Blog - Post List

  • Valves, Actuators & Regulators Blog: Digital Transformation for Sustaining Control Valve Performance

    Jim Cahill
    Digital transformation is broad concept signifying the use of data and easy accessibility to fundamentally change work processes. In a LinkedIn essay, Transform to Valve 4.0: Digital Control + Analytics , Emerson’s Jonas Berge describes how the performance of control valves can be more effectively managed and maintained for better operational performance. Jonas opens painting a picture on what digital transformation…

  • Valves, Actuators & Regulators Blog: Learning about Control Valve Performance

    Jim Cahill
    In manufacturing processes with flowing fluids, control valves are among the most important equipment to keep the process operating smoothly and reliably. For those not experienced in their design and operation, AIChE’s CEP magazine has a great article, Evaluate Control Valve Performance ( AIChE membership required to view full article.) Emerson’s James Beall authored the article and highlights the importance of focusing…

  • Valves, Actuators & Regulators Blog: Rotary Vane Valve Actuators for Critical Applications

    Jim Cahill
    If you’re unfamiliar with rotary vane valves actuators, they are used to automate ball valves or plug valves in all types of severe climatic conditions. These actuators are typically installed in applications that are critical in nature where the consequences of failure can be severe. For example, in natural gas pipeline applications these actuators are typically powered by natural gas for use in emergency shutdowns,…

  • Valves, Actuators & Regulators Blog: Digitalization for Improved Valve Reliability

    Jim Cahill
    How do you keep up with the performance of your valves given their importance to safe, efficient and reliable process operations? In a Pumps&Systems article, Digitalization to Predict Reliability of Mechanical Valves , Emerson’s Riyaz Ali shares ways continuous monitoring technology can help. Riyaz opens noting these valves or final control elements (FCEs) connected to the basic process control system (BPCS): …are…

  • Valves, Actuators & Regulators Blog: Sizing Control Valves for Intended Applications

    Jim Cahill
    I received a LinkedIn message earlier today. Here’s a portion of the message: I want abstract or article for fisher control valves issues faced during sizing selection mainly because of process and their solutions. if you could provide something, it is very helpful. Thank you!!! I connected with my friends who work with Emerson’s Fisher brand of control valves. It’s a very broad question and the best place to begin…

  • Valves, Actuators & Regulators Blog: IIoT Sensors, Analytics and Remote Experts for Control Valves

    Jim Cahill
    We have highlighted in earlier posts how Industrial Internet of Things technologies have found their way into process automation including control valves to help improve safety, reliability and efficiency. In a Process Industry Informer article, Transform Operations with IIoT-enabled Control Valves , Emerson’s Clint Schneider and Michael Lester describe how actionable insights can by continuously monitoring the health…

  • Valves, Actuators & Regulators Blog: Continuously Monitoring Overpressure Devices

    Jim Cahill
    Managing pressure is critical for most process manufacturing & production operations. Pressure relief valves (PRVs) protect against overpressure conditions and are often considered the last line of defense from catastrophic failures. Marcio Donnangelo Marcelo Dultra Standards such as ASME Pressure Relief Devices PTC 25-2014 and API RP 520, Part I-2014 identify types, sizing and practices for effective overpressure…

  • Valves, Actuators & Regulators Blog: Valve Condition Monitoring for Improved Operational Performance

    Jim Cahill
    The Industrial Internet of Things technologies enable more assets to be continuously monitored than was economically practical when wired sensors were the only option. With this additional flow of data, the value comes from being able to interpret this data to take action to improve operational performance in safety, reliability and efficiency. Control valves, found widely across process and hybrid manufacturing and…

  • Valves, Actuators & Regulators Blog: Simplifying Pressure Relief Valve Lifecycle Management

    Jim Cahill
    Proven RFID technology has been widely used in supply chain applications and has now found application in the manufacturing and production industries. I highlighted how it being used to better plan and streamline valve maintenance in a post, Improving Valve Maintenance and Planning with RFID Technology . This RFID technology is now also available for pressure relief valves (PRVs). In this quick, 2:36 YouTube video,…

  • Valves, Actuators & Regulators Blog: Considerations for Ball Valves in High Temperature Applications

    Jim Cahill
    Jason Jablonski Wade Helfer Petroleum refineries and several other processing industries have high-temperature flows. Valves used for throttling and on/off control must be made of materials to withstand the high temperatures. In a Hydrocarbon Processing article, Using ball valves in high-temperature applications , Emerson’s Jason Jablonski and Wade Helfer share recommendations for manufacturers and producers to…

  • Valves Blog (no longer active): Fail-Safe Electric Actuators for Quarter-Turn Valves

    Jim Cahill
    Aaron Roepke For many applications, such as emergency shutdowns (ESD), on-off quarter valves with electric actuators are the best fit. In the event of loss of power, some type of fail-safe mechanism may be required to bring the valve into an open or closed position as required by the process. These applications are typically found in the oil & gas, power, chemical, HVAC, and water & wastewater industries. The Bettis…

  • Valves Blog (no longer active): Self-Contained Hydraulic Emergency Shutdown System

    Jim Cahill
    Sergio Vaz Lopes A safety instrumented function (SIF) in a safety instrumented system (SIS) contains a sensor, logic solver and final element. All must function properly in the event of a safety demand to take the process into a safe state in coordination with other SIFs. The final element consists of several parts including the isolation valve, actuator, pressure pilots, test valves and other components as required…

  • Valves Blog (no longer active): Adding Experts in Valve Condition Monitoring

    Jim Cahill
    Fabrice Hoenig Data available in manufacturing and production facilities is growing faster than people can process. In a Process Industry Informer article, How Valve Condition Monitoring Reduces Plant Downtime , Emerson’s Fabrice Hoenig highlights this challenge: The vast amount of data that is generated about equipment condition and performance offers a great opportunity to engineers, but it can be overwhelming to…

