results valves 1 2014 en lo

1/2014

Also in this issue

4 Keep the noise down

7 Device Management Solutions

8 Problem solved with butterfly valve

10 The 90th anniversary of Mapag® valves

11 Marine-certified Neles intelligent valve controller for severe offshore conditions

11 Order of over 4,000 intelligent valves controllers in China

12 SIL certifications for Neles® flow control products

12 Long-lasting seawater control in Chile

13 Automated solution for batch cooking with Neles® capping valves in Sweden

14 Superior tightness in difficult applications

15 Valves for geothermal power plant installation in Kenya

15 Spare part service contract in Qatar

16 New service center in the Netherlands

results valvesMetso customer newsletter for Neles®, Jamesbury® and Mapag® products.

Reliable and efficient performance

under demanding conditions

Sources of regulation The very first broadly defined air pollution laws were enacted in the United Kingdom in the 19th century, due to concerns stemming from that country’s rapid industrialization. The same happened in the United States and Germany during the1960’s. As industrialization has progressed further, limitations have become more specific, a trend which has brought a narrower focus on fugitive emission sources, e.g. industrial valves.

Numerous studies show that valves are a major source of fugitive emissions from an industrial plant. Today there are several different valve-related fugitive emission standards issued by a variety of sources:• Normative standards (e.g. API624, FCI-91-1) • International standards (e.g. ISO 15848) • End user specifi cations (e.g. Shell SPE 77/312)• National legislative and regulatory agency standards (e.g. EPA 40 Parts 60/63, TA-Luft)

Over the past two decades, oil and gas processing facilities have been challenged with increasingly stringent regulatory and legislative requirements impacting environmental health and safety. This is particularly true of the rules governing allowable Fugitive Emissions (FE) from process valves.

TEXT: Tarmo Laitinen

Enhanced safety with Fugitive Emissions certification

2 1/2014 results | valves

results | valves

the difference in permeability of these gases and the precautions that must be taken when using methane, leak test results are not strictly comparable.

There are two methods for detecting emissions. A local method (e.g. sniffing) measures concentration which is typically associated with methane based tests (e.g. 100ppm). Sniffing can only be used as an estimate of the actual leakage. A correlation is applied to the leakage measured by sniffing to estimate actual leakage from the valve’s stem. Global methods (e.g. under vacuum) capture and accurately measure the actual leakage (e.g. mbar*l/s) into the atmosphere surrounding the valve. Because the local and global methods are so different, their results are not directly comparable.

These are not the only procedural differ-ences among the standards. Others include different testing temperatures, temperature cycles, and number of operational cycles before test data is collected. Moreover, there is flexibility in some standards to interpret test results more or less strictly. Finally, the FE limits set out by the different standards are also different.

So, how do we arrive at meaningful comparisons that will allow us to make the best choice? First, we need to take a more detailed look into the different standards to better understand the intent of their FE limitation requirements for the valve and the actual benefit of using a particular standard to evaluate fugitive emission performance.

All of these standards have the same general purpose: to encourage and enforce compliance to the applicable local fugitive emission laws, and reduce fugitive emissions from the valves to prevent damage to health and the environment.

Understanding FE standards It requires considerable expertise to understand the different fugitive emission standards and to use that understanding to develop valve packages that are appropriate to the processes for which they are intended, while conforming to the applicable regulatory standards.

Among the most commonly used global fugitive emission standards are:• EPA 40 Parts 60/63

(Limiting emissions to 100/500 ppmv)• TA-luft • ISO15848-1, which has been a favored

standard during the recent years• Shell Oil Company’s end user

specifications

Direct comparison of different fugitive emis-sion standards is not straightforward due to the fact that they each rely on their own test procedures. The most important variables within these procedures are the test fluid, detection methods for leakage and limits.

The test fluid may be either helium of methane. Helium is a very permeable gas and safe to use, whereas methane does not have similar permeability or safety. Due to

Which FE standard is the most useful? EPA 40 Parts 60/63 sets only 100/500ppm leakage level criteria which must be met during the actual usage conditions and throughout the usage life of the valves. The leakage detection flow medium is a hydrocarbon from the pipeline, and the detection method is sniffing. The approach is very simple and clever because of the use of a process plant as the origin for fugitive emissions. Another advantage is that FE level is measured throughout the valves’ life cycle. However, hydrocarbons have different leakage behavior depending on the nature of the flow medium (gas/liquid). So it makes difficult to compare fugitive emission performance of different valves in cases of different flow mediums. Also these leakage limits are not very strict, so they are easier to fulfill.

TA-Luft is a standard that requires a valve manufacturer’s designs to comply with certain requirements. TA-Luft sets the leakage criteria to be at bellows seal leakage level or the equivalent. The leakage detection flow medium is helium, which is a very permeable gas. Only global leakage detection methods are allowed. There are two different FE leakage level limits based on the application’s temperature level. The leakage limit for under 250°C can be regarded strict, where above 250°C limit can be regarded as less demanding.

The TA-Luft standard does not define the exact number of operating cycles, so

Figure 1: Leakage value comparison of different valve fugitive emission standards. The leakage values (mbar*l/s) could be characterized better in real lifeleakage values indicating the leakage in liters per year for 25mm stem.

ISO Class A = 0.014 L per year (volume of d = 3cm ball, 35% of a golf ball)

TA-Luft <250 °C = 0.3 L per year (a soda can)

ISO Class B = 1.4 L per year (~ two wine bottles)

TA-Luft =>250 °C = 30 L per year

ISO Class C = 140 L per year (~ barrel)

2,00E-03

2,00E-04

2,00E-05

2,00E-06

2,00E-07

mbar*L/s

Shell MESCSPE 77/312

ClassB*

EPA40 CFR 60

(100ppm)**

EPA40 CFR 60

(500ppm)**

ISO Class A ISO Class B ISO Class C TA-Luft<250 °C

TA-Luft=>250 °C

*=sniffer value**=converted value (Leybold L200)

Shell MESC SPE 77/312

ClassA*

Figure 1. Leakage value comparison of different valve fugitive emission standards.

