’s expectations. In case of power outage, valves would keep on running correctly. The LOGIC integrated control satisfies to the second request. This cost and time saving solution guarantees easier commissioning and simplified settings .

who also confirmed their will to re-use this solution on other sites in the coming years.

Flowbus actuator gets DNG VL approval

Flowbus has obtained a type approval certificate of compact electro hydraulic actuator in offshore units awarded by the independent certification body DNV GL. This EEHA type electro hydraulic actuator has combined a hydraulic system with an electrical unit system and is designed to provide a complete system solution for

electro hydraulic actuators in ships, offshore and light craft. This type approval certificate is an important step for Flowbus as the certification process has verified that the innovated EEHA type electro hydraulic actuator meets their strict safety requirement to deliver a high performance even in extreme conditions.

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September 2017

www.hartmann-valves.com

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Neway: Global awareness, local solutions Neway, China’s largest valve manufacturer, enjoys worldwide-renown for providing customers with complete solutions for industrial valves. Indeed, the company has a solid brand reputation thanks to its unique products, top-notch technologies, and extensive sales and services teams. Now listed on the stock exchange, Neway’s smooth operations and favorable growth are providing a solid basis for further development. Valve World visited Neway Valve’s headquarters and production facility in Suzhou, Jiangsu Province, and talked to Vice President Mr. Lu Liangfeng (Vincent Lu) to learn about the company’s future strategies in the global valve market. By Zhu Yixing (Jewel) For the past twenty years, Neway’s mission has been to provide its partners and clients with complete solutions for all industrial valve applications. Determined from the start to become a global leader, Neway invested early in a state-of-theart production base with three vertically integrated foundries, advanced R&D centres and extensive testing facilities. The company also set about developing new

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technologies, concepts, and innovations in line with its philosophy of literally being a “new way” to provide solutions to the valve industry. Hardly surprising then that today Neway has grown to become one of the industry’s leading valve manufacturers with quality products, a worldwide distribution network, and branch offices established in China, the USA, Brazil, the Netherlands, Italy, Singapore and the UAE.

Complete quality control Quality is the absolute key for Neway. The quality of the company’s products is partly due to the design standard but also stems from the fact that all manufacturing steps are available in-house for both forged and cast valves. Comments Mr. Lu: “at Neway the majority of all valves are cast so the foundries are crucial to our ability to deliver finished products with the right quality and

September 2017

C O V E R S T O RY

The Neway foundries are qualified to NORSOK standards for various grades of material. the client and are better able to guarantee delivery times. I can say that engineers from companies such as Shell, Dow Chemical and BP etc. were most complimentary after visiting our foundry.” Further commenting on the sources of raw materials, Mr. Lu comments that currently more than half of the material purchased for manufacturing is obtained domestically. “Proper control of the supply chain is a must for a global enterprise which is why we have procurement engineers in China and in Italy. In fact, we plan to have more procurement of special materials from abroad. We therefore welcome contact from companies who may be interested in developing a cooperative partnership,” says Mr. Lu.

Capacity and capability in a wide range of materials. This is why we decided to invest in our own foundry right from the start in 2002. In 2015 Neway’s expanded foundry was put into operation, further assuring quality levels and ramping up production capacity. In fact, adds Mr. Lu. easily ninety-five per cent of all necessary castings can now be made inhouse. He continues: “We are an open and up-front company, meaning that we invite customers to see our foundries and indeed all our facilities. At the same time we explain to them the science of pouring materials and give advice on selecting the most appropriate alloys that will best suit their specific requirements. Having integrated foundries means we have total product quality control, from design, casting, heat treatment, machining, assembly, testing, painting, packing, right up to shipping. Moreover, with our own foundries, we are able to keep production costs low for the benefit of

September 2017

Neway continues to develop the technical specifications of its standard products, allocating a significant annual budget to testing and research in the areas of design, fugitive emissions, and environmental challenges. The company can conduct all valve testing procedures as determined in industry standards such as API, NORSOK, DIN/EN (AD2000), ISO, and GOST, or as required by major clients. The extensive range of products delivered by Neway reflects the company’s desire to meet everchanging customer demands. As a result, the company also produces a wide variety of valves covering practically all pressure and temperature classes supported by automation systems and devices. With its range of products and top-notch facilities it is no wonder that Neway continues to garner more and more end user approvals. Having successfully become a preferred supplier of valve solutions to many world-class end users and EPC companies, the company serves most

major industries including oil, gas, refining, chemical, power generation, marine, pipeline transmission and nuclear. Neway’s broad scope of products can deliver quality valves to meet the most demanding and difficult service requirements. “Neway strives to penetrate new markets with quality products that are competitive, meet client expectations, and offer innovative designs,” reveals Mr. Lu. “With less than two decades in the valve industry, Neway’s growing R&D investments allow new product development to reach far beyond the company’s initial entry into the refining and chemical arenas. We are also performing well in the nuclear industry and we are the only Chinese valve manufacturer to have won approval for the British Hinkley Point nuclear project. Our capability to execute nuclear projects demonstrates without any doubt that we can easily undertake projects no matter what the industry as we adhere to the selfsame quality control system.” Looking to the future, Mr. Lu says that Neway will continue to secure end-user approvals for the severest of applications to further expand its business. “We will also make efforts to increase our market share for orders for large-scale projects, especially in the fields of oil & gas, the offshore industry and power plants. Until now, we have largely fulfilled orders for medium-sized projects but last year we carried out some large-scale project work for Yamal LNG, which has certainly whetted our appetite for more,” he continues. “In fact we have just been approved by BP Upstream, which allows us to join two projects in Indonesia and the Gulf of Mexico whilst another end user approval from Algeria enables us to enter the market in Africa.”

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C O V E R S T O RY Global awareness, local solutions At present up to seventy per cent of Neway’s sales are generated overseas. With a worldwide distribution network and branch offices established in USA, Brazil, the Netherlands, Italy, Singapore and UAE, overseas staff numbers now exceed 130. Mr. Lu tells us: “Our products can be found anywhere in the world where high quality is appreciated. We are also particularly looking to the Middle East to expand our business through our branch office there. Add to this Neway’s expanding tie-ups in the global marketplace and it is easy to see why demand for our products will continue to grow.” Neway has certainly achieved considerable success in the USA where around 60 staff take care of the North and South American markets. Mr. Lu explains the origins of this success. “Firstly we recruited highly-trained staff, with years of industry experience and a deep understanding of the local market. Secondly we maintain stock levels of around USD 14 million in the USA. This means we can serve clients’ MRO needs in a very timely manner, however many valves they need. Our third advantage is the service level: we have well-trained technicians who can assist clients on a 24x7 basis, which is quite unique amongst suppliers.” Mr. Lu stresses, however, that customers in Europe, Southeast Asia and the Middle East are equally important to Neway. “This is why we have set up several overseas branch offices as well as an R&D center in Italy. We want to make sure that all clients, no matter where they are located, can enjoy a local service backed up by the power of our global operations. “

Intelligent manufacturing Outside China, Neway does not limit itself to simply selling its own brand products but it also works on technology exports, tie-ups, and exchanges. “Part of our global success story is due to our continuous commitment to pursuing advanced technology through innovative developments,” says Mr. Lu. “Our staff keeps a constant watch on promising

In-house cryogenic testing of axial flow check valve. technologies which can be picked up by our R&D teams to deliver superior products.” An additional driving force in Neway’s success story has been its high-quality product guarantee. As such Neway uses nothing but the best hardware and software to create advanced, comprehensive production systems with automated lines, production control systems, and other sophisticated processes. Mr. Lu explains: “we recognize the value of data accumulation and so invested in a MES system two years ago to consolidate our management systems. This has further driven up quality control and facilitated more automated manufacturing and intelligent production.” The MES system is open, meaning that clients can enjoy real-time access to project information and can check all inspection and witness reports, etc. Comments Mr. Lu: “we believe the market will be reshaped and expanded thanks to IIoT, which we see as yet another opportunity to become a leading manufacturer in the world.”

Opening doors for cooperation “Within China we are one of the top manufacturers and outside our home area the Neway brand is rapidly expanding

Leader in FE technology More and more valve manufacturers have put attention on FE technology. Recently, Neway has taken a proactive stance to design and certify multiple product lines that will enable clients to meet their need for low emission valves. Says Mr. Lu: “many

Neway Valve facility at Suzhou, the largest, single location valve manufacturing plant, globally. 26

refineries are pushing ahead with much needed turnarounds and upgrades. They are using this opportunity to install low-emission products to ensure compliance with more stringent local emission regulations. In that light I should mention that Neway took the lead position in conducting complete third party emissions testing on API 600 gate valves and API 602 forged gate and globe valves, according to API 624, while achieving sub 50 ppm emission levels throughout the test. Certified and witness testing has also been completed on the full recommended range of API 623 globe valves, and API 603 gate valves. For valves outside the scope of API 624, Neway is also certified to ISO15848-1 class A & B, API 641, TA-LUFT and other specific customer testing standards.”

Subsea gate and ball valve.

