EXHIBITIONS
computations” and allows 247/ control of valves.
A basis for automation All of this is required for the Premier oil platform on Great Britain’s continental shelf. Measurement technology makes it possible to control the platform 160 kilometres off the west coast of Scotland from an onshore operation centre in Aberdeen. Such an operation centre is the vision of a remote- controlled, efficient platform. A digital automation and a process safety system are used alongside measurement devices for pressure levels, temperatures, and flow rates, as well as radar level measurement. Sophisticated measurement
technology is in demand as a basis for valve automation. Experts have seen major growth in automation of valves, sliders and flap valves in the past years. Nowadays, one cannot do without automated flow control of media, gases, vapours and sludges. Manufacturers of measurement technology are set to profit from all of this. Demand for automation and measurement technology is especially large in growth markets such as China, Turkey, India and Brazil, where numerous new plants are being constructed. A further sector is also contributing its part: renewables are fuelling the market.
Protecting the environment A perfect automation based on precise data gathered by measurement technology enables highly accurate processes. Measuring a volume flow rate with an accuracy of 0,4 percent of the value and temperature measurement with a preciseness of ≤1 °C optimises yield rates, and saves raw materials. Such savings are not only a boon for productivity, but also help protect the environment, as less resources are consumed and the threat of leaks is lowered.
The level of risk exposure of workers is also minimised. Production environments exposed to explosion hazards don’t need to be inspected by foot, a reliable
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diagnosis can be made from a distance. In turn, this also helps save on personnel costs.
Samson here offers a prime example. Sixteen solenoid valves can be controlled using low-power binary signals and 32 position feedback signals from limit switches. “The integrated function for logging status and diagnostic data makes it possible to integrate on/off valves without their own communication functions into the condition monitoring of a plant, allowing them to contribute to reliability and efficient maintenance, even in hazardous areas,” explains Samson.
Fieldbus systems for data transfer
Automation and measurement technology are often combined with fieldbuses, which can be important for transferring data. Most of the time, fieldbuses are a standard component in complex machines and plants. “Especially in the day and age of Industry 4.0, industrial communication over fieldbus and industrial Ethernet has an important role,” explains German website “
Feldbusse.de”. A main element in implementing Industry 4.0 is the continuous communication of all machines and plant components, as well as their seamless integration into overlying control systems. “In short: connecting the field level with the IT world”.
Around 50 different fieldbuses and more than 20 different industrial Ethernet standards
are currently available. There are fundamental technical differences in terms of available cable length, maximum amount of databytes per telegram, as well as feature set, explains “
Feldbusse.de“. “All fieldbuses offer the same set of basic functions: fast cyclical transfer of input and output data”. Further functions such as diagnostics, acyclical transfer of demand data, alarm handling and cross traffic between individual bus devices “are not possible with each fieldbus system”.
Trend towards
wireless technologies “Following the technological progress of field bus, the next development step in field communication is that of solutions involving radio technology,” explains Pepperl + Fuchs. From the company’s perspective it will take some time before things get wireless, due to a lack of trust in wireless technologies, and a lack of integrated systems.
The cable represents the best available method for signal transfer for system critical data, adds Pepperl + Fuchs. Wireless data transfer can be used for a couple of applications – for instance monitoring manually used controls, such as ball valves. “Previously the status of such valves had been visually monitored by patrol checks carried out by employees,” explains the company. Wirelessly transmitting the position of the ball valve to the operation centre would make things easier. “Cyclic patrol checks and confirmation
of the correct position of valves before plant start-up are no longer necessary”. This not only saves high personnel costs, but plants can start-up faster and produce longer. The same is the case for all other manually controlled values, such as pressure level and temperature. “At the moment things are developing towards wireless, intelligent technologies,” says Alexander Lell, a development and application engineer at Rotech. “We are trying to react to the market with matching solutions”.
Individual measurement solutions
Here, there is yet a further trend for valve measurement technology. “For our measurement technology solutions, the market has developed towards creating more and more individual measurement solutions, instead of standard ones,” explains Lell.
It certainly isn’t a bold statement to say that demand for individual solutions has become a trend in all industrialised countries, and a trend that will remain. Not only is this a trend for measurement technologies, but for nearly all machine and plant components. The measure of all things Innovations on valves will be presented at Valve World Expo Düsseldorf from November, 29 until December, 1, 2016 at Düsseldorf Fairgrounds.
Press Contact:
Petra Hartmann-Bresgen M.A. Ulrike Osahon 0211 4560 541/-992
Hartmannp@messe-duesseldorf.de Osahonu@messe-duesseldorf.de
IMT September 2016 39
Photo: ABB
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