3results | valves 1/2014

results | valves

it leaves room for different interpretations. For example, should the operational life of a control valve be established at 500 or 60,000 operational cycles? In addition to that, TA-Luft does not contain a defined temperature cycle procedure, which is a slight disadvantage when evaluating a valves’ FE performance under actual usage conditions.

ISO15848-1 does not regulate the valve’s design but rather the type of approval tests with which valve manufacturers’ design must comply. The leakage detection flow medium is typically helium. Methane can be used, but such testing is uncommon due to safety concerns. ISO15848-1 has three different leakage limits which range from an extremely stringent (Class A) to a non-strict (Class C) measured with the global leakage detection methods.

ISO Class A is the most demanding leakage level that exists at the moment. It is meant for valves equipped with bellows type seal packings. Quarter turn valves can reach ISO Class A leakage level in a short term, lower temperature tests with current graphite packings at the moment. This means that emission performance of current graphite packing rings greatly exceed PTFE based chevron packing rings that have been used as a fugitive emission solver in the past. Additional benefits of current graphite pack-ings compared to PTFE chevron packings are their fire safe properties and greatly elevated temperature range.

ISO Class B leakage level can be regarded as a quarter turn valves’ performance level which can be reached with current graphite packing rings in long duration tests at a high temperature (400°C).

ISO 15848 also establishes separate FE limits for a valve’s body joints (like bonnets or covers) measured by the sniffing method. There are three endurance classes for both, on-off and control valve types. Testing temperature classes ranging from -196°C up to 400°C may be used to define the testing temperature and compulsory temperature cycle procedure.

Figure 1 summarizes allowed leakage values of different FE standards relating allowable annual leakage to the volume of everyday objects. From it we can see that ISO 15848 offers the most comprehensive leakage level classification. It does so with testing procedures that can be varied to simulate actual operating conditions. This allows

the easy, quantifiable comparison of valves’ fugitive emission performance in order to select the most appropriate product for specific applications.

Accelerating the pace of ISO 15848 certificationDuring the past five years, many process industry end users have clearly begun favoring ISO 15848 emission standard as the most unified tool for measuring and realizing their FE performance objectives. This has provided a strong incentive for valve suppliers like Metso to actively pursue a wide range of theoretical and technical knowledge as well as laboratory facilities, along with the testing and reporting capabilities needed to fulfill current ISO 15848 standard’s Class A/B leakage requirements.

The requirements of the ISO 15848 FE standard are very demanding for the valves. Here are some of the measures Metso has adopted to support them:

Simulating actual thermal cycling conditions: A mandatory heat cycling program simulates potential process’s heat cycling which sets high demands for the valve’s design. For example, a weak valve design may lose its FE performance after a heat cycle. The severe heat cycling program combined with extremely low (Class A) and

low leakage (Class B) limit criteria measured with accurate methods is a strong indication of low FE leakage at the harshest conditions that a valve may see during its life cycle.Third Party Certifications: Highly regarded 3rd party certifications are frequently obtained to verify testing conditions and actual FE performance of valves. In this way, end users can be sure that they receive high fugitive emission performance valves. Expanding the number of valve models tested: In 2012, a corporate initiative to increase the number of valves certified to the most stringent environmental standards was expanded to certify numerous soft- and metal-seated valves to the ISO 15848-1 standard and to translate the test results into evidence of compliance with other strict regional standards.

Metso’s corporate initiative to expand

and intensify FE certification coverage will continue in the future as it is the only way to provide proven, added value for the end users.

Many benefits of FE reduction Valves with low fugitive emission levels benefit end users in many ways. First, valves which have very low fugitive emissions help end users to fulfill current environmental rules and regulations which must be adhered to if the plant is to continue its operations and avoid heavy fines (which can be far more costly than FE-certified valves.)

Secondly, minimization of fugitive emissions can also avoid other costs that occur when product is lost via leaking valves. The lost flow medium results in both lost raw material and smaller endproduct yields. The more complex and processed the flow media is, the higher price it has per mass unit. The loss of flow medium is also lost energy, as the pumps or compressors must do extra work to compensate for the leak-age. A considerable amount of money can be saved by minimizing fugitive emissions.

FE-certified valves improve safety. A leaking packing can represent an enormous safety issue in a process plant. For example, a hydrogen leak can autoignite and cause hardly detectable flames. Such a flame will burn surroundings and compromise personnel and plant safety.

Of course, health issues will also be minimized by reducing fugitive emissions. A healthier environment protects people and it also makes them more productive. For example, reducing H2S content in air allows workers to work a longer time period in high H2S content areas.

By asking their valve suppliers to require FE testing to the most comprehensive standard available (currently ISO15848-1) end users can introduce significant health, safety and environmental benefits at their process plant, even as they improve their operating cost factors.

For further information, please contact: [email protected]

Reprinted with the permission of Valve World magazine. This article was published in Valve World magazine, June 2013.

“Health issues will also be minimized by reducing fugitive emissions. A healthier environment protects people and it also makes them more productive.”


our products and solutions

Essential utilitiesSteam is widely used in industries such as power production where high pressure drops and vibration is a concern. It is needed for various purposes in chemical and hydrocarbon processing: It can be used as a source of power, taking part in a reaction, like in steam reforming to produce hydrogen; or it can be used as stripping steam in columns and reactors, purging piping and equipment to keep them clean from fouling such as in delayed coking coke drum operations and steam cracking furnaces in ethylene production. Wherever steam is used, there is a likely need to control noise and large pressure drops. Special attention is required in the sizing and selection of valves to ensure that they are also clean, safe and reliable.