September 2017

C O V E R S T O RY

Projects Project Name: Year: End user: EPC: Product: Material: Quantity Project description:

Hinkley Point C Nuclear Power Station 2017 NNB GENERATION COMPANY LIMITED AREVA GMBH. “Globe/ DN8~DN50/ Safety Class Q2,Q3,NC Working Pressure 3~250 Bar Operation Temperature 50~265 Deg.C” M3301 Z2CND17-12, M3306 Z2CND18-12/NS 2000+

Project Name: Year: End user: EPC: Product: Material: Quantity Project description:

61439G - YAMAL LNG PROJECT 2014 TOTAL Technip Ball /GGC valve 1/2~28” 150-900Lb LF2/LCC/CF8M/F316 22000+

Hinkley Point C nuclear power station (HPC) is a project to construct a 3,200 MWe nuclear power station with two EPR reactors in Somerset, England. The proposed site is one of eight announced by the British government in 2010, and in November 2012 a nuclear site licence was granted. On 28 July 2016 the EDF board approved the project, and on 15 September 2016 the UK government approved the project with some safeguards for the investment. The plant, which has a projected lifetime of sixty years, has an estimated construction cost of between £19.6 billion and £20.3 billion. The National Audit Office estimates the additional cost to consumers under the “strike price” will be £29.7 billion. Financing of the project is still to be finalised, but the construction costs will be paid for by the mainly state-owned EDF of France and state-owned CGN of China. In this project, NEWAY will offer nuclear safety class valves which will be installed in the nuclear island, which is being constructed by AREVA.

YAMAL LNG is an integrated project encompassing natural gas production, liquefaction and shipping. The Project consists of construction of a liquefied natural gas (LNG) plant with an output capacity of around 16.5 million tons per year, using the South Tambey Field as a resource base. The field’s proven and probable reserves, by PRMS standards, are estimated at 926 billion cubic meters. Extensive transportation infrastructure is being built in the scope of the Project, including a sea port and the Sabetta Airport. The planned LNG plant will have three trains with total capacity of 16.5 million tonnes of liquefied natural gas per year. First train will be operational by the end of 2017 and the full capacity will be achieved by 2021.Yamal LNG project is an order obtained by Offshore Oil engineering Co.,Ltd ( CNOOC group) that has the highest bid price ,strictest technical requirement and longest bid period, and is also China’s first LNG core technology construction project.

Actuated ball valves.

throughout the world. Our work always adheres to our principle of complete solutions for industrial valves,” emphasizes Mr. Lu. Asked further about Neway’s future plans, Mr. Lu concludes: “with the current economic trends, many business owners are progressively making fewer investments. This concurs with our predictions, but at the same time we are very successful in showing customers

that newer technologies and business initiatives can increase the reliability and efficiency of their product operations. With the knowledge and experience of our professional staff, plus our proven ability to develop solutions to help customers solve their problems, I am utterly convinced that Neway will maintain its leading role in this dynamic and competitive market for industrial valves.”

Facts & figures Name: Established: Head office: Global locations: No. of employees: Industries served:

Products: High velocity oxygen fuel spraying.

September 2017

Neway Valve (Suzhou) Co.,Ltd (SSE code: 603699) 1997 Suzhou, China USA, Brazil, The Netherlands, Italy, Singapore, Dubai, Saudi Arabia (JV) 2000+ Gas, Oil, Refining, Chemical, Coal Chemical, Offshore, FPSO, Air Separation, LNG, Nuclear Power, Power Generation, and Pipeline Transmission Ball, gate, globe, check, butterfly, control, nuclear, safety and subsea valves; Wellhead Products

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P R O J E C T R E P O RT

Barakah: first nuclear power plant for UAE nears completion

Image: Twitter @ENEC_UAE

Construction of Abu Dhabi’s first nuclear energy plant is well underway. By 2020, the site will be home to four operating nuclear reactors which are expected to supply up to 25% of UAE’s electricity needs. The Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC) commenced construction of the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant in July 2012. The plant is an important part of the UAE’s efforts to diversify its energy sources, and will provide clean and efficient energy to homes, businesses and government facilities while reducing the country’s carbon footprint. When fully operational, the plant is expected to save the UAE up to 12 million tons of carbon emissions every year. The UAE's Peaceful Nuclear Energy Program is one of the most ambitious and exciting projects in the country. According to ENEC the program now surpasses nuclear construction sites in China, the United States of America, the United Kingdom, Russia and other

September 2017

countries. Approximately 2,500 highly trained personnel will be required by 2020, including operators, engineers, technicians and support staff. To date, a significant amount of materials has supported the construction of Units 1 through 4 at the Barakah Nuclear Energy Plant, including: • More than 1.4 million cubic yards of concrete, approximately 50 percent of the total concrete that will be used on these structures once construction is complete and three times the total volume of concrete used in the Burj Khalifa (431,600 cubic yards). • More than 250,000 tons of reinforcing steel that, even with installation not yet complete, amounts to more

•

than six times the total tonnage of reinforcing steel used in the Burj Khalifa (39,000 tons). 1,559 km meters of cable, which would stretch more than the distance between London and Rome (1,433.93 km).

Safety In February 2015, ENEC received the top award in the “Building Risk Management Capability” category at the Institute of Risk Management’s 2015 Global Risk Awards. ENEC received this award based on their commitment to the highest international standards of safety, quality and risk management. Their efforts included an independent Quality Assurance program to ensure that the UAE’s first nuclear energy plant was constructed, commissioned and operated in line with the best industry practices, governing codes and standards, regulations and license requirements. ENEC’s Quality Assurance program is applied not just to ENEC, but to the entire supply chain of contractors and subcontractors involved in the project. The program is documented in ENEC’s Quality Assurance Manual, which outlines the quality requirements and responsibilities for all activities conducted by, or on behalf of, ENEC, including oversight of its prime contractor, the Korea 29

P R O J E C T R E P O RT

Barakah units 1-4 (Photo: ENEC, May 2017) of 1,400MW. The plant is designed to withstand earthquakes of magnitude 7.0 or higher on the Richter scale.

Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO), as well as subcontractors and suppliers.

Fuel assemblies from South Korea destined for the Barakah site (Image: @ENEC_UAE)

Barakah NPP reactors Construction of Barakah nuclear power plant

The nuclear power plant will be equipped with APR1400 nuclear reactor technology, which was developed by the Korean nuclear industry under the leadership of KEPCO. Reactor design is based on the System 80+ design, which is certified by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) in the US. The reactor is licensed by the Korean nuclear safety regulator, the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS), and is expected to have a lifespan of 60 years.

Reactor technology The Advanced Power Reactor 1400 MW (APR-1400) is an advanced pressurised water nuclear reactor designed by the Korea Electric Power company. It is an upgraded version of OPR1000, the Optimum Power Reactor 1000MW, the first standard pressurised water reactor (PWR) plant in Korea. The APR1400 reactor consists of advanced features such as direct vessel injection from the safety injection system, passive flow regulation device in the safety injection tank, in-containment refuelling water supply system, and systems for severe accident mitigation and management. The reactor features two steam generators, which will transfer the heat of 4,000MW from the reactor coolant system to the secondary system. This secondary system will produce steam that will drive the turbine-generator, which in turn will produce a net electrical power

Construction works started with the laying of first nuclear safety concrete for the unit 1 in July 2012. Fabrication and installation of the containment liner plate (CLP) of the reactor containment building was completed in November 2013. ENEC installed the condenser in February 2014 and the first reactor vessel (RV) in May 2014. Construction of the reactor containment building (RCB) began in July 2012 with the fabrication of the basemat, and the construction of concrete dome for RCB was completed in January 2015. Construction of the unit 2 began in May 2013 and is expected to be completed in 2018, while that of unit 3 started in September 2014 and is expected to be completed in 2019. The unit 4 is expected to come online in 2020.

Barakah plant financing The US Export-Import Bank approved $2bn in financing for the plant in September 2012. The contractors involved with Barakah nuclear power plant include a $20.4bn contract to the consortium led by Korea Electric Power Corporation (KEPCO) for the design, construction and operation of four APR1400 nuclear power units at the Barakah NPP in December 2009. The consortium comprises Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP), Hyundai, Samsung,

Doosan, Korea Power Engineering Company (KOPEC), Korea Nuclear Fuel (KNF), and Korea Plant Service and Engineering (KPS). KHNP is in charge of the operating support services and cooperative businesses, while KEPCO Engineering & Construction (KEPCO E&C) was awarded the subcontract for providing plant design, architecture and engineering works. Doosan was entrusted with the construction and management of the nuclear steam supply system (NSSS), steam generator, and other related components. Hyundai and Samsung are responsible for the civil engineering works, while Westinghouse was engaged for providing technical assistance and licenserelated works. KNF will supply the nuclear fuel, which will be maintained by KPS. Bechtel is providing design and project management support services to KEPCO E&C, a subsidiary of KEPCO.

Project facts Plant type: Location: Capacity: Construction start: Expected completion: Developer:

Nuclear Abu Dhabi, UAE 5,600MW July 2012 2020 Emirates Nuclear Energy Corporation (ENEC)

Project milestones

30

FEED awarded

Start construction

Units 1-4 75% complete

Expected completion

Dec 2009

July 2012

May 2017

2020

September 2017

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COLUMN

What is “Added Value?”

