November 2009 Vol. 236 No. 11
What's New
What's New: Valves and Valve Operators
Structural Integrity Associates and New Century Software, Pipe and Valve Technology Institute, Victaulic, Elster Perfection, Rotork, Metso Automation, Tyco Flow Control, Siemens Energy & Automation, WhiteStar Corp., Tinker & Rasor, ViaData LP, Emerson Process Management, Sensus, Pietro Fiorentini and TechCorr.
Structural Integrity Associates and New Century Software
Structural Integrity Associates, Inc. (SI) and New Century Software, Inc. announced signing of an MOU to offer an industry-leading software solution and supporting services to assist gas distribution operators in complying with pending regulation for Distribution Integrity Management regulation. The companies said the DIMP solution will provide a flexible framework that is capable of being adapted to each operator’s unique requirements within their system. The joint offering will provide a comprehensive and flexible software solution to organize key system data, identify threats, and prioritize the relative risk of these threats; critical steps in complying with the pending DIMP regulation. 303-792-0077, sriccardella@structint.com, 970-237-0097, tony.lopez@newcenturysoftware.com.
Pipe and Valve Technology Institute
Pipe and Valve Technology Institute (PVT) announced the opening of a new state-of-the-art training center and is now offering two training modules: 1.) Pipe Cutting and Weld Prep technologies and 2.) Valve Operation Maintenance and Vacuum Excavation. The Valve Operation Maintenance and Vacuum Excavation courses have the primary focus of valve operation and exercising, with the objective of improving the operation, performance and life of the valve while reducing maintenance costs. Other areas of concentration include: vacuum excavation and vault cleanout, to ensure valves can be maintained and accessed; collection of vital field information on the operation and condition of the valves, including the ability to locate and store GPS coordinates using handheld data collection devices as well as other tools needed to perform the operation. Keith Polifka, 847-438-2623, kpolifka@pvtinstitute.com.
Victaulic
Victaulic, manufacturer of mechanical pipe joining systems, has introduced the Style 207 and Style 277 high-pressure couplings for large-diameter systems. The couplings are said to maximize the life of piping systems for abrasive services such as oil sands, slurries and tailings, while offering a cost-effective joining method with superior performance benefits. Style 207 and Style 277 couplings extend the life of piping systems by maintaining full pipe-wall thickness and a smooth flow path. A specially designed ring is butt welded to the end of the pipe, and the coupling is assembled on the ring to complete the joint. The couplings’ FlushSeal gaskets have a center lip that creates a barrier between the pipe ends, ensuring a smooth flow path and allowing the couplings to be used on lined pipe. www.victaulic.com.
Elster Perfection
Perfection offers a digital brochure on its website devoted to its line of excess flow valves. The website explains that to help accomplish this fundamental task of delivering natural gas to customers, more and more utilities are taking steps to minimize occurrences of blowing gas due to pipe line breaks caused by third-party damage and natural disasters. The site says the easiest, most dependable, and economical way is with an EFV excess flow valve from Perfection. The self-actuating valves are said to automatically close when gas flow exceeds a predetermined rate. www.perfectioncorp.com.
Rotork
Rotork says its new electric, non-intrusive CVA control-valve actuators provide a major technological advance in precise operation, HMI capabilities, and fail-to-position protection as well as significant energy savings. They are available in linear and quarter-turn actions and are suitable for a wide range of control-valve applications throughout various pipeline and gas installations. The new actuators eliminate the need for costly air supplies and are said to be capable of being easily integrated into most process control environments, including those that use Hart and Foundation Fieldbus protocols. CVA actuators provide precise control-valve operation with repeatability and resolution performance at <0.1% of full scale. In addition, they include, as a standard feature, wireless Bluetooth communication technology that can be used for quick and easy actuator set-up and adjustment. info@rotork.com, www.rotork.com. Metso Automation
Metso says the new Valvcon brand ADC RS-485 addressable quarter-turn electric actuators offer the proven torque and reliability of the Valvcon ADC platform combined with sophisticated data communications and control capabilities. They are said to be well-suited for on/off-duty and proportional applications in multi-actuator network installations where continuous duty and high starts per minute are a must. The ADC Series RS-485 offers high data transmission speeds (35 MBITS/S up to 10 m and 100 Kbits/s at 1200 m) and the ability to query and command multiple units on a single network. While the RS-485 capability is used primarily to monitor standby battery condition, it can be readily adapted to communicate cycle times, torque characteristics over time, and environmental operating temps. 508-852-0200, www.metsoautomation.com.