Compressors and surgeCompressor surge protection is a severe application requiring noise control. Capacity instability is accompanied by a characteristic noise known as pumping or surge. The resulting violent gas pressure oscil-lation can cause damage to the compressor in just a few seconds. The anti surge valve must be able to pass approx. 100% capacity of a compressor, react quickly, handle high pressure drops and reduce noise while keeping a tight shutoff to avoid energy losses.

Answering noise demandsHow does a valve manufacturer answer these extreme demands when noise needs to be controlled under various flow conditions

and ever tightening noise level requirements? One will start by looking at the history and milestones of flow control noise abate-ment technology developments that are leading the way to modern technologies.

Rotary control valves have been used for decades in numerous processing industries. In the late 1970s, rotary control ball valves were already in wide use. The same design of the first low noise anticavitation, patented Neles® Q-Ball introduced in 1979 still works on the same field proven principle of a multi stage trim of variable resistance depending on the valve opening. The difference between the noise level of a Q-trim ball and conventional ball can be up to 20 dBA. The Q-trim ball also has wider rangeability, and it is not sensitive to fluid impurities. The Q-trim ball became a common solution for many applications in steam, gas or liquid service. The next step towards higher pressure drops was taken in the mid 1980s when diffusers were introduced and sized so that their performance was optimised in conjunction with the control valve. The segmented ball control valve introduced in the 1980s added more possibilities in the way of extremely wide rangeability to flow control. Using Q-trim in segmented ball valves gives a control valve with low recovery.

The late 1980s saw an extension in the applicability limits of the control butterfly valve when the silencer disc (Neles S-DiscTM) was launched. The solution was again very simple. The non-symmetrical pressure distribution pattern on both sides of the disc has been made symmetrical with a partial flow obstacle (S-Disc) inside the

Noise can be a problem in even low and medium pressure steam applications, resulting in issues like heavy vibrations or health, safety and environmental hazards. In processing facilities like oil refineries we can hear the loud noise generated by the flow of fluids. Avoiding excessive noise is a common requirement in many oil and gas plants, especially those related to gas processing, LNG, GTL or industrial gas production. The usual limit for noise is 85 dBA, but the limit for the whole project may be as low as 80 dBA.

TEXT: Sari Aronen and Ville Kähkönen


Rotary valve noise abatement in gas and steam flow control applications

Keep the noise down

news

volume is at the maximum. The acoustic noise can be controlled in two ways: flow division into multiple streams and the modification of the acoustic field. Location control involves designing a valve trim in such a way that the location and the shape of the jet streams in, and especially leaving the trim, are such that the minimum amount of noise is produced. Dividing the pressure drop between a control valve and a downstream diffuser provides an effective way of further reducing the noise in cases where there is a constant, high pressure drop across the control valve and the flow is relatively constant. An attenuator plate can be used for noise attenuation in cases where the pressure drop is close to constant across the valve.

Short theory behind source treatmentVelocity control: Controlling the maximum fluid velocity inside a con-trol valve trim is a very effective way of controlling noise at subsonic flow velocities in the trim, as the acoustic intensity of a jet has been shown to be proportional to the sixth power of the flow velocity in a system with solid boundaries like a valve trim or a pipe. The relation between sound pressure level (SPL) and acoustic intensity is given in equation (1).

Control valve aerodynamic noise is mainly caused by dipole sources when the flow velocity is subsonic. The acoustic intensity is given by the following proportionality equation (2).

Equation (1):

Equation (2):



valve body. This design helps to eliminate the dynamic torque, and because of the more turbulent flow pattern, it lowers the high recovery behaviour.

Decades of experience and development form an essential basis to take further development steps in control valve noise abatement. Controlling noise and understanding the fluid behavior in valves is based heavily on experimentation and supported by computational fluid dynamics.

The new Q2-trim is the second generation of Q-trim technology and is designed to reduce high aerodynamic noise to a tolerable level. The design itself follows the same principle as Q-trim and also utilises the same techniques of pressure staging, flow division, acoustic control and velocity control.

The idea behind the new development was to create high noise attenuation trim, which takes into account the 30 years’ history of the Q-trim and brings the noise attenuation to a new level of performance. The theory behind the design is based on the same physical phenomena that can be found with the Q-trim.

The science behind the developmentWhat creates noise in the first place? The answer to this question is not straightforward. Although there are still unknown factors behind noise, theories have been built for them. The noise created by throttling gas or steam flow is called aerodynamic noise. There are various sources where the noise originates, for example, from the downstream turbulence of the valve, which can cause pressure fluctuations and pressure waves, high flow velocity and vibrations from shock waves. Once high noise has been generated inside a pipeline, it can propagate in several ways: inside the pipeline, along the pipe wall, along the pipe supports and into the surroundings.

Noise abatement can be done in several ways. The basic division of these is between ‘source’ treatment, like valve and trim modification where excessive noise is prevented, and ‘path’ treatment with dampen-ing the noise generated by using silencers, insulation and heavier pipe schedule. Source treatment is the preferred choice, whenever feasible, because it also ensures reliable process operation by preventing the high mechanical vibration levels always associated with noise.

Source treatment of noise can be performed by at least four different methods: velocity control, acoustic control, location control and by using diffusers. The velocity inside a control valve trim can be controlled most effectively by using a multistage pressure drop and by increasing the valve trim outlet area such that the flow velocity and pressure at the valve outlet are at the minimum and the gas


A very important implication in equation (2) is that the noise intensity is proportional to the velocity to the sixth power.

Where: I = acoustic intensityρ = density of jetv = velocity of jetDj = diameter of jetr = distance from source

Where: I = acoustic intensityI0 = 10 –12W/m2

vj = jet velocity

I ~ ρ2 . ______v6 . Dj2

r2

I ~ vj6

SPL (dB) = 10 . log ___II0

I ~ ρ2 . ______v6 . Dj2

r2

I ~ vj6

SPL (dB) = 10 . log ___II0



Acoustic control affects the noise level by means of acoustics. Two methods used in control valves are described here: flow division into multiple streams and the modification of the acoustic field.