By Barrie Kirkman

The phrase “Added Value” conjures up different meanings depending where you are in the valve supply chain, whether an end user, distributor, contractor or valve manufacturer. Today, in the very difficult current trading conditions, added value can, and has, slipped away as costs become the controlling factor. Those end users who stand firm and even push forward with added value will, without question in the long term, have safer valves and far better reliable plants. In this article, I will highlight typical added value that gains the interest of the end user whilst others do not. To me, an end user should drive the process within the industry and, wherever possible, influence the supply chain and even International Standards. They should clearly state and perhaps prioritize those areas that are important. There is a wide variation of added value for valves; either they are thought as a commodity product with minimum value whilst others actively look at valves with added value. In the late 90’s more and more end users were selecting the added value route but by 2008 the momentum slowed with the fall in the oil price. Over the past 3 years the valve industry has been consolidating. The supply chain is trying to create its own so called “added value” in an attempt to both differentiate their product from competitors and also to advise the end user what should be added value.

Added Value claims The most obvious and easiest for suppliers is to claim innovation with fugitive emissions. “This wonderful product will reduce your emissions and save you millions of dollars!” They haven’t a clue what an emission is.

September 2017

Another is “This product will cut your maintenance downtime” They actually do not even know what the current downtime is. So, the supply chain’s strategy is to say “here’s your problem and here’s your solution”. A simple innovation check list is given in Figure 1 highlighting “added value and end user needs” which, when combined, often results in success. Added value without need does not. End users should appreciate that whoever they have awarded valve contracts / agreements to, ALL offer some level of added value. The skill is to understand what the added value level is and how then both the supply chain and the end user can best develop and further add value. Please note, not all end users wish to pursue added value and not all suppliers desire to offer a comprehensive added value package.

Please let me introduce “The Added Value Indicator”, Figure 2. This shows the supply chain value versus end user value and is divided into low, medium and high areas. Added value may be direct and/ or indirect. Example 1 (A); The end user and supply chain added value is very basic and limited. Both parties are satisfied. This is known as “basic added value”. Possibly value has been gained out of low valve costs only.

Added Value: Innovation check list Supplier Product claims • Reduction in energy / fugitive emissions • Reduction in Maintenance / Operational costs • Product simplification / standardisation / meeting new Legislation & Codes • New improved product design replacing old less effective designs • Procurement simplification • • • • • • • •

Products are unlikely to succeed when; No End User need for the Product. Just another “variation” of existing technology / old technology redressed More than one solution to the problem is available in the market. The product may be good but “the costs” are too high. Poor or no Life Cycle Costs or Return On Investment shown. Poor presentation & knowledge of the Product from the Suppliers representative. Supplier “Product claims” were too “wild”

• • • • • • •

Products may succeed when; Product was technically supported and presented well from the supplier. Product genuinely was “innovative & new”. Product offered “added value” and was “ needed by End Users”. Product contributed to End User technical, HSE and / or Procurement initiatives. Product met new Legislation or International Codes e.g. API, ISO etc. Product availability and supply chain route to the End User was quick and easy (usually, but not always, via established Suppliers.)

Figure 1. 33

COLUMN

Added Value Indicator Supply Chain Added Value

High added value

Industry “successes” limited

D2 (real added value) Medium added value D1 (some added value) Low added value B(end user constrained)

Question? How does your distributor or valve manufacture perform?

C (supply chain constrained) A ( basic added value)

End User Added Value Figure 2: Added Value Indicator. Nothing else is expected. These contracts tend to rotate frequently within the industry. Valve quality may be at risk. Example 2 (B); A supply chain has the ability to offer the end user countless added value opportunities but the end user is either “not interested” or “unable to capitalise because of company structures or personnel barriers”. This is known as “end user restriction of added value”. Here the end user should be cautious as the supply chain will attempt to increase valve prices and add services to prevent frequent contract rotation. Example 3 (C); An end user has the structure and internal personnel that are capable of added value activities but the supply chain does not. Opportunities are missed. This is known as “supply chain restriction of added value”. This indicates perhaps the wrong supplier has been selected. Or, again, low valve costs were selected as the important factor. Example 4 (D1 & D2); When both the end user and supply chain both can offer and are able to deliver continuous added value TOGETHER then the results can be quite amazing. This is known as either “medium added value” or “real added value”. Examples are very limited, especially the continuous delivery. Innovation and thinking out of the box is often lacking. So, what are some of the generic added values? The following list suggests some added values where various sub-levels can be added beneath. For example, standardisation/ simplification of standards, maybe solving a recurring valve problem or assisting in pre-shutdown activities. There are so many. Each of those identified should 34

have a process detailing the real deliverable value, scope of activity, schedule and key person(s) responsible for its delivery. Simplified procurement process: Restrict number of valve manufacturers; duration of contract; self-monitoring performance; value “models” established and delivered annually; improved life cycle – target zero maintenance Contract pricing: 100% of demand (with no leakage and uncontrolled pricing); Agreed deliveries & implementation for MRO & Projects HSE enhancement Operational / Maintenance excellence All sites & Projects: Europe, North America, South America, Middle East, Far East, Australia All valves: Cast, forged, gate, globe, check, ball, actuated, HF Acid, butterfly, plug plus others… Stock: Management of MRO, projects, consignment, movers, non-movers, specials Support: Standards, technical, innovation, standardisation, shutdowns, Quality & QC, emissions, expediting One important indicator that such value is being achieved by an end user is that the spend profile for the supply chain continually grows as new value areas are developed and added. Accompanying this would be a reduction in contract leakage to other suppliers. The end user wins and the supplier wins. This creates a momentum of success which, if carefully managed, can achieve amazing results. Examples exist of 10-fold growth over a 5-year period. At this stage, I must state that the above “model” should not be thought to be only

applicable to distributors. It is not. The end user should decide this. End users should be able to select from the above list to match their own expectations and marketing strategy. Over the years I have used most if not all the market options.

Barriers So, what are some typical barriers? Achieving “all sites”. For example, in Europe, Germany will be difficult. They may have a local national activity though even this would be difficult. The German valve industry is very insular to international activities of added value. Behind Germany is France who are very patriotic with French suppliers though their valve manufacturing base has been greatly reduced in the past 20 years. If an end user truly succeeds in these countries I totally applaud their success! Another obvious barrier is bringing MRO and projects together. This is reflected in how few end users have achieved this. On one of my projects the Project Manager instructed a contractor to purchase the valves from the end user frame agreements. They chose not to and placed orders with different suppliers. Result, the contractor had to cancel these orders at their own cost. On another an end user Project Manager relaxed the end user frame agreements. The end user site refused the valves which had to be re-sourced. Lastly, preventing contract leakage as historic relationships and people issues arise. Even by flipping the electronic buying switch engineers with their own budget and procuring routes buck the system. These need to be weeded out. I wonder how many ticks you can confidently give for the list? Or are there those areas that have always been difficult to resolve? I expect you have many more added value areas. I hope the above simplification has enabled a better understanding of added value and has challenged your perception of this area. Perhaps you may wish to develop added value further with your supply chain or vice versa? As usual any comments are more than welcome. Barrie Kirkman, BSc CEng MIMechE, writes a regular column for Valve World, bringing his own personal views from inside the valve business. Barrie can be contacted at [email protected]

September 2017

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FIVE MINUTES WITH…

During a recent trip to the Czech Republic Valve World had the opportunity for a short interview with Bronislav Balga, who is the Maintenance Director for Fosfa. We asked him about his company’s goals and approach to maintenance. By David Sear

Mr. Bronislav Balga MR. BALGA, CAN YOU GIVE A BRIEF INTRODUCTION TO FOSFA? Fosfa was founded in 1884. It is a part of Fosfa Industries Ltd., which includes a manufacturing plant in Germany and a joint venture in Kazakhstan. Fosfa is the largest processor of yellow phosphorus in Europe, and exports its products to more than eighty countries world-wide.

HOW SIGNIFICANT IS THE COMPANY MOTTO “WE LIVE TO GIVE“? Our endeavour to bring to life our vision captured in our “We live to give” motto is embodied by our own line of environmentally friendly cleaning products under our Feel Eco brand, and in the establishment of the first vertical farm in the Czech Republic. We are also successful in the field of energy distribution.

WHAT ARE FOSFA’S GOALS? We aspire to be a Life Science company for the twenty first century. So for example the primary aims of our management system are customer service and a friendly and respectful approach towards the environment. Moreover, Fosfa has its own personnel education system that includes Fosfa University as well as a company kindergarten.

ON A MORE PRACTICAL LEVEL, WHAT IS YOUR APPROACH TO MAINTENANCE? In the TPM (Total Productive Maintenance) and Maintenance Programs we plan our maintenance and are gradually learning to predict equipment wear by means of vibrodiagnostics, thermodiagnostics, and other state-of-the-art tools. Based on equipment categorization, we are able to prioritize equipment and focus our maintenance interventions.

