PC-JUN09-PG18.OK:PC-JUN09-PG18.OK.qxd 28/05/2009 10:08 Page 18
Feature Data acquisition/data logging
The three stages of best practice
Euros Jones, primary
services manager at Severn
Unival, advocates the use of
electronic data acquisition
and data logging in order to
monitor the performance of
valves. This can help identify
and solve problems quickly,
avoiding unnecessary and
costly shutdowns
M
inimising shutdown is proba-
bly the number one wish for
process and control engineers.
The cost implications of shut-
down are significant, and could even
make the difference between profit and
loss or business success and failure.
When it comes to the functionality of
valve populations, problems can factory provides a useful benchmark Once valves are in access to photographs of valves via
quickly impact on production if they for future data to be plotted against situ, performance web platforms and production data,
are not dealt with. For this reason, throughout its lifetime. Performance should be tested enables engineers to deal more proac-
effective data acquisition and logging is monitoring over time can verify that
and logged at set
tively with valves needing attention.
mission-critical to reduce the risk of set criteria are being met, and measure
intervals in order to
any deterioration escalating to the point the rate of deterioration. Smart posi-
provide early indi-
On-going service
where it impacts on performance. tioners play an important role in
cation of any under-
Ultimately, the long-term benefits of
The shift towards electronic, rather ensuring any maintenance or specifi-
lying problems
electronic data are dependant on its
than manual, data acquisition and log- cation revision requirements are depth, breadth, and how effectively it
ging has brought many benefits to flagged at the earliest possible stage, is used by valve servicing teams.
industry. It reduces errors and ensures minimising downtime and prolonging Continual information gathering sur-
data is captured automatically at the the life of the valve. rounding valve performance, failure
correct intervals. However, these sys- analysis of valves returned for repair,
tems require substantial financial Conditions in the field plant integrity surveys and valve diag-
investment, so it is important that the Smart positioners should be set nostics is crucial.
electronic data is used to its full according to the specific conditions Valve performance company Severn
potential. and requirements the valve will face Unival has a range of asset manage-
With a best practice approach, valve once it’s in the field. For instance, var- ment and diagnostic tools feeding into
performance information should facil- ious factors such as sampling fre- its Repair Intelligence Circle. This
itate more intelligent planning and quency, memory, operating conditions dynamic data source draws on histori-
maintenance activity. If you can pre- and the user interface need to be con- cal records of valve repair and
dict and prepare for valve deteriora- sidered. There are also solutions avail- upgrade, as well as performance data,
tion, preventative maintenance able that can be attached to valves enabling problems to be identified
strategies can be implemented, which already in service which don’t have quickly and solved efficiently. Often
should reduce the incidence rate of smart positioners, such as Severn important investigations can be car-
unplanned shutdown and the duration Unival’s Profiler. ried out without requiring shutdown,
of planned shutdowns. Once valves are in situ, measuring resulting in significant cost savings.
Data acquisition and logging best values such as hysteresis against As well as prolonging the lifespan
practice can be broken down to three acceptable standards (generally 1% and enhancing performance of exist-
core stages: measures that can be taken for a valve with a smart positioner) ing valves, electronic data can also be
in the factory, additional activity in can provide early indication of under- used in the development and specifi-
the field, and ongoing processes lying problems like underpowered cation of future valves. This leads to
throughout a valve’s lifetime. actuators. Gathering information elec- more intelligent commissioning and
tronically enables the formation of procurement, and improved perfor-
Factory measures more ‘crunchable’ data for individual mance standards. Given time, shut-
In an ideal world, every control valve valves and across valve populations. down worklists relating to valves can
would be fitted with a smart positioner This enables trend analysis to be car- be optimised, without increasing the
to monitor and store diagnostic perfor- ried out, which can help predict prob- risk of failure.
mance data from the initial testing lems before there is a significant
Severn Unival
stage onwards. Creating a performance impact on efficiency and productivity.
T: 01484 518080 Enter 215
‘footprint’ before a valve leaves the This data, combined with real-time
www.severnglocon.com
18 JUNE 2009 Process & Control
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