In theory, flow division into multiple streams is effective because the intensity of the noise generated by a single orifice decreases rapidly when the hole diameter is decreased. Thus, a number of small holes attenuates noise more effectively than one big hole. A rule of thumb is that each doubling of the number of holes reduces noise by 3 dB, as illustrated in Figure 1.

Location control involves designing a valve trim in such a way that the location and the shape of the jet streams in the valve trim, and especially leaving the valve trim, are such that the minimum noise is produced. The formation of turbulence in the mixing region between where the jet exits from an orifice and the gas flow at the outlet region as well as the attachment and interaction of shock waves (generated during throttling if the flow reaches sonic velocity in the valve) are major sources of noise that can be controlled to a certain extent by intelligent valve trim design.

One way to do this is to smooth the velocity profile of the jet by introducing a lower velocity gas stream alongside the jet, as shown in Figure 2.

As mentioned earlier, the further development of enhanced noise reduction trim is based on applying the known technologies in experimental research. This method has proved to be successful in providing enhanced noise attenuation for gas and steam applications. It provides very low pressure difference over the last stage, effective flow division to reduce noise level in low and high pressure differen-tials, avoiding resonances and extra turbulence as well as taking into account the insertion loss related to separate static resistors.

Sizing valves and predicting noiseComputerized control valve sizing and noise prediction arrived during the 1980s with sizing programs, which acted as tools for evaluating the true performance of the control valve. Today, control valve sizing programs are the key to appropriate valve noise prediction for overall noise control. Aerodynamic noise equations for control valve sizing have been defined by using international standards like IEC 60534-8-3.

ConclusionThe capability to avoid excessive noise is a common requirement in many oil and gas plants. Valves play a critical role in noise control. Wherever there are gaseous hydrocarbons processed or utilities such as steam, hydrogen, nitrogen and oxygen used in hydrocarbon processing, there is a likely need to control noise at large pressure drops. Special attention should be paid in extreme applications, like compressor anti surge, to handle the extreme service demands.

There are various sources for aerodynamic noise generation. Several noise theories have been built to understand the complexity of noise generation and the factors behind it. The unknown factors make it more challenging to predict the noise behavior in real condi-tions. Experience forms an essential basis for further development steps in control valve noise abatement. The new noise attenuation designs are based on a balance between the theory and practice.

For further information, please contact: [email protected] or [email protected]

References 1. Neles-Jamesbury, Valve Book, 1990.2. Metso Automation, Flow Control Manual, 2005.3. Kähkönen, Ville., ‘Aerodynamic noise attenuation in rotary control valves’,

Valve World Magazine, December 2012.

Reprinted with the permission of Hydrocarbon Engineering magazine. This article was published in Hydrocarbon Engineering magazine, October 2013. The principle of anticavitation and noise reduction (Neles Q-trim).

1

Figure 1. Effect of increasing the number of holes on noise level.

Figure 2: Jet velocity profile modification

SPL1

SPL2 = SPL1– 3dB

Figure 1. Figure 2.

A A

A A

v > 100 m/s

B B

B B

v > 100 m/s

v < 100 m/s

v < 100 m/s

SELF FLUSHING

FLOW DIVISIONQ-trim attenuator plate

Small jet streams

PRESSURE STOP STAGING

Q-trim valve

Increase lowest trim pressure

Valve without Q-trim

Reco

very

P1

P2


Significant savings in ChinaExcellent results of Metso’s service concept led customer to sign the five-year contract again for another five years.

Metso’s solution has been designed to improve the availability of critical spare parts for maintenance activities while reducing overall costs associated with stocking spare parts. As part of the con-tract, Metso will also provide its On-site Supervising Service at the Gdańsk refinery so as to ensure that daily maintenance and turnaround activities always meet the high standards set by Grupa Lotos. The contract value has not been disclosed.

Technical Director of Grupa Lotos Grzegorz Błędowski said: “We chose Metso to improve our capabilities in managing valve repairs and spare

parts inventory. To support operational processes and to keep high refinery availability, we need reliable equipment and good partners like Metso.”

Through in-depth understanding of the criticality of individual devices and an intelligent stocking strategy, Metso is able to simultaneously reduce the number of spare parts and components held in stock while increasing the number of devices covered by spare parts in the refinery. Through this approach at other sites, Metso has been able to substantially cut spare parts inventory, reduce yearly spare parts

capital and operational expenditure, while significantly increasing the number of devices covered by spare parts.

Metso’s On-site Supervising Service ensures that maintenance and repair work done by the end user and third parties has been done correctly and meets stringent quality thresholds. As part of the service, Metso assists in maintenance planning, checks the completed maintenance and repair work done on Metso items, carries out testing on repaired equipment to ensure that it has been performed correctly and assists Lotos with all other daily and long-term activities related to Metso valves.

Mikko Keto, President of Metso Automation Services commenting on the deal said: “Metso’s presence in the oil & gas sector continues to grow with this significant new service contract with leading Polish refinery Grupa Lotos.”


Optimized valve spare parts stocking and supply in GdanskGrupa Lotos S.A. has chosen Metso’s Device Management Solution to optimize its valve spare parts stocking and supply.

Metso’s Device Management Business Solution (previously known as Valve Management Solution) has reduced storage expenses, valve spare parts purchases and networking capital tied up in valves at a major Chinese paper mill. In the contract Metso is responsible for managing spare parts inventory. In this way Metso has satisfied customer’s priority requirement of reducing its inventory and also ensured that contract inventory is sufficient to cover all valves in critical parts of the process while saving inventory costs at the same time.

The five year service contract started in 2008 and is continued for another 5 year period. The contract covers areas

such as inventory stock management, spare parts agreement and pricing, delivery timescales, field services, rapid response services and technical guidance services.