DO YOU PERFORM MAINTENANCE YOURSELVES OR OUTSOURCE? We handle all our maintenance using in-house resources, with the exception of special equipment such as the cogeneration units, compressors etc., which are serviced directly by their manufacturers. As a part of our maintenance strategy, we identify key suppliers of machinery, equipment, and components, and we re-evaluate them every year.

COULD YOU MENTION ANY KEY SUPPLIERSS FOR VALVES? We do prefer European suppliers who o are capable of providing complete solutions ons and service. The key rating criteria do o not include just quality and delivery lead times but, above all, assistance with specifying our future equipment parameters to meet the expected xpected operating conditions, and maintenance ce training. ABO valve is one such company and in fact is ranked among our A-Class suppliers. They provide us with butterfly valves actuated via pneumatic actuators for applications involving acids, lyes, and powder mixtures, and knifegate valves with pneumatic and electric actuators.

SIR, THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME

September 2017

37

«Smart valve operations are key to running a plant as efficiently and safely as possible. Our products help you to increase performance, create a better working environment and minimize interruptions or shutdowns.»

www.sofisglobal.com

TOP

OF

MIND

Rising to the IIoT challenge Merger enables Sofis to increase innovation power and advance towards digitizing mechanical products to benefit customers.

In search of that competitive edge, the flow control industry has seen, and continues to see, many mergers and acquisitions. One recent example was the merge of Netherlocks Safety Systems and Smith Flow Control which formed a new entity: Sofis. Valve World recently caught up with Sofis Marketing Director Frank Gielissen, a conversation in which he explained the thinking behind the merge and discussed their plans for the future. “Both companies were quite successful in the mechanical interlocking business

By combining the portable actuator models of both companies, Sofis now offers a package of complementary solutions.

“With our combined product range we now offer our customers a complete range of solutions for their valve operating challenges.” in their own right” began Mr. Gielissen. “Yet despite positive signs of doubledigit growth and experiencing success outside their domestic markets, we were confronted with a rapidly changing marketplace. We had to adapt.” This, he says, is particularly evident when looking at industry trends towards Industry 4.0 and the Industrial Internet of Things (IIoT). “We saw that the market demands being placed on the two entities were moving in the same direction, and that both had similar product development strategies. Although our products are mechanical by nature, the influence of these new trends in oil and gas is such that everything is becoming connected. If a supplier of mechanical systems ignores this trend, and doesn’t consider how digitization will affect their product range they are bound to miss out on opportunities.” A factor to help capitalize on these opportunities is their new and increase scale, says Mr. Gielissen. “When a company doubles their size and turnover, and has a coherent product development and strategy vision, then exploring new geographic markets and industries becomes that much easier.” The new larger entity, Sofis, is expected to push into greater markets, at a faster

rate, and with more service capability, he says. “We now have 11 locations globally which is a great spread for a company of 120 people” he says proudly. Sofis now has three product lines: process interlocks and key management, drive systems, and valve monitoring systems (eg Valve Position Indicator, VPI). “For all three product lines we’re seeing signs from the market that the products have good synergy, that they’re complementary. We now have an exciting pipeline of innovations for asset management systems and interlocks as well as key management integration with control room systems. With our combined product range we can now offer our customers a complete range of solutions to enhance safety and efficiency for manually operated valves.” Mr. Gielissen concludes with a specific example: “Take for example our Power Wrench and EasiDrive portable actuators. The Power Wrench is a flexible tool for plant turnarounds, whilst the EasiDrive is a smaller and fixed solution which, once installed, only require a 3kg tool to use the valve. What we’re seeing is that the market appreciates the need for both these products originate from different companies, but now form a package of complementary solutions. Now that we’ve joined forces we’re excited to be offering a broader product range, a higher R&D budget and to leverage a better service capability.”

Frank Gielissen Profile: Age: 41 • Education: Bachelor Degree industrial management in Chemical technology from The Hague University in The Netherlands • Career: joined Netherlocks in 2000 • Current role: Marketing Director, Sofis • Career tip: We live in a world that continuously changes – this means that organizations and the people in it need to be aware and able to react to the changes around them.

September 2017

39

On a roll: renewables are now the fastest growing energy sector

In a world of increasing uncertainty, it is always pleasant to learn that something has gone better than expected. This is the case with renewable energy, where costs have fallen more sharply and innovation has progressed faster than expected. However, much work still needs to be done to achieve the goals set out in the Paris climate talks. By James Chater and David Sear

Background Renewables are on a roll. The growth in solar has been exponential, that of wind power scarcely less so. And a number of pilot projects are demonstrating the huge potential of ocean power. (Hydro, biofuels and geothermal are also promising, but will not be discussed in this article.) 40

Two factors have spurred this incredible growth. The first is the need to cut carbon emissions; the second is the realisation that fossil fuels are finite and will need to be complemented, if not fully replaced, by renewables. With regard to the second factor, fears that fossil fuels will soon run out have turned out to be exaggerated. New technologies

for extracting shale oil and gas and tight gas have relieved supplies pressures; this and slower world economic growth have kept oil prices lower than predicted. Turning to the first factor, although renewables have developed rapidly, even faster growth is required to keep global warming within acceptable limits. According to the IEA, renewable power is

September 2017

P O W E R G E N E R AT I O N

Siemens Energy developed PVplanet solar layout planning software in cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute for Industrial Mathematics (ITWM) and Siemens Corporate Technology in order to plan their own photovoltaic facilities more efficiently.

Longyangxia Dam Solar Park (850 MW) was the world’s largest solar farm from 2015 to 2017.

Renewables by region

set to grow by 36% over 2015-21, but will have to increase a further 26% in 2021-5 in order to stay within the 2-degree cap set by the Paris agreement of 2015. After all, energy demand and consumption is increasing overall as the Asian economies expand, and the growth of electric cars will put even more pressure on grids. Consumers often complain about generous subsidies of renewables that lead to higher energy bills. However, these same subsidies have probably helped bring about the rapid technological development that has allowed end costs of solar and wind to plummet, so that they are now competitive with fossil fuels. A sign of the times is that many countries

September 2017

are now capable of running their entire grid for days on end without recourse to fossil fuels, given the right weather conditions. In 2015, for the first time ever half the new energy capacity installed came from renewables. This revolution is being spearheaded by onshore wind (China, the USA, Germany) and to a lesser extent by solar (China, USA, Chile and other South American countries, Saudi Arabia). Among the laggards IEA names offshore wind, CPS and affordable storage (see separate article). The good news is that carbon emissions in the period 2015-6 have levelled off despite economic growth. The bad news is that temperatures continue to climb…

Although the United States is one of the most dynamic markets for green energy, mixed signals are coming from the Trump administration. The President is a climate sceptic who favours coal power. However, he named as secretary for energy Rick Perry, who as governor Texas transformed the state into a leading source of wind power. Strong winds sweep the vast plains of the Midwest, driving wind turbines and profits. Capacity is being added so quickly that the national grid is having to be updated and extended. Wind farms are taking shape in Wyoming, on Lake Erie off the coast of Cleveland, and at Kitty Hawk off the coast of North Carolina. The USA is also a leader in solar, with California in the vanguard. In 2016 Tenaska in the south of the Sunny State became operational, bringing 150MW on stream for San Diego. Large investors include Florida Power & Light and the joint venture of VivoPower International and Innovative Solar. The future of power generation, including renewables, is being written in the Asia countries, especially China and India. India has ambitious solar plans, as evidenced by the gigantic the Longyangxia Dam Solar Park, which covers 8.9 square miles and has a capacity of 850MW; the country further proposes to construct 10 solar zones of 10,000 hectares (38.6 square miles) each! Among the most active companies are Tata Power Solar, Gamesa and ReNew. China’s embrace of renewables is such that it will eventually be able to leapfrog into a cleaner, more sustainable future. 41

P O W E R G E N E R AT I O N By 2016 China had installed 77,420MW of PV capacity; in that year 34,540MW were installed, more than double the figure for the year before, 15,130. Since 2008 it has been the world’s largest manufacturer of solar panels. The 13th five-year plan (2015-20) calls for capacity additions of 210-250GW wind, 110-150GW solar and 340GW hydro. This dwarfs nuclear, which will contribute only 8GW. North Africa and the Middle East, two of the world’s hottest regions, are also investing heavily in solar power. In 2016 Morocco opened the Noor I Concentrated Solar Power (CSP) plant at Ouarzazate on the edge of the Sahara. It is the first phase of a massive threephase project that will eventually supply 1 million people. Morocco is building and planning other plants. Elsewhere in Africa, solar plants are being developed in South Africa, Rwanda, Ghana and Uganda. Solar power in the Middle East is dominated by Saudi Arabia, which plans to have 41GW of solar capacity installed by 2032, enough to cover roughly 20% of the country’s energy demand. United Arab Emirates also plans to spend about USD 163 billion in renewables over the next 30 years. In Europe, several countries are pushing renewables, notably Germany, Spain, Portugal, the Netherlands and Denmark. France has just announced that it will grant no more licences to explore oil and gas and will phase out fossil-fuel cars by 2040. Spain is the world leader in terms of installed CSP capacity, with the USA a distant second.

