Activity

  • Safety Logic Solver Validation on Logic Updates

    Jim Cahill
    The global safety standard IEC 61511 Functional safety – Safety instrumented systems for the process industry sector describes the validation process. The objective of the requirements of this clause is to validate, through inspection and testing, that the installed and commissioned safety instrumented system and its associated safety instrumented functions achieve the requirements as stated in the safety requirement…

  • Testing Valves in Safety Instrumented Functions

    Jim Cahill
    Safety instrumented systems are a critical part of process manufacturers and producers overall process safety management in protecting personnel, environment, equipment, property, reputation and image. In an Offshore Engineer article, Safety Instrumented Function loop ‘final element’ problems and solutions , Emerson’s Riyaz Ali describes the importance and ways to test the final control elements in these safety loops…

  • Separate versus Integral Final Element Accessories Questions

    Jim Cahill
    A post from a few years ago, Separate Versus Integral Final Element Accessories in Safety Applications , continues to generate some good questions. I thought I’d make these questions and associated answers more visible in today’s post. Here’s the first question: I understood the whole description, But while calculating PFDavg, We will have to add the Failure rate of valve assembly (Valve+Actuator) which brings down…

  • When is a Safety Integrity Level Rating of a Valve Required?

    Jim Cahill
    Control valves play a large role in process control. Emerson’s Riyaz Ali shared with me that he is often asked about their use in safety instrumented functions (also known as safety loops). When asked recently, he shared an ISA Safety Division newsletter from the fall of 2007. Unfortunately, I couldn’t find the newsletter in my Google searches. His article in this newsletter, When is a Safety Integrity Level (SIL) Rating…

  • SIS CHARMS in DCS and SIS Integrated Solution in DCS Modernization Project

    Jim Cahill
    Emerson’s MC Chow and Janka O’Brien teamed up with an SIS technical expert from a major refiner to tell a story of a control system and SIS modernization project. Their abstract: This session is to discuss DCS replacement projects on two near identical FCC units. One was done in the traditional non-integrated approach for a DCS and SIS, the other was done using an integrated approach with DeltaV and DeltaV SIS CHARMS…

  • Increase Safety and Efficiency with New Proof Test Method

    Jim Cahill
    Emerson’s Hampus Regnér and Christoffer Widahl presented Increase Safety and Efficiency With New Proof Test Method at the Denver Emerson Exchange conference. Here is their presentation abstract: A functional proof test of a high level alarm (HLA) is required as a key objective of operational safety. Testing and qualification of the HLA device is a critical aspect, which has previously not been well addressed. In this…

  • Verification in the IEC 61511 Safety Lifecycle

    Jim Cahill
    I received a great question about the application of the IEC 61511 safety lifecycle . The person noted that a question was raised after the safety integrity level (SIL) study and safety requirements specification (SRS) had been performed. The question is about the verification of these and who would need to perform them. I turned to Emerson’s Russell Cockman on the SIS [safety instrumented system] Functional Safety…

  • Control Valve Suitability in Safety Applications

    Jim Cahill
    Sometimes an email exchange turns up something developed years ago that still has great value. So is this case with an article I received as an attachment on final control elements and their suitability in safety instrumented functions (SIFs) , a.k.a. safety loops. The article, When SIL suitability is required for final control elements , was written by Emerson’s Riyaz Ali back in 2011 for EngineerIT magazine. The…

  • Managing the Safety Lifecycle

    Jim Cahill
    The post Managing the Safety Lifecycle appeared first on the Emerson Process Experts blog. Process safety revolves around managing the risks of your production process throughout the life of your plant, mill or production facility. The international safety standard, IEC 61511 (Functional safety – Safety instrumented systems for the process industry sector) : …sets out practices in the engineering of systems that…

  • Digital Protocol Diagnostics and Risk Analysis

    Jim Cahill
    In an earlier post, Wired Versus Wireless Risk Analysis for Process Instrumentation Measurements , we highlighted the fault tree methodology for performing risk analysis on wired and wireless instrumentation. Emerson’s Jonas Berge added a thoughtful comment which I wanted to bring out and share in this post. Jonas Berge Director, Applied Technology I attended their workshop. It was great. At 9:30 in the video Ed…

  • Wired Versus Wireless Risk Analysis for Process Instrumentation Measurements

    Jim Cahill
    How does wireless communications compare against wired communications for process instrumentation? That was the subject of an Emerson Exchange presentation by Kenexis’ Ed Marszal and Emerson’s Gary Hawkins . Their presentation, Risk analysis of wired versus wireless transmission of process measurements was recently narrated by Ed as an encore presentation and uploaded to YouTube. In this 30:31 video, Emerson Exchange…