The satisfied customer said about Metso’s services, “With Metso’s service team we do not have any worries. We do not have to contend with inventory issues any longer, and neither do we have to consider matters such as on-site valve maintenance.” During this period, Metso’s customer has not encountered any incidence of equipment failure due to valve issues.

Automation’s President Perttu Louhiluoto said in an interview with

Valve World: “I believe strongly in China’s rapid development because I have seen for myself how it has developed in 5 to 7 years in a way that would take 30 years elsewhere. Under such circumstances, I believe that in the coming 5 years, the element of service will become a factor considered by suppliers, and they will receive attention and be trusted as long as they perform well in terms of the supply of spare parts and value the quality of their products. This is why we are taking the initiative to develop our services with regard to our solutions end-users. Metso is committed to promote our Device Management model so that our customers in China and elsewhere can enjoy high-quality management services for valve and other device inventory, more stable workflow management, more timely supplies as well as higher efficiency.’’


our customers

Device Management Solutions


Since starting production in 1972, the Dow plant on the river Elbe in Stade has grown to be one of the largest and most important industrial enterprises in northern Germany. Around 4 billion euros have been invested there over the years to optimise existing plants and to build new ones. Key issues have been maintaining the company’s market position and competitiveness, reduc-ing energy consumption and protecting the environment. Although energy consump-tion in the plants is equivalent to that of a large city such as Hamburg, Dow products are used for high-performance rotor blades in wind power plants, special media for solar power plants and insulation material. This can save many times the amount of energy needed for production.

Compared to such complex processes, the installation of a shut-off valve seems small and insignificant. Yet experience shows that every single component matters. The

search for the ideal valve solution at the DME reactor turned out to be a long and costly task. Gate valves, ball valves and plug valves were installed, tested and rejected over the years. Finally, Ludger Michalczak had the idea of installing a butterfly valve, a solution that hadn’t been considered in the past due to the requirements of the reactor. Michalczak has been working for Dow in Stade for about 41 years and as SPP coordinator he is responsible for making changes to instrumentation and pipework at three of the plants. One of these plants is the chloromethane plant for processing dimethyl ether (DME). The fixed bed reactor needed for this purpose must be separated from the nearby process and sealed with a valve when maintenance personnel enter the DME reactor, for example to make repairs or to change the catalyst. Also, the reactor must be isolated in an emergency to prevent emissions.

Metso’s solid-proof Mapag® butterfly valve significantly reduces operational costs in extreme process conditions at Dow in Stade.

Butterfly valve installed – problem solved

TEXT: Ursula Gehl

“Metso has identified our problem and has delivered a functioning solution.”

Ludger Michalczak SPP coordinator, Dow in Stade

our customers


Challenges: coke fines and heat “This valve must close on demand with 100% safety and reliability,” says Michalczak. “The problem is that we have an exothermic catalyst, which is a chemical reaction with heat, which produces coke, among other things. Both the coke fines and the heat kept damaging the first valves and causing them to fail.” Gate valves didn’t stay closed, because the coke built up in the casings. The ball valves and plug valves that we installed next suffered due to heat. As the material expanded, deposits built up in the “dead spaces”, so that over time these valve types became leaky due to blocking and were no longer adjustable.

Ludger Michalczak sums up the problem: “We have extreme processes here, so we need extreme solutions. A solution that seems reasonable doesn’t make sense if it doesn’t keep working. The valve types that we installed at first had to be changed after a short time and this led to increased investment and operating costs at the DME reactor.” A butterfly valve hadn’t been the first choice because its sealing surface is small compared to ball valves or plug valves, but as an innovative engineer Michalczak decided to try one. The principle of the butterfly valve soon proved successful, but still needed improvement to fulfil the “bidirectional tightness” function specified by Dow.

After positive experiences with a Metso

valve in another area, Dow eventually started talks with Metso to discuss a new solution. “It was essential for us that we finally put a stop to our longstanding problem with the valve in the DME reactor. We wanted to have a valve that was durable, reliable and safe,” Ludger Michalczak stresses.

Higher efficiency through innovative details Dow decided to order a special solution from Metso Automation that would be appropriate for the extreme application. Metso engineers started with a standard Mapag Solid-Proof valve as the base and developed it into a customer-specific solution to meet Dow’s requirements. The highlights of this valve are Monel as the basic material and the borated seat and sealing surfaces. The coated material offers significantly higher abrasion resistance than chrome, nickel or stellite thanks to a hard-ness of 6,000 HV, which also gives it a 100% guarantee for tightness. Also, the rotation mechanism is protected as a prestressed bearing seal prevents coke from entering the shaft and bearing, which guarantees its longevity and efficiency in the reactor.

The Mapag valve has a “fail open” function, that is, it must open if a failure occurs in the reactor to prevent overpres-sure. When the reactor is shut down for repair work, the valve must have bubble-tight shut-off to prevent the inflow of any

The Dow Chemical Company produces basic chemicals such as chlorine, ethylene oxide and methylcellulose for international markets as well as a variety of plastics and specialty chemicals. The world’s second largest chemical company in terms of turnover, Dow has been operating in the north German town of Stade for over 40 years. Around 1,500 people are employed at the 16 production plants. Nearly three million tons of basic and specialty chemicals are manufactured per year in this ultramodern integrated plant complex.

Due to the high volume of chemicals produced, the plants and their components must always be available and a high level of safety maintained. To make sure this happens, Dow has installed a “Solid-Proof” Monel valve, developed by Metso Automation specifically for the customer, to reliably shut off the DME reactor in Stade. The valve meets the demands of the environment and reduces operating costs due to its reliability.

Dow Chemical Company in Stade, Germany

our customers

medium from the connecting column. “This means that the valve performs a safety function,” Ludger Michalczak stresses. “The valve has been functioning well since its installation in 2009 and is still practicable. That wouldn’t be the case with any of our previous solutions after four years of exposure to heat and coke fines,” Ludger Michalczak concludes and adds, “We’re happy to work with Metso as a supplier, as they have solved our problem with a valve that functions even under the extreme conditions at our plant, so that we can finally have stable conditions.”