Curved mirrors at Morocco’s Noor 1 CPS plant occupy 1.4 million square metres of desert. Germany’s controversial Energiewende is sustained by subsidies, tax incentives and feed-in tariffs. Other countries meet over half their energy needs with renewables over extended periods of time. The UK has a sizable portfolio of wind and solar projects, but subsidies for renewables have been slashed under the current government. A special feature of the UK is its commitment to a relatively underdeveloped resource, ocean power (see box).

Valves in renewables A quick internet search amongst product pages and news items reveals that many valve and actuator companies have developed product lines for use in the renewable energy sector.

Power from the sea Ocean power could well be the definitive solution for islands and coastal communities, as it is one of the few renewable sources that can deliver steady supply. It can take several forms: Tidal: Tidal Lagoon Power secured planning consent in 2015 to build the The flexible membrane mWave converter by world’s first tidal lagoon power plant Bombora Wave Power. This submerged converter in Swansea Bay, Wales. MeyGen, in exploits the difference in pressure at different the Pentland Firth, Scotland, is the locations below a wave to produce a pressure world’s largest tidal energy plant difference within a closed power take-off fluid system. currently under construction; it started to produce energy in December 2016. DP Energy is planning a tidal plant off the Antrim Coast in N. Ireland. Wave power. Harnessing the power of waves is a promising technology that is being developed in the UK, the USA, Australia and elsewhere. Osmotic power (“Blue energy”). This exploits the difference in the salt concentration between seawater and river water. The two types of water are separated by a membrane, and the positively charged water on one side interacts with the negatively charged water on the other side.

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Valves in wind energy Turning first to wind turbines, it is clear that this sector requires one or two valves for specific applications, such as for blade pitch control. Eaton’s Hydraulics Operations for example report that to give a smooth and consistent power output, Wind Turbine Generator (WTGs) manufacturers use hydraulics to position the “pitch” of the rotor blade in such a way as to “remove” or “waste” the extra energy that is being created by excessive wind speed. The KB range of proportional flow control valves from Eaton’s Hydraulics Operations is often chosen to perform blade “pitch motion control” and is installed in over 20,000 turbines globally. The KB proportional valve, along with the power control electronics, allows accurate, high dynamic control of the blade pitch to be achieved. Similarly, the Moog Wind Turbine Pitch Valve for wind turbines are axis control servo valves that were developed specifically for the demanding requirements of onshore and offshore wind turbines. It is said to deliver high performance levels, long service life and easy maintenance, offering superior axis control, remote maintenance capabilities and advanced communication functions. Bijur Delimon International, a global manufacturer of central lubrication systems and components, also notes a wide range of products that are ideally suited for the wind power industry. With the global increase of wind energy capacity at an alltime high, the company states that reliable lubrication of wind turbines is essential for continued operation and less downtime Their product line-up includes the Dynamis Lubricator, which is Bijur Delimon’s newest electric lubricator and designed specifically

September 2017

P O W E R G E N E R AT I O N for the wind power industry. Its compact design features 1 or 2 mountable PV-B divider valves and can rotate 360 degrees. This flexibility allows the Dynamis lubricator to be mounted in the blade hub as well as any other location on the wind turbine. A second product of interest is the MV-B/ PV-B Divider Valve. A divider valve is used to divide lubricant from the lubricator and deliver it to each lubrication point. The MV-B is a manifold-type progressive divider valve available in sizes ranging from 6 to 20 outlets. It dispenses volume of 0.01 cu. in. (0.17cc) per outlet per cycle.

Valves in power-to-gas Another interesting sector is power-to-gas, which is a process to convert electricity produced by renewables into chemical energy. As one of the first companies worldwide E.ON Gas Storage GmbH demonstrates in Falkenhagen, Germany a way how renewable energy can be stored in the natural gas grid in order to make production independent from consumption. In the demonstration project electricity and water are converted via electrolysis in up to 360 Nm3/h hydrogen which is then fed into the gas grid. For the power-to-gas-plant WindGas Falkenhagen“ E.ON Gas Storage GmbH chose Hartmann shut-off valves approved for pure hydrogen service and designed for tightness over a long operational period. These true metal sealing ball valves meet these excessive demands. Since commissioning in 2013 they successfully help assuring maximum safety and plant availability.

Valves in solar power Many valve makers are also active in the solar sector. Parker for example lists solenoid valves and hydraulic valves (amongst other items) as product categories suited for thermal solar power systems. ARCA Regler reports that the idea of converting solar radiation into electrical energy is nothing new. Since the 1980s, CSPs have been operated in the USA using mirrors (typically parabolic trough units) to focus the radiation on a receiver, which heats up due to the heat-transfer medium (typically a thermal oil, liquid salt, or water) it contains. This medium transfers the energy stored in a heat exchanger to the water-steam circuit. The steam generated is then used to produce electricity. Two basic configurations of this system exist. The first relies on heat-transfer media in the solar array to heat water in a heat

September 2017

With Tesla, solar panels are not added on to roofs, they are the roofs. This one has a Tuscan, terracotta appearance. Photo: Tesla. exchanger so that steam can be generated in the steam circuit. A heat-transfer medium circuit and a water-steam circuit are therefore installed. Water can also be converted to steam directly in the solar array, in which case a heat exchanger is not required. Systems that use thermal oils as a heattransfer medium produce temperatures that can reach 400 °C at approximately 40 bar in the solar array. Thermal oils are frequently toxic and highly flammable, however, which is why the outward-facing side of the valves fitted to these systems must be particularly well sealed. Such applications integrate ECOTROL® 6H highpressure valves, according to ARCA, which feature a bellows seal that prevents the heat-transfer medium from escaping even when high temperatures and pressures are encountered. Systems that convert the water to steam directly in the solar array are currently operated at approximately 270 °C and 55 bar, with higher temperatures and pressures anticipated in the near future for better efficiency. Control valves are especially taxed during the start-up and shut-down procedure as they counteract the fluctuations inherent in the process or system and must therefore respond in a very precise manner. Since this procedure takes place once a day, it is critical that these valves operate exactly as required in order to safeguard the availability and efficiency of the system. There’s a discussion of CSPs on LESER’s website as well. Here the focus is more naturally on the role played by safety valves, which are necessary for protecting the plant and must meet the special demands placed on them by the high temperatures, pressures and medias used. LESER has reportedly supplied over 2,500 valves to this area since 2009.

It is also apparent that Flowserve is offering various valves to the solar energy sector. For example, their Valtek ™ Mark One is understood to be suitable for use in a wide range of applications from molten salt to heat transfer fluids as well as severe service applications required in a solar power plant. It comes available with a variety of options including bellows seals to eliminate packing leakage and severe service options to eliminate cavitation and noise. Another Flowserve valve is the Edward™ Univalve Highperformance isolation valve designed for manual throttling of heat transfer fluids and molten salts. Finally, the Durco™ Mach 1 is a tight sealing non-lubricated plug valve that allows for adjustability and repair while valve remains installed in the pipeline. It is commonly used in the production of polycrystalline silica used in solar panels.

Valves in wave technology And last but by no means least Rotork Australia has previously reported having supplied subsea rack and pinion hydraulic valve actuators and subsea gearboxes for an innovative renewable energy wave technology project on Garden Island, near Perth in Western Australia. The order included double-acting hydraulic actuators equipped with top-mounted diver operated override gearboxes, controlling subsea ball valves installed at a depth of 25 metres. The override gearbox incorporates a ‘lost quadrant’ system in the gear pinion, providing a simple but highly effective mechanism for switching between hydraulic and manual operation. All the diver has to do is rotate the handwheel to the three positions – remote (hydraulic), open (manual) or close (manual) – which are visible through the indicator on top of the gearbox. 43

P O RT R A I T

A lifetime in actuation Interview with Chris Warnett He may have passed retirement age but Chris Warnett is by no means ready to slow down. He currently holds two jobs, has authored a best-selling book on valve actuators and is regularly asked to speak at events.

With the benefit of hindsight, Chris’ lifelong career with actuator manufacturer Rotork could be termed as inevitable. After all, if you graduate with a first in engineering from Bath University, then applying to local company Rotork for a starting position is a natural step to take. Even so, Chris recalls that it took a small nudge from a close friend before he considered approaching Rotork. Passing through the company doors for the first time he was interviewed by none other than Jeremy Fry, the gifted entrepreneur who did so much to transform Rotork into a major player in the actuator business. It was 1976 when Chris started his career at Rotork, working in the engineering

settled down to life State-side. So well, in fact, that they have stayed there ever since! “We all hold US passports, but my wife and I return regularly to the Bath area where we have a lot of family and friends. I still have strong ties with the UK,” notes Chris. Chris transitioned to product manager for the P range, which was to prove to be a real commercial success, with hundreds of thousands of units being sold in the USA alone. One of the main sales areas was the Northern Slope of Alaska, a region which Chris was to get to know very well! He went on to enjoy a fine career with Rotork, being appointed Product Sales Manager and later on Sales VP for North and South America for all Rotork products.

