Emerson Exchange 365

With at least 30 LNG trains under construction to meet growing demand, selecting the right control valves to keep these operations running smoothly and reliably is a critical task.  

The three presenters at this morning’s Emerson Exchange workshop – Vince Mezzano of Fluor, Keith Erskine of Puffer-Sweiven, and Mike McCarty of Emerson’s Fisher valve team – outlined essential considerations for six important valve applications in LNG processing:

• Inlet feed gas control, where diagnostics can help keep these critical valves operating reliably.
• Rich amine letdown control, where valve designs must address potential outgassing and dirty service.
• Amine pump recycle control, where staging  pressure drop is essential to eliminate cavitation and potential damage
• Gas to flare control, where IEC 2010 noise prediction can aid selection of trim and body outlet  for noise attenuation 
• Compressor anti-surge, where optimized digital valves can provide the right combination of speed and control (and where Emerson subjects every anti-surge valve to extensive testing before it leaves the factory, then follows up with on-site performance testing after installation)
• Joule-Thompson/Expander bypass, where cryogenic considerations introduce special challenges.

The presenters concluded by advising that early understanding of these challenges – and potential solutions – can help mitigate project schedule risks, protect costly equipment, and avoid downtime and suboptimal performance.

Also see Emersons’ Fisher LNG Liquefaction Solutions brochure.