  • Managing the Lifecycle of Safety Instrumented Systems

    Jim Cahill
    A tremendously experienced panel in functional safety included Dipl.-Ing.(FH) Senior Project Manager, Josef Neumann TÜV NORD Systems, Dr. William Goble Principle Partner, Exida, Russell Cockman Consultant SIS, Emerson, Nicolas Menet , Business Development Manager for Emerson’s Fisher Valves family of products, and Aart Pruysen Director Approvals, Emerson. The experts panel’s abstract: Maintaining Safety Integrity is…

  • Managing the Lifecycle of Safety Instrumented Systems

    Jim Cahill
    A tremendously experienced panel in functional safety included Dipl.-Ing.(FH) Senior Project Manager, Josef Neumann TÜV NORD Systems, Dr. William Goble Principle Partner, Exida, Russell Cockman Consultant SIS, Emerson, Nicolas Menet, Business Development...

  • High-Integrity Pressure Protection System Solution

    Jim Cahill
    Emerson’s Carsten Thoegersen and Emanuele Rivolta shares his expertise on high-integrity pressure protection systems in process safety applications. Their abstract: HIPPS (High-Integrity Pressure Protection System) is a part of the Safety Instrumented...

  • Safety Valve Positioners and Common Cause Failure Questions

    Jim Cahill
    If you work with pumps in your facility, you may be familiar with the Empowering Pumps site, a wealth of information to help you with these important assets in your plant. Founder Charli K. Matthews has launched something similar for valves, Empowering Valves . I had the opportunity to contribute a guest post, Common Cause Failures in Safety Valve Positioners? It was based on a question I recently received. The question…

  • Safety Valve Positioners and Common Cause Failure Questions

    Jim Cahill
    If you work with pumps in your facility, you may be familiar with the Empowering Pumps site, a wealth of information to help you with these important assets in your plant. Founder Charli K. Matthews has launched something similar for valves, Empowering...

  • Faster Emergency Shutoff Valve for Propane Railcars

    Jim Cahill
    Once again, it’s Chris Womack back with a guest post related to terminals. Just a quick mention here of the fast, new, but still memorably named Fisher N863 Snappy Joe Emergency Shutoff Railcar Valve ( pdf ). You see, for the past three decades or so, there’s only been one such valve designed especially for loading and unloading propane from railcars — Emerson’s Fisher Snappy Joe N562. So why the new one? It’s about…

  • Faster Emergency Shutoff Valve for Propane Railcars

    Jim Cahill
    Once again, it’s Chris Womack back with a guest post related to terminals. Just a quick mention here of the fast, new, but still memorably named Fisher N863 Snappy Joe Emergency Shutoff Railcar Valve (pdf). You see, for the past three decades or so, there...

  • Flame Detection and Minimizing False Alarms

    Jim Cahill
    Process manufacturers with hazardous areas in their process are responsible for the safety of the process through the IEC 61511 safety lifecycle—from initial design through decommissioning. Flame monitoring is often an important component in risk mitigation...

  • Functional Safety and Tank Overfill Prevention

    Jim Cahill
    As global oil and gas production continues to fan out to new areas, the need for storage tanks and terminal facilities as part of the distribution processes increases. Making sure those tanks are not overfilled is paramount for safety, environmental protection...

  • 10 Ways to Improve Functional Safety

    Jim Cahill
    ISA Portugal recently hosted a conference on functional safety. Emerson’s Russell Cockman, whom you may recall from earlier safety-related posts, presented 10 ways to improve functional safety without worrying where to put the decimal point in the calculation...

  • Separate Versus Integral Final Element Accessories in Safety Applications

    Jim Cahill
    Final elements such as safety shutdown valves, emergency isolation valves, blowdown valves, etc., in safety instrumented functions (SIFs) are equipped with various accessories such as digital valve controllers, solenoid valves (SOV), and volume boosters...

  • Fired Heater Safety and Burner Management Systems

    Jim Cahill
    Back in March in a post, Safety System Considerations for Process Fired Heaters, I shared some thoughts from a presentation by Emerson’s Nikki Bishop and David Sheppard. The good news is that their thoughts are now available in a PTQ article, Role of...

  • Marine & Offshore Safety

    Anna Velena
    Isn't it amazing how FPSO's are built? The scope of the construction is daunting plus you still need to consider the weight, footprint, industry requirements and scheduling of the project. The control and safety system is part of this huge task and by making it modular, it allows distributed construction, faster commissioning and improved flexibility, among others. Now, some people would say, use Remote I/O to achieve…

  • High Pressure Protective Systems for Oil and Gas Producers

    Jim Cahill
    A North Carolina State University course, Introduction to Fugitive Emissions Monitoring, defines fugitive emissions as: …used in air quality control, generally refers to any emission escaping from regulated processes (sources) other than via the designed...

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