I am still very active. When you have worked hard all your life then it is hard to simply walk away department. He clearly made a good impression for just three years later he was offered a six-month posting to the Rotork facility in Rochester, USA. Chris notes that by the late seventies this building housed a staff of about fifty people who were predominantly involved in the manufacture of the Electric A range actuators. “At the time my particular expertise was in actuator design, so I suppose I was the natural candidate when the North American company were looking for a project team leader to design the new P range pneumatic actuators.” Chris, his wife Lynne and two young children Tim and Joe (their third child, Lucy, was born in the USA) quickly 44

“Since the first year of coming to the US I was in sales, right up to my final major project with Rotork, which was the launch of the CVA, a revolutionary electric actuator for control valves,” Chris comments. He finally retired from Rotork at the end of 2013, recalling that his colleagues organised a splendid farewell “roast” which proved to be a fitting send off.

Juggling jobs Today, some four years after retirement, Chris continues to channel his energies into engineering projects. “Yes, I am still very active. When you have worked hard all your life, and had the satisfaction of being

productive, then it is hard to simply walk away. I am sure my contemporaries will agree with me that it is nice to be actively involved in your chosen industry and to maintain contact with valued friends.” In fact, Chris now juggles two separate jobs. Together with a former colleague, Pete Kundin, he runs Upstate Valve and Controls, a company which provides valve and automation solutions to the Upstate New York region. “Our main goal is to deliver a comprehensive automation service to the municipal water and wastewater areas. This means we deliver an engineering package as well as the hardware that the client needs. Nowadays standardisation means that many applications can be met using off-the-shelf products, but there are still plenty of areas where dedicated solutions are required, and this is an area that I find very satisfying as it keeps me active and up-to-date with the very latest advances in actuation technology.” In addition, Chris established his own consulting company, CPLloyd Consultants, in 2014. “This role sees me advising and assisting companies who, for whatever reason, wish to have a better

“Valve Actuators” by Chris Warnett is published on Amazon. The book can be bought directly at https://www.createspace.com/5327931, use the code “TXTMBQCY” at check out for 10% discount.

September 2017

I N D U ST R I A L VA LV E S M A N U FA C T U R E R understanding of the actuator market. That could for example be investment groups. This is another very interesting area to work in although I don’t have as much time for this particular activity as I used to.” Chris dovetails his work commitments around his family, dividing his time between homes in Rochester, New York, and Naples, Florida. A trim figure, he uses any spare time to pursue outdoor activities such as cycling and golf. “I believe in keeping physically fit and active so take part in the same sports as my fellow Americans. It’s just a shame there’s no cricket club locally!” Having served the actuator industry throughout his entire career, Chris decided to pass on his accumulated knowledge by authoring a book on automation. His publication, called “Valve Actuators”, was released in 2016 and has proved very successful as an educational tool, although Chris freely admits that the writing process was longer and more arduous that he could ever have imagined. Be that as it may, he thoroughly recommends the valve industry and automation to fledgling engineers. “Automation is a fascinating area to work in, as it embraces many disciplines, such as electrical and electronic engineering, mechanical engineering, fluid dynamics, etc. And you can work in a broad range of industry sectors, such as power plants, refineries, water treatment plants, chemical facilities, etc. They are all challenging and rewarding industries to serve.”

A picture from the photo album, showing Chris (far left) and Jeremy Fry (right) testing the first P Range prototype in 1979

Did you know? • Chris designed and built a workboat made out of black plastic sewer pipes (for Rotork Marine division) • He practices Hot Yoga every week • He holds several actuator design patents • A big fan of Porsche engineering, Chris completely rebuilt a 1983 model after an engine fire

September 2017

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COLUMN

Pipeline transient hydraulics Surge in pipelines and valve selection By Gobind Khiani. P.Eng.,Technical Fellow Piping Valves and James Chau, E.I.T., Pipeline Hydraulics Engineer

There are a wide range of situations where transient events can take place. These situations can range from small-scale, household events to larger operational events on pipelines or within processing facilities.

Household transient events can occur when a faucet or tap is closed rapidly. This creates water hammer, which creates a knocking sound that resonates throughout the house. Closing the faucet results in a sudden blockage of the flow and since water is an incompressible fluid, a pressure surge wave travels backwards through the piping system. Such a pressure surge can result in exceeding the maximum operating pressure (MOP) of the system and a corresponding failure of the piping system. Evaluating this small and simple transient event is of utmost importance to maintain a working water system in a household. The pressure surges must be kept below the MOP of the pipe to maintain system integrity. A transient analysis can help determine strategies to best manage these events. On a significantly larger scale, a hydraulic transient analysis for pipeline operations is a similar study of sudden changes in the velocity and pressure of a fluid. A transient scenario can include events such as tank block valve closures, motor operated valve

Source: Clara Yuan, Fluor.

September 2017

Figure 1: Sample of pressure surge shown with time caused by a transient event, created by James Chau. (MOV) closures, fast-closing valve closures and pump trips. When a transient event occurs, there is a change to the system’s equilibrium and creation of potential pressure waves, which can be harmful to piping systems. Transient events result in decelerating fluid flow rates and pressure spikes that can oscillate throughout the piping system. Consideration must be given to prevent or to absorb these pressure spikes, which is the main purpose of transient hydraulic analysis. If not managed appropriately, multiple pressure cycles over time can cause pipes to fail. Figure 1 shows an example of the pressure surge observed at a relief valve as time progresses following a transient event. Pipe integrity failure can result in large ruptures or spills

that can cause environmental or safety risks, or costly damage to other property such as pipe racks or supports. Transient analysis results help identify mitigations which provide better system operability to prevent over-stress scenarios. Overall, system transient analysis for any new or existing pipelines contributes to greater safety and reduced operating costs.

Transient analysis Transient analysis considers multiple over-pressure scenarios to observe which scenario gives the resulting worst-case surge pressure. If the surge pressure is above 100 percent of MOP, mitigation strategies are then recommended to lessen the surge pressures. Mitigation strategies often include: • Installing new relief systems if one does not exist • Reducing set points on existing relief systems • Reducing operating pressure limits or flow rates • Slowing valve closing times to reduce magnitude of pressure surges • Modifying the closure range on system valves • Increasing system MOP by installing higher grade pipe or greater wall thickness 47

COLUMN Design codes allow for 110% of MOP for maximum surge pressure events. This 110% of MOP design scenario is often referred to as the maximum allowable surge pressure (MASP). Some operating companies, however, take a more conservative approach and only allow surge pressures to 100% of MOP. The more stringent requirement at a maximum surge pressure of 100% of MOP requires more rigorous mitigation strategies.

Transient analysis procedure Transient analysis assessments start by gathering information for the pipe system being assessed. This information often includes: • Pipe dimension and sizing information • Pipe elevation profiles • Fluid properties • Thermal data • Flow rates • Flow paths • Tank information • Valve(s) data • Pump curves and datasheets • Existing relief system data Pipe dimensions play a key role in transient analysis as it helps determine the initial state pressure of the pipe section. With longer pipe, there is a greater pressure requirement to achieve a certain flow rate. This is also true for smaller diameter pipe and for pipe with larger wall thicknesses. Pipe elevation profile also plays a significant role in determining initial state pressure conditions, especially if there are sharp changes in elevation. With lower elevation, greater pressures can be seen within the pipe. Larger initial state pressures often cause greater surge pressures upon running a transient event. Another key input is the fluid and the properties it exhibits within the pipe. A couple of main fluid properties that are usually looked at closely are the density and viscosity. These parameters determine how heavy or light a fluid is with respect to other fluids. With a highly viscous and dense fluid, more head is required in order to pump this fluid at a given flow rate. Thermal conditions contribute a large factor in determining the viscosity of the fluid. As temperatures decrease, the viscosity of a fluid tends to increase. With a more viscous fluid, more pressure is required to attain the flow rate of the line. The flow rate is an important input when modeling a transient event. A higher flow rate corresponds to a higher pipe 48

fluid velocity, which causes higher surge pressures in the pipe upon occurrence of a transient event. Transient flow rates used are often higher than the design flow rate of the pipeline in order to be the most conservative with the results. Tanks are noted in the analysis when determining the worst-case flow path. If there are multiple tanks that are being injected from or delivered to, then worstcase tank analysis must be conducted. Sometimes this can be completed with a high-level inspection, knowing that the worst-case tank is the furthest away and has piping with the smallest diameter. Otherwise, test transient scenarios must be conducted to determine which tank is the worst case. This testing includes conducting the same transient event under the same conditions but varying the tank data and corresponding piping in the simulation. Pressure surge results are compared and the maximum surge pressure corresponds to the worst-case tank. With valve-closing transient events, there are multiple valve parameters that are needed to ensure the accuracy of the results. Any deviation from actual data for any of these valve inputs can drastically

impact the final results. These inputs can include closing time, valve curves, size and valve coefficients. The closing time can be quite sensitive to the results as a faster closing time results in greater surge pressure. Sometimes more conservative valve curves are used if the actual data is not given in order to cover the worst possible case. The larger valves with large valve coefficients are more conservative to use if no information is given. Pumps supply the pressure to attain certain flow rates in the pipeline. Pumps with higher head often create higher pressure surge for the transient events. Pump trips are also a transient event that may be analyzed in certain transient cases. Existing relief systems must be accounted for as they play a large role in mitigating the pressure surge wave during transient events. However, sometimes these systems need to be tuned or modified to handle new project scope and to mitigate new potential existing overpressures in the pipe. This can include lowering the opening relief set point, re-sizing the relief valve and re-sizing the relief pipe. See Figure 2 for a sample of a relief system in a piping & instrumentation diagram.