Install & forgetUnder the motto “install & forget”, the valve has been functioning smoothly since its installation in 2009. As a qualified process measuring and control engineer, Michalczak is in a position to recognise the value of the Mapag valve: “Metso has understood our requirements for the fittings at the DME reactor. This valve, which was developed uniquely for us, is therefore what I call a real solution, which has paid for itself in reduced operating costs. We call this “long term cost of ownership” and this cost has tallied because the valve just does its job.”


Reprinted with the permission of Valve World magazine. This article was published in Valve World magazine, December 2013.

news


The range of Mapag valves increases productivity, minimizes security risk and optimizes the cost of advanced processes.

Celebrating the 90th anniversary of our renowned Mapag® valves

Strong partnership to solve our customers’

needs

Customer success

in wide range of applications

On October 1, Metso celebrated 90 years of success for its Mapag product brand of valves at the Metso Valve Technol-ogy Center in Horgau, Germany. This range of butterfly valves has been especially valued internationally in all types of challenging industrial applications thanks to its exceptional reliability and low life cycle costs.

One of our strong family of valve product brands, Mapag, has developed over the years into a product brand well

known for its high performance and specialty valves for safety areas in industrial plants.

These valves improve process efficiency in applications in the oil & gas, industrial

gas, chemical and petrochemical industries, offshore, and in power plants.

Demand for these valves has been continuing to grow as raw

materials and energy sources are becoming

scarcer and costs continue to rise. The range of Mapag valves increases

productivity, minimizes security risk and optimizes the cost of advanced processes.

The current range of butterfly valves covers operating temperatures from -270 °C (-454 °F) up to +1,450 °C (+2,642 °F) and works reliably in high pressures from a vacuum up to 400 bar (5,800 psi).

The Metso Valve Technology Center in Germany is well equipped especially with refrigeration technology. Valves are tested to ensure they comply with both cryogenic and thermal shock tests that meet the latest international standards.

Three core values that the Metso Mapag product brand will continue to offer customers are customization through continuous innovation for a wide range of applications, reliability with advanced performance, and strong partner-ship through operational savings. By further focusing on these values, customers can be assured that their needs will continue to be met as they face ever more challenging operating environments and strive to lower their costs of operation. For further information, please contact:[email protected]

Reliability with advanced performance

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Tang Yezhu, Area Sales Manager, Metso Auto-mation says: “The ND product series models come with online diagnostic functionality and a wide capacity range. It is also possible to use the same type of positioner with single- and double-acting actuators, linear actuators, and rotary actuators. These are the three technical advantages that put us ahead of the pack.”

“Online diagnostics enables predictive maintenance, so our customers save money by making the right maintenance decisions. Thanks to high pneumatic capacity, less extra

instrumentation is needed, which both saves on investment costs and improves reliability during the run time of the plant. By being able to use the same device with single- and double-acting as well as linear and rotary actuators, customers can keep the spare device inventory low,” Yezhu continues.

To ensure smooth operation of the positioners at the site of installation, we will provide our client with a comprehensive suite of technical services, including on-site technical training. Service engineers will

be available to oversee the controller installation, and we will also work with the DCS supplier to handle installation and to debug the valve management software. In the early stages of operation, Metso Automation will be at the refinery to ensure a smooth deployment of the controllers. Metso will also provide routine maintenance services once operations commence.

For further information, please contact:[email protected]

Sino-Venezuela Guangdong Petrochemical Company, China

Order of over 4,000 intelligent valves controllersMetso has won a large order for intelligent valve controllers from Sino-Venezuela Guangdong Petrochemical Company for its 20 million ton-per-year, heavy crude processing project. The preliminary estimated quantity is over 4,000 units, including the Neles ND7000 series standard, intrinsically safe, and explosion-proof models.

The Sino-Venezuela Guangdong Petrochemical Company oil refinery project with a 5 km2 footprint is located in the Jieyang Nandahai Petrochemical Industrial Zone in Guangdong province. The project is slated to process 20 million tons of heavy crude annually with 29 processing units, a 300,000-ton crude oil terminal and a 30,000- to 50,000-ton product terminal in what will be the largest oil refinery project in China in terms of processing capability. Total project investment has reached USD 9.54 billion, with PetroChina a 60% stakeholder and Petróleos de Venezuela S.A. of Venezuela holding a 40% stake. The raw material to be used by the refinery is Merey-16 crude from Venezuela, which will be turned chiefly into petroleum, aviation fuel and diesel.

Neles (ND9300H) intelligent valve controller has received a marine certificate from Bureau Veritas indicating that the unit has passed that organization’s requirements for steel ships.

To meet this level of certification, the ND9300H controller had to pass a series of demanding corrosion and vibration resistance tests. This level of certification means that the ND9300H is an excellent high performance controller choice for severe offshore oil and gas production applications.

As the demand for oil and gas increases, producers have been moving their offshore operations to ever more demanding locations, working at greater depths and under more severe weather conditions. Metso’s ND9300H can meet the high performance control require-ments of these advanced offshore applications while standing up to hard use as well as heat, cold, moisture, salt and other harsh conditions.

The ND9300H is a ruggedized, fully stainless steel enclosed intel-ligent valve controller designed to withstand the harshest operating

conditions in the offshore industry. It can be installed on top of any valve – rotary or linear, big or small. The ND9300H delivers superior control performance with Metso’s market-leading diagnostic features as standard. With the help of the marine-certified ND9300H intelligent valve controller, oil and gas producers can further improve the safety and reliability of their offshore production, easily and cost efficiently.

For more information please contact: [email protected]

Marine-certified Neles intelligent valve controller for severe offshore conditions


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Metso has certified several flow control products to help process industry end-users ensure that their plants comply with technical standard ‘IEC 61511, Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS), for the process industry sector.

