Process Control

A sanitary water district in California partnered with Valin Corporation to address a challenge in its operations. Moreover, the district was looking for a complete, turnkey solution, meticulously engineered and pre-assembled for immediate deployment. Read the article below to learn how Valin helped.
 

Actuators are required for a variety of operations throughout a multitude of different industries. With so many different potential applications, one would correctly assume that the options can often be overwhelming. Many of these actuators only require a base-level of sizing that is mostly driven by the load (for the bearings) and the desired motion profile (for the drivetrain).

Experienced process control engineers follow familiar, time-tested steps when presented with a new system to design and specify. Selecting a control valve for a process always requires the same information: collection of the process conditions, calculating required capacity and determining the materials that will survive in the process stream. But some process streams present more challenges than others.

We are still in the very early stages of widespread adoption and deployment of renewable hydrogen technology in the United States.

Nothing will impede a successful plant turnaround like improper planning. One aspect of this planning is effective inventory management, and the keys to achieving this are properly identifying and communicating maintenance needs. Read the article below published in Hydrocarbon Processing Magazine to learn more.

The Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 was signed on August 16, 2022, and included financial incentives that were intended to drive more investment and deployment of clean hydrogen and fuel cell technologies.

There are many different differential pressure flowmeter designs to achieve long-term dependable, accurate flow measurement.

Selecting a regulator is not a simple process. There are many application-specific elements to consider and critical ramifications associated with each decision.

Rainwater can collect oils, contaminants, and chemicals as it touches the ground. Fortunately, technology exists to treat the initial rainwater, and it has been utilized in certain parts of the country for some time. However, as more people become aware of this functionality, its applications are gaining popularity all across the country.

Industrial process plants are complex facilities with thousands of components that play a role in the operation of the plant. Not all these components hold the same consequences if they are improperly selected or if they fail to perform their designed function.

Recently an article was published that presented an easily constructed Excel sheet that estimates hydrodynamic noise in control valves1. A number of people have asked me if there is something similar for aerodynamic noise. 

A veteran of valve sizing with more than 40 years of experience provides his perspective on how to calculate the compressibility factor of a real gas for control valve sizing purposes.

Most control valve manufacturers include IEC 60534-8-4:2015 in their control valve sizing and selection software to predict control valve hydrodynamic noise. However, users who want to make quick noise predictions or who want to construct valve sizing applications, programming the above noise standard can be a daunting task. 

If one wants to be able to do accurate hand calculations, or construct a simple program or Excel sheet, the method described here gives answers that agree exactly with iterative calculations using the equations in the current version of the ISA and IEC standards.

EIVs are a critical safety device for fuel-burning equipment and industrial processes that use flammable ingredients. Proper selection is critical for the safety of the workers in the plant, plant equipment and the surrounding communities.

The availability of an easily constructed Excel worksheet that calculates and graphs control valve installed gain in conjunction with the users preferred control valve sizing application has prompted a new interest in the application of these calculations. Three examples are shown here.

Positioner selection deserves due diligence and consideration of several factors before making any firm decision. Theres certainly not a typical one-size-fits-all approach for positioners; an uninformed choice can lead to undesirable consequences.

Appropriately specifying trip valves in the world of natural gas liquification is a critical element. Failing to do so effectively can risk the lives of operators and maintenance personnel working in close proximity to the equipment, and can sometimes cause irreparable damage to expensive turbomachinery.

By taking advantage of Valins program, customers can be confident that their inventory management function is fully optimized.  They can rest assured that the right parts will be in the right place right when they need them, while keeping the peace of mind that their transactional costs are being lowered and the KPIs are being adequately analyzed.

Application requirements are paramount, but don't overspend when a less expensive option will do.

A simple process method based on the principle that piping pressure losses are approximately proportional to flow squared is presented.

While globe control valves are still a viable solution, modern rotary control valves offer many advantages and serve as a more suitable solution in certain process applications.

Most people who are familiar with control valves have seen the formula for calculating the valve capacity (Cv) required to pass a given flow rate of water. This seems fairly straightforward until you ask yourself, what is the correct value of differential pressure to use?

Maintaining a consistent internal environment for your enclosures is critical for equipment to function properly. The National Electrical Manufacturers Association (NEMA) has defined standards for specific enclosures designed for the application and environment when correctly installed. Learn more.