  • Valves Blog (no longer active): Digital Valve Services for Improved Operational Performance

    Jim Cahill
    For process manufacturers & producers, the performance of final control elements including valves, actuators and regulators has a major impact on their efficiency, reliability and variability. Knowing how these final control elements are performing and when they need attention can improve overall operational performance. This short 3-minute video, Digital Valve Services , highlights a portfolio of tools that provide…

  • Valves Blog (no longer active): Understanding Functional Safety Concepts and Final Element Suitability

    Jim Cahill
    Riyaz Ali The world of functional safety has its own tribal language and acronyms, e.g. safety instrumented systems (SISs), safety instrumented functions (SIFs), logic solvers, final elements (FEs), safety integrity level (SIL), probability of failure on demand (PFD), etc. In a Hydrocarbon Engineering article, Keep in the Safety Loop , Emerson’s Riyaz Ali does an excellent job of defining and demystifying these phrases…

  • Valves Blog (no longer active): Exercising Solenoid Valves in Safety Applications

    Jim Cahill
    Joe McHugh Valves used in safety applications tend to stay in opened or closed positions for very long, time intervals. As Emerson’s Joe McHugh explained in a Plant Engineering article, Double up on solenoid safety : …all valves experience stiction if they remain inactive for too long. (Note: Stiction is the friction that tends to prevent stationary surfaces from being set in motion.) These valves must be moved…

  • Valves Blog (no longer active): A Strategic Partnership Driving Valve Operational Performance Improvement

    Jim Cahill
    Jaime Miller Manufacturer and producer reliability teams focus much of their efforts around the large plant assets including pumps, compressors, and control systems to maintain efficient and reliable operations. Valves, actuators and regulators often don’t get this same attention. Yet, these final control elements can have a major impact on the performance of the process. I caught up with Emerson’s Jaime Miller about…

  • Valves Blog (no longer active): Control and Isolation Valve Qualification Testing

    Jim Cahill
    Jason Jablonski Just as people require certain qualifications to perform specific tasks, so does instrumentation, final control elements, control systems and other components in an automation architecture. In a very informative Chemical Engineering Progress (CEP) article, Purchase a Qualified Valve for Your Operation , Emerson’s Jason Jablonski highlights numerous qualification standards and criteria for control and…

  • Valves Blog (no longer active): Improving Control Valve Reliability through Valve Condition Monitoring

    Jim Cahill
    Sumitaka Ichiki An Asian refiner sought to improve reliable operations around their control valves a decade ago. I caught up with Emerson’s Sumitaka Ichiki who shared the story of their journey to more reliable operations. Using the Fisher FlowScanner valve diagnostic software, they analyzed the dynamic response of many of their critical valves. Based on their findings, they decided to see if they could improve performance…

  • Valves Blog (no longer active): Valve Condition Monitoring Connected Services

    Jim Cahill
    One path in digital transformation programs is to drive reliability improvements of plant assets by moving from reactive maintenance to condition based maintenance of the equipment. Saurabh Pathak I caught up with Emerson’s Saurabh Pathak who shared a case study with me of a large, Middle Eastern natural gas transportation & distribution company. This company had a continuous improvement program to improve asset performance…

  • Valves Blog (no longer active): Approaches to Partial Stroke Testing Safety Valves

    Jim Cahill
    The safety valve within a safety instrumented function (SIF) must be tested regularly to help assure proper operation in the event of a safety demand. Operators usually perform an offline full stroke test during a scheduled shutdown because of the impact of this test on the process. But when a SIF (a.k.a. safety loop) requires more frequent testing, users can perform a partial stroke test (PST) , per the global IEC 61511…

  • Valves Blog (no longer active): Assuring Control Valve Quality

    Jim Cahill
    Brant Pfantz Control valves are the workhorses of most processes. They touch the process fluids and often contend with many challenges—abrasive and corrosive fluids, high pressures and temperatures, and vibrations caused by piping and surrounding process equipment, to name a few. In a Processing magazine article, Valve Sourcing Goes Global , Emerson’s Brant Pfantz highlights the many qualifications and practices…

  • Valves Blog (no longer active): Case Study on Valve Monitoring Connected Services

    Jim Cahill
    An Emerson local business partner's Evelyn Rosales presented with a petrochemical producer, Maximize your Turnaround Efficiency using Connected Services at the 2019 Emerson Exchange conference. This petrochemical producer began valve condition monitoring a year ago on over 100 valves. Diagnostic data is automatically connected weekend with a monthly valve health summary report delivered to the plant. The objective to…

  • Valves Blog (no longer active): Innovative Slurry Isolation Valve Remote Control

    Jim Cahill
    Emerson’s Peter Woodhead presented Remote Control Panels: Innovative & Effective Solution for Isolation Valves at the 2019 Emerson Exchange conference. Peter is from Brisbane, Australia where they design and manufacturer Lunkenheimer slurry valves . The mining customer challenged the Emerson team to remotely control some slurry isolation valves. The isolation valves were applied on a backpressure vessel with the digestion…

  • Valves Blog (no longer active): Wirelessly Monitoring Tank Thief Hatches to Avoid Regulatory Fines

    Jim Cahill
    I shared a great case study from the oil patch yesterday with time savings with wireless pressure monitoring at the well head. Today, let’s continue with another great case study from the oil patch with a Control magazine article, Use wireless to monitor thief hatches . The article’s author opens describing what a thief hatch is. These devices are: …installed on the top of low-pressure and atmospheric tanks in the…

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