Safety has always been an important and visible theme at Metso. Compliance with all applicable standards is top priority, as Metso is continuously improving the performance of all its products based on the field experience data collected from tens of thousands of units installed worldwide.

According to Timo Torvinen, VP, Energy & Hydrocarbon sales and marketing, Metso: “In recent years, our customers, particularly in the energy and hydrocarbon industry, have been looking for standardized best-in-class valve and controller technologies that can be applied systematically both in process control and safety applications.”

Third party certificates are in accordance with the newest version of IEC 61508. Metso control and automated on-off valves provide complete solutions from a single source supplier and are tested as an assembly to assure compatibility of crucial safety loop components.

Furthermore, to improve use and servicing of critical safety loop components, Metso has introduced new safety manuals for their valve and actuator series. These provide the functional and safety-related information required to integrate and use valves in safety systems in accordance with the IEC 61508 standard.

For further information, please contact:[email protected] or [email protected]

SIL certifications for Neles® flow control products

Metso’s customer can confidently apply the high performance flow control products they have become familiar with on the process side to critical safety applications as well.

The following products can be used in safety loops requiring Safety Integrity Level SIL 3 classified automated on-off valves: • Neles® X and D series ball valves• Neles® L6 and Mapag® B-series butterfly valves• Neles® B-series actuators• Neles® ValvGuard VG9000 intelligent safety solenoid

In applications where a control valve can perform the safety action, the following products can be used in flow control loops requiring SIL classified control valves:• Neles® Finetrol eccentric rotary plug control valve• Neles® ND9000 intelligent valve controller

Sierra Gorda’s desert mining project, Chile Long-lasting seawater control

Sierra Gorda Sociedad Contractual Minera (SCM) has chosen Metso to supply state-of-the-art control and on-off valves to the Sierra Gorda copper/molybdenum mining project which is currently under construction in the

Atacama Desert in Antofagasta region, North of Chile. The valves will be used to control the flow of process and make-up water for a variety of applications in the mine.

The Atacama Desert is one of the driest

regions on earth. Precipitation is extremely rare and there is no surface water at the project area. Therefore, the project will rely heavily on sea water delivered via a 350 kilometer long pipeline from the Pacific Ocean. To combat the highly corrosive effects of seawater, Metso will provide valves constructed of SMO254tm austenitic stainless steel, which is highly resistant to the effects of chlorides.

Metso will deliver 54 Neles® V-port segment control valves from 1” to 12”, on/off valves from 3” to 18” (with Series B1, QPX pneumatic actuators or BIFFI electric actuators) as well as numerous Jamesbury® ball valves. All of the valves are rated to ANSI#150.

The Sierra Gorda mining facility is expected to process 110,000 tons per day (t/d) of mineral and its operations will begin late in 2014. The anticipated life of the project is 21 years and the equipment supplied has a 25-year life expectancy.

For more information please contact:[email protected]

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The Neles PZ series of capping valves improves process safety, enhances process reliability and eliminates unsched-uled process downtime thanks to its proven technology. Design features, like a preloading device mounted outside the valve body, prevent chips and liquor from causing hazards. Special interlocking systems, essential to plant safety, help lower maintenance costs.

The Nymölla mill’s batch cooking process is a very demanding application because magnesium bisulfite is used as a cooking liquor. The local Metso sales and product line teams were able to offer Stora Enso Nymölla mill a solution that fulfilled their requirements by making a few technical changes to the standard Neles PZ-series capping valve design. These details were thoroughly discussed with the customer. Technical compliance, together with a proven track record in similar applications around the world, helped Stora Enso Nymölla mill decide in favor of the new capping valve solution.

The Nymölla mill specializes in producing high quality office papers and has had a good working relationship with Metso already for decades. Today, the whole mill with two paper machines has an installed base of approximately 1,000 Metso valves. In addition, the mill’s PM 1 and 2 are equipped with Metso’s automation system Metso DNA, Metso IQ quality control system, NelesACE basis weight valves and a range of profilers, which are fully integrated with Metso DNA. The new capping valves will also be connected to Metso DNA.

The valves for this project will be delivered during 2014. All valves are scheduled for installa-tion and commissioning by the end of the second

quarter of 2014. The delivery contains 5 Neles PZ capping valves equipped with pneumatic actuators, control centers and Neles SwitchGuard intelligent on/off valve controllers.

Long history in capping valvesThe capping valve is one of the innovations for the pulp and paper industry that originated from Metso. More than 1,500 capping valves in total have been delivered to batch cooking applications worldwide.

The first capping valve deliveries to Sweden were made during 1969, and Metso has continued its valve deliveries and related services in the country since then.

For further information, please contact: [email protected] or [email protected]

Proven technology

improves safety and reliability, and eliminates

unscheduled downtime.

Stora Enso Nymölla mill, Sweden

Automated solution for batch cooking process with Neles® capping valvesStora Enso Fine Paper’s Nymölla mill in Sweden selected Metso as the supplier of new capping valves for its batch digester line 1. In total, Metso will deliver 5 Neles PZ-series capping valves to replace the mill’s old hydraulic cappers. This gives Stora Enso an automated solution for its digesters replacing old valves and actuators that needed manual assistance in the chip filling phase and increasing overall productivity.


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“Metso’s valve solutions were chosen because they meet the strictest standards regarding leakage class and low fugitive emission,” says Steven Wang, Account Manager, Automation, Metso.

The PO/AE integration project includes plants for propane dehydrogenation, acrylate,

and acrylic acid resin, propylene oxide, and polyhydric alcohols, as well as a LPG storage cavern. Metso will supply ball valves including its X series, D series stemball valves, 9000 series flanged valves, S6 series metal seated high pressure valves, and the R-series V-port segment control valves. Materials of

The valves will be used in the MDI integration project (diphenylmethane diisocyanate) at their existing factory site and a new PO/AE integration project under construction in China (epoxy propane and acrylic ester). This is the first partnership between Metso and Yantai Wanhua, which has invested approximately RMB 30 billion (USD 5 billion) in these two projects.