Figure 2: Sample of a relief system in a piping & instrumentation diagram, created by James Chau.

September 2017

COLUMN

Figure 3: Sample of a typical relief system modelled, created by James Chau. The inputs mentioned contribute to the pipe system and the resulting transient surge pressures. However, the significance of each parameter varies from project to project and depends on the specific pipe system being analyzed.

how much they impact the transient results. If it is determined that MASP could be exceeded, mitigation strategies are identified and implemented to prevent overpressure.

Modeling

Valve selection to mitigate transient effects in a liquid pipeline

Once this information is gathered, modeling can commence. See Figure 3 for a sample of a typical relief system modeled. Modeling must be conducted carefully and with great attention to detail as every input has the potential to impact the final transient results. After the model is established with all of the necessary inputs, the base steady state operating case is established from which transient events are evaluated. Upon establishing and validating initial states, parametric transient events are assessed which can include various valve closures and simultaneous pump shutdowns depending on the specific flow paths being assessed. Study results are assessed to determine which scenarios create the highest risks to system integrity and whether the MASP has been exceeded. Sensitivity studies are also performed on initial state inputs to understand

A valve is a device used to control the flow of water. The control is achieved by closing, opening or partially obstructing various passageways. Valves have many applications. For example, the gate valve slides up and down like a gate, the globe valve closes a hole placed in the valve, the angle valve is a globe valve with a 90-degree turn and the check valve allows the fluid to flow only in one direction. There are many options regarding valve function and grouping, which include: • Valves which are completely opened or closed (on-off applications) • Valves which can be used for a continuous control of the flow • Valves which allow flow in one direction • Valves for special purposes, such as pressure reducing, safety, air-release, vacuum breaker, etc.

Figure 4: Danflo relief valve, picture courtesy of SPX Flow Inc.

September 2017

A pressure relief valve is a self-operating valve that is installed in a system to protect it from over-pressurization of the system. It is designed to open when safe pressures are exceeded, and close again when pressure drops to a preset level. Relief valves are designed to continuously regulate liquid flow in pipelines and keep pressure from exceeding the preset value. Figures 4 and 5 show a relief valve located in the field. An anticipator relief can be used instead of a pressure-relief valve to control highpressure transient peaks. It is essential for protecting pumps, pumping equipment and all applicable pipelines from dangerous pressure surges caused by a rapid change of flow velocity within a pipeline, due to abrupt pump stop caused by power failure. Power failure to a pump usually results in a down surge in pressure, followed by an upsurge in pressure. The surge control valve pens on the initial low-pressure wave, diverting the returning high-pressure wave from the system. In effect, the valve has anticipated the returning high-pressure wave and is open to dissipate the damage causing surge. The valve then closes slowly without generating any further pressure surges. Air inlet valves are installed at high points along the pipeline system to prevent vacuum conditions and potential column separation. Air enters the pipeline system during low-pressure transient; this air should be expelled slowly to avoid creating another transient condition. Before restarting the pumps, adequate time

Figure 5: Danflo relief valve, picture courtesy of SPX Flow Inc. 51

COLUMN Table 1: List of methods of protection for transient events. Protection Approach

Primary Attributes

Decision Variables

Check valve

– Limits flow to one direction – Permits selective connections – Prevents/limits line draining

– Size and location – Specific valve configuration – Antishock (dampening) characteristics

Pump bypass line

– Permits direct connection and flow around a pump – Can limit up-and-down surge

– Size and location – Exact points connected – Check-valve properties

Open surge tank

– Permits inflow/outflow to external storage – May require water circulation – Can limit up-and-down surge

– – – –

Size and location Connection properties Tank configuration Overflow level

Closed surge tank (air chamber)

– As pressure changes, water exchanged so volume of pressurized air expands or contracts – Needs compressor

– – – –

Location Volume (total/water/air) Configuration/geometry Orifice/connector losses

Feed tank (one-way tank)

– Permits inflow to line from an external source – Requires filling

– Size and location – Connection properties – Tank configuration

Surge anticipation valve

– Permits inflow to line – Has both highand low-pressure pilots to initiate action – May accentuate down surge

– Size and location – Highand low-pressure set points – Opening/closing times

Combination air-release and vacuum-breaking valve

– When pressure falls, large orifice admits air – Controlled release of pressurized air through an orifice

– Location – Small and large orifice size – Specific valve configuration

Pressure-relief valve

– Opens to discharge fluids at a preset pressure valve – Generally opens quickly and closes slowly

– Size and location – High-pressure set point – Opening/closing times

should be allowed for the air that entered the pipeline to be expelled. There are varieties of valves that allow air to enter and leave systems such as air release, vacuum relief, vacuum breaker, etc. A pump bypass valve is another protective device against pressure transients. Two pressure waves are generated as a result of reduction in flow due to booster pump stops. The wave travelling upstream is a positive transient and the wave traveling downstream is a negative transient. A check valve in a bypass line allows free flow to the pipeline to prevent low pressure and column separation. Table 1 lists several methods of protection for transient events along with attributes and decision variables for each approach.

Summary Transient hydraulics analysis includes a safer and better design for new pipelines. This ensures that if any transient event occurs, the pipe is safe from overpressure and does not rupture. Completion of this analysis includes benefits such as safeguarding against failures of pipe brought on by these adverse pressures. 52

Transient analysis helps improve maintenance of the pipe, mitigating any harm to pipe integrity and increasing the lifespan of the existing systems. Transient hydraulics analysis plays an integral role for any pipeline project.

References [1] Photographs of installed relief valves in the field courtesy of SPX Flow Inc. [2] Menon, E., et al, (2013). Liquid Pipeline Hydraulics: Second Edition. United States of America: Trafford Publishing.

About the authors Gobind Khiani, MEng., PEng. has served in engineering and project management roles for both operating and engineering, procurement, fabrication and construction (EPFC) companies. He has a bachelor’s degree in piping design and engineering from the University of Pune, India and Master’s of Engineering from the University of Calgary (Alberta, Canada). Currently he is global valve subject matter expert with Fluor Canada Ltd. in the piping department. He is a chairman of Calgary Branch Executive Committee at the APEGA and Valve Users Group. Gobind has experience in piping/pipelines, valves, surge/control valve selection and sizing, modularization in valves, safety integrity of piping systems, fugitive emissions and material selection. Gobind is an active member of API, CNS, ISO and CSA. James Chau, E.I.T. has worked in engineering roles for engineering, procurement, fabrication and construction (EPFC) companies, as well as operating companies. He has a bachelor’s degree in chemical engineering with a specialization in energy and environment from the University of Calgary (Alberta, Canada). Currently, he is an associate pipeline design specialist at Fluor Canada Ltd. in the pipeline department. James has experience in pipeline design, specifically with steady-state and transient hydraulics analysis.

September 2017

Setting the standard for high quality valves in power generation

At Velan, we know what it takes to design and manufacture industryleading valves that stand the test of time. After all, we’ve been doing just that for over sixty years. In critical applications, both on the feedwater and steam side, key valve components such as wedges, discs, and seats are coated with a hardfacing material to protect them from the effects of wear, high loads, corrosion, and erosion. To address the specific industry challenges related to hardfacing for high temperature applications, Velan has developed a set of best practices related to design, material specification and manufacturing processes in collaboration with Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI) and local universities. We are well positioned to help you protect against the impact of thermal exposure and to be at the forefront of technology by installing Velan pressure seal valves.

+1 514 748 7743 www.velan.com

EDITOR’S CHOICE

Blockchain-based supply chains News of a collaborative venture between PIL, PSA and IBM could be a good time to stop and reflect on the supply chain for valves.