Yantai Wanhua Polyurethanes Limited, China

Superior tightness in difficult applications

construction range from WCB and CF8M grade to Hastelloy, 316L and Monel per the customer’s specification.

The key components of the MDI project, which includes plants for producing isocyanate, oxidized hydrogen chloride, and nitrobenzene, require valves that deliver a

superior tightness in difficult applications over long time and which promise control of fugitive emissions. Metso’s deliveries include 700, L6 Neldisc® triple eccentric butterfly valves that are engineered to accommodate the projects unique requirements.

The Neldisc® L6 series is a triple eccentric

butterfly valve with a metal seat. The trim consists of a high-precision elliptical disc and a chrome plated (Incoloy 825) seat, which is attached to the casing with a stainless steel clamp ring, making it easy to assemble and dismantle for maintenance. Such metal seats are more resistant to abrasion and more tolerant of liquids at a high pressure and temperature, all of which ensures a longer operational life. When the valve is open, the disc and seat are separated, which signifi-cantly reduces abrasion between the sealing components, reduces operational delays and wear on sealing surfaces, and also lowers valve torque. When the valve is closed, the sealing is achieved through the elasticity of the valve seat; assistance from pressure generated by flowing liquid is not required, meaning that a firm sealing can be achieved even where the pressure differential is low.


“Metso’s valve solutions were chosen because they meet the strictest standards regarding leakage class and low fugitive emissions.” Steven Wang, Account Manager


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Green Energy Group in Kenya

Valves for geothermal power plant installationMetso has already won its 10th repeat order from the Norwegian company Green Energy Group AS for Neles® rotary control valves and triple eccentric disc valves. The valves were tested in the company’s pilot plant in Kenya, where the valves will control the steamy process flow coming from the boreholes drilled into the ground. The loosened soil from the ground can include silica and sand, which sets special requirements on the valves to be able provide accurate control ability in such rough conditions. One of the challenges in these applications is the silica scaling.

“Not many valves are able to operate in this type of environ-ment,” says Snorri Einarsson, Product Manager, Steam Systems, Green Energy Group AS.

“We have also benefited from Metso’s Nelprof® valve selection program, which saves time since it is easy to use to calculate flow characteristics. The next step will be to get all the plants hooked

Pearl GTL is a world-scale project located in Ras Laffan Industrial City, 80 km north of Doha, Qatar. Pearl GTL is the world’s largest source of gas-to-liquids (GTL) products, with a design capacity of 140,000 barrels of GTL products and 120,000 barrels natural gas liquids and ethane per day.

Qatar Shell awarded a service contract to Metso supporting an earlier delivery of valves and intelligent positioners to the Pearl Gas to Liquids (GTL) Project in Ras Laffan Industrial City. Jointly developed by Qatar Petroleum and Shell, Pearl GTL is the largest GTL plant in the world and the largest energy project in the state of Qatar. As part of the capital project, Metso delivered more than two and a half thousand valves and twelve hundred ND9000 positioners. As the plant isdesigned to run 24/7, Shell is taking

the advantage of streamlining the spare part procurement process to ensure competitive pricing and speedy order delivery. The five-year Spare Parts Agreement with Metso covers more than a thousand items.

According to Sami Alatalo, Metso Service Manager in Doha, “The agreement provides Shell and their service contractor with a firm basis to plan valve service actions with delivery times and agreed prices. A complete list of tag numbers maintained in the Metso Doha office further ensures that the correct parts will be available when and where needed on a day to day basis as well as during the infrequent major shuts.”


Pearl GTL plant, Qatar Spare part service contract

up to the Metso FieldCare™ Device and Asset Management software to carry out predictive maintenance with live monitoring of the valve performance,” he continues.

Green Energy Group is famous for building up geothermal power plants quickly due to its unique modular concept. Traditional deployment of geothermal power plants takes many years, from project start to power online, and requires large investments to complete. Green Energy Group delivers a unique power plant system that is prefabricated in ready modules and commissioned on-site in weeks. In 2013 Green Energy Group is delivering four geothermal power plants and has received an order for five more plants for next year.


RESULTS | VALVES Metso customer newsletter for Neles®, Jamesbury® and Mapag® products

PUBLISHED BY METSO AUTOMATION INC. P.O. Box 304 FIN-01310 Vantaa, Finland

Tel +358 20 482 150

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All product names used herein are trademarks of their respective owners. Reproduction permitted quoting “RESULTS | VALVES“ as source.

New service center in the NetherlandsMetso has opened a new service center in Waddinxveen, the Netherlands, near the Rotterdam-Antwerp industrial area. The new service center supports our strategy to grow our valve and field device service business globally as well as strenghten capabilities within the Benelux region for major petrochemical, energy, oil & gas and pulp & paper companies.

The new facility brings the total number of Metso’s automation service centers to 34 and automation service hubs to 87. By combin-ing intelligence with high quality servicing, Metso’s service centers all over the world deliver customers secured plant availability while optimizing total maintenance costs.

“Our maintenance services range from the servicing of individual Metso valves all the way to maintenance and device management solutions for complete plants. We use intelligent solutions to service valves and other field devices from Metso or other manufacturers,’’ explains Mikko Keto, President, Services, Metso Automation.

“The new service center in the

Netherlands is in line with our strategy to continuously strengthen our global network of Service Centers and service experts so that we are close to our customers to best support their business needs,’’ he continues.

Metso’s services portfolio focuses on three main areas:• solving technical

and process issues• improving business

performance• managing a business area

The Metso services mission is to maximize the profitability of its customers’ businesses. Metso’s services portfolio focuses on three main areas: solving technical and process issues, improving business performance, and managing a business area.Our services business is backed by Metso’s market-leading valve solutions, which include control valves, automated on/off and emergency shutdown valves, as well as smart positioners and condition monitoring.


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