Meet the Editor

This month’s selection for the Editor’s Choice page was made by Gillian Gane who is responsible for preparing the regular columns and ensuring the magazine is finalised for printing in time. In her spare time Gillian enjoys walking, reading and arts and crafts. As regular readers will know, the editorial scope of Valve World includes looking at how valves and actuators are bought and sold. So we often ask end users about selection criteria for approved manufacturers’ lists, we approach valve makers for their thoughts on supply chain management and we interview buyers about the differences between procurement and purchasing. These topics are definitely of interest to everyone who is involved in the valve industry and they are reasonably straightforward to convey on paper. But crossing my desk this week was a news item which I had to read twice before starting to understand the key message. Whilst not directly related to valves, I believe that the topic under discussion is definitely worth following in this magazine. The news originated in a press release on the PIL website, which is the digital home of Pacific International Lines whose core business is container shipping. In full, the title read: PIL, PSA and IBM collaborate to envision and trial

September 2017

blockchain-based supply chain business network innovations. Now if like me you are not yet familiar with blockchains, here’s a handy definition I found on forbes.com, written by Daniel Newman. “… Blockchain is not a strictly financial tool. Although it is designed as a general ledger, in its simplest sense, it’s a way to move and store blocks of cryptographically validated data that users can’t corrupt. In other words, it creates a transparent paper trail that anyone can access, but no one can alter. That makes Blockchain far more than a financial tool—it makes it the latest way of sharing, validating, or otherwise endorsing almost any kind of value point, be it ‘money, titles, deeds, music, art, scientific discoveries, intellectual property, and even votes.’” In other words, Blockchain can validate and secure data, which is exactly why PIL, PSA and IBM are collaborating. As their press release states, the three parties will work together to explore proof of concept using technologies like Blockchain to achieve better security, efficiency and transparency in regional supply chain business networks, as well as connect to

trade finance solutions that can facilitate faster approval and fraud prevention. In the news item, Mr Tan Chong Meng, Group CEO of PSA, is reported as saying: “a more transparent, secure and robust certification system and document flow will benefit the whole supply chain as well as have enormous potential for application in sectors such as food, pharmaceutical and trade finance. Across the global movement of goods and cargo, many activities continue to operate in silos. Blockchain has the potential to reduce inefficiencies and gaps within the supply chain, promote more cost-efficient transactions and facilitate the continued growth in world trade. PSA looks forward to working alongside its partners in supporting this initiative and we will contribute our expertise and knowledge in managing ports and advancing supply chains.” If the buzz is to be believed, blockchains could be here to stay. I haven’t yet heard directly from any of my contacts about this new technology but we will certainly be all ears in the coming months. If there is news to report we’ll bring it straight away. In the meantime, if you have any thoughts or experiences with blockchains, then please do feel free to share with us. 55

EP C F E AT U R E

Philip Ovanessians, VP Americas Petroleum and Chemicals Supply Chain Management, Jacobs

“Safety is a top Valve World recently sat down for an informal lunch with Philip Ovanessians, who has twenty years of experience managing the supply of industrial components and equipment destined for capital projects By James Hoare

Valve World: I understand that you recently attended the Valve World Americas event in Houston; what were your impressions? Philip Ovanessians: That was my first Valve World show and it was very beneficial for me and Jacobs in several ways. Firstly it was a good place to meet new manufacturers and distributors from around the globe. I was also able to pick up on current trends and challenges within the valve community and to gauge implications for the supply chain. And finally it was the perfect spot to fortify relationships with existing distributors and manufacturers. VW: You just mentioned meeting potential new suppliers; what are key issues when assessing such companies? PO: Basically we want partners who complement or enhance our organisation and who provide value to us as well as to our stakeholders. So first and foremost we thoroughly check their health and safety culture as we promote a zero tolerance policy with our BeyondZero® program. Safety is a top priority for us and we have established a culture in which we are all responsible for looking out for one another. In addition we review the 56

company’s credentials, their history, existing business relations, all the quality programs that might be in place, etc. In addition, one thing that is a key topic right now is to assess the company’s position when it comes to automation, which is a hot topic for our customers. VW: Can you be more specific about that reference to automation? PO: For example, we want to know what a company can offer in terms of technology, what experiences it may have with Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) chips, how user-friendly its actuated valves really are, how seriously it takes cyber security measures, etc. VW: Changing the subject for a minute: oil prices remain low so where do you see new opportunities? PO: Actually we continue to see significant opportunities in petrochemicals, such as in polyethylene and polypropylene, etc. One ongoing change however is that clients are moving towards lump sum, turnkey (LSTK) contracts so the focus is not necessarily on engineering but more on the supply chain cycle and construction. This means we are working together with our valve

September 2017

EPC F E AT U R E

About Jacobs

priority” a well-run quality system in place that covers the entire supply chain. There is also a need for frequent quality checks and progress updates. I have to say that there are definitely pockets of opportunity for tier two and tier three suppliers to move into the global marketplace provided they can really understand our expectations. In fact this is part of my role; namely to assess companies and see whether we can help them develop and achieve a certain level of acceptability such that they can start supporting our projects.

manufacturers and distributors, at how we can create opportunities at the front end of the supply chain cycle. For example, through standardisation, value engineering by avoiding over-engineering, via efficient logistics, etc. VW: In that light, what are your thoughts on equipment from low cost countries? PO: We do have success stories with overseas valve manufacturers. As always, the key is to outline our expectations in advance and to ensure the supplier has

VW: How else are you working with existing suppliers to drive down costs? PO: We have various initiatives in place such as a paperless environment for engineering documentation, the standardisation of specifications, terms and conditions and the speeding up of the overall supply chain cycle. Our goal is to develop good relationships with all our suppliers and work together with them to create efficiencies rather than simply negotiating on prices. For example, perhaps it might make sense for the supplier to undertake part of the engineering scope to help reduce the total installed cost (TIC) of a project and ensure the required construction need date is met. VW: Could modularisation assist in getting projects to completion, especially just-in-time projects?

Jacobs is one of the world’s largest and most diverse providers of fullspectrum technical, professional and construction services for industrial, commercial and government organizations globally. The company employs over 54,000 people and operates in more than 25 countries around the world. For more information, visit www.jacobs.com. Jacobs is headquartered in Dallas, Texas and enjoyed revenues of almost USD 11 billion in 2016. PO: Absolutely! With the increase cost in labor in the US Gulf Coast Market, Owners are increasingly looking at modularisation of chemical plants, for example, and that brings opportunities for us and our valve suppliers. We need therefore to look at where modules can be fabricated and to plan component sourcing and logistics accordingly. In addition, we need to be cognizant of the ever changing regulations in trade compliance. VW: Finally, there seems to be increased rumours of counterfeit equipment amongst the valve community. Is that something you are aware of? PO: Unfortunately yes. This is why Jacobs is very keen on due diligence, supplier prequalification, and wants to see a robust quality system in place that starts right from the foundry level. As an industry we need to do more and perhaps this is an area where Valve World could provide everyone a great service by acting as a facilitator. I’d like to see manufacturers, distributors, EPC contractors and end users working together to come up with ways to prevent counterfeiting.

Meet Philip Ovanessians Qualifications: Philip graduated from the Ohio State University with a degree in Production, Operations Management & Logistics. He holds a Master’s Degree in Industrial Engineering from Clemson and a Post baccalaureate in Buildings Construction Management from Louisiana State University. Career: first working for a logistics contractor, Philip later moved to Fluor’s Material Management organisation from where h was posted overseas for assignments in Russia and Saudi Arabia (mainly oil & gas and chemicals). He then joined he J Jacobs Engineering, responsible for procurement services, before taking up the challenge of global sourcing and materials m management supply chain with Samsung Construction and Trading. Current position: In 2016 Philip re-joined Jacobs Engineering. Working out of Houston, Texas (Rogerdale Road office) his c current remit is supply chain management for all refineries and petrochemical units throughout the Americas. H Hobbies: Philip enjoys trying to play golf. He likes to spend family holidays travelling and meeting people from different cultures.

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M AT E R I A L S & M A N U FA C T U R I N G

Nickel Aluminium Bronze: a reconsideration for valve manufacture This article looks at the history and properties of Nickel Aluminium Bronze to help understand why this material is often overlooked. On the contrary, Nickel Aluminium Bronze has good tensile strength, is suitable against cavitation (eg propellers in shipbuilding), does not embrittle at cryogenic temperatures, and is resistant to biofouling. Furthermore, advancements in computer simulation have also overcome traditional challenges in casting processes. For these reasons this material can be opened up and reconsidered for a whole new range of applications. By Ivan Richardson, Metal Solutions UK and Olivier Gouriou, Inoxyda

Brief history

Aluminium Bronze properties

The Bronze Age in Europe lasted from 3300-1200 BC, but Aluminium Bronze appeared only towards 1800 after aluminium was discovered by Hans Christian Oersted. In 1856 an English metallurgist John Perry observed: “A small proportion of aluminium increases the hardness of copper, does not injure its malleability, makes it receptive to a beautiful polish and varies its colour from red-gold to pale yellow”. In 1886 two scientists, Hall in the USA and Héroult in France, issued patents for large scale production. In 1913, Pierre Gaston Durville set up a company called Bronzes et Alliages Foreables SA in which he used his patented non turbulent casting method known as the “Durville Process”, which revolutionized the casting process. As industrial applications developed, foundries such as Inoxyda started to cast aluminium bronze based on a basic property, corrosion resistance, but this material also has other interesting properties, for valve applications in particular:

Aluminium Bronze is manufactured in many alloy forms; in addition to copper and aluminium, nickel, iron, manganese and silicon are added to improve strength, corrosion resistance and machinability. These additions produce a unique set of properties (Ref 1) which are useful to the valve industrial sector: • High strength • Excellent wear and galling resistance • Density (5 % lighter than steel) • Non sparking • Low magnetic permeability (of