Tyco Flow Control
Tyco Flow Control – a provider of valves, actuators and controls – says it has significantly expanded its Morin scotch yoke product offering. The new “Extended Torque” actuators are said to have an output four times greater than the power available from existing models. Morin Actuator manufactures pneumatic and hydraulic quarter-turn actuators at its Pelham, AL, facility and is distinguished in the marketplace by offering high-performance standard configurations. The new actuators can generate torque in excess of one million inch pounds – which can operate valves up to 108 inches in size depending on service conditions. The company said it developed the extended torque models because of the demand for quicker deliveries of large actuators. www.tycoflowcontrol.com.
Siemens Energy & Automation
Siemens says a unique feature of its SIPART PS2 valve positioner is its extremely low air consumption. In the balanced condition, the PS2 valve positioner is said to consume virtually no air. This results in reducing electricity costs by decreasing the usage of compressed air. Normal air loss in conventional position controllers can be very costly. The PS2 positioner design can save users over $120/year per valve compared to using conventional smart positioners. The PS2 positioner moves the actuator to a valve position corresponding to the set-point. Additional function inputs can be used to block the valve or to set a safety position. A binary input is present as standard in the basic device for this purpose. Teresa Parris,
teresa.parris@siemens.com, http://www.sea.siemens.com/ia.
WhiteStar Corp.
WhiteStar Corp. – a supplier of cartographic data products and services to the energy industry – is adding a new layer of oil and gas pipeline data to its Unlimited Basemap Access (UBA) product. The new layer will be a nationwide geo-referenced shapefile showing the locations of all lateral and transmission pipelines. Existing subscribers were to begin receiving segments of the oil and gas layer at no extra charge in October. The first segment of the layer includes pipelines in Texas, Oklahoma and the Gulf of Mexico. The layer includes attribute information, such as owner and operator data, for each pipeline. WhiteStar said it was creating the new UBA layer primarily from a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) pipeline map that is available in PDF format on the DOE Energy Information Administration’s website. A rich source of pipeline information, WhiteStar said this map has frustrated companies for years because it can be downloaded only in a non-GIS compatible PDF format. Steve Pickett, 303-781-5182, www.WhiteStar.com.
Tinker & Rasor
Tinker & Rasor has released the redesigned Quasar 100 AMP Current Interrupter. The Quasar, which uses a GPS receiver, has a cycle range of 0.005s – 999.999s and is capable of switching up to 100 amps (12,000 W) of current. Using GPS technology, the Quasar will automatically adjust to your time zone, based on longitude. The Quasar will operate for up to 60 hours on its internal back-up battery, or indefinitely on external 120 VAC/240v AC power. Its easy to use program can hold up to 10 interrupt programs in memory. Its “Get In Sync Feature” lets you add another Quasar interrupter after the programmed start date/time has passed. It will sync with other units already operating no matter the manufacturer. 909-890-0700, www.tinker-rasor.com.
ViaData LP
ViaData LP announces the latest release of WinDOT, The Pipeline Safety Encyclopedia. The August 2009 edition includes federal pipeline safety regulations 49 CFR 190-199 and Part 40, including amendments, interpretations, waivers and Advisory Bulletins. The Rapid Update Service allows subscribers to stay current with all proposed and final rulemakings to these regulations. WinDOT incorporates the January 2009 edition of GPTC Guide, including the DIMP Guidance by linking code sections directly to the Guide Material. Users can search by word or phrase to find regulations, interpretations and guide material to assist them in compliance programs and research. The latest release of WinDOT includes updates to pipeline regulations for 16 states and 15 new or updated pipeline standards. There are 55 standards available on the WinDOT CD, including 35 incorporated by reference. 800-817-6649, support@viadata.com, www.viadata.com/demo.
Emerson Process Management
Emerson Process Management has introduced a new version of its Daniel® ultrasonic meter diagnostic firmware and software that is described as including advanced real-time monitoring and alarming capabilities that reduce measurement uncertainty and improve uptime. The new software detects oil and gas flow disturbances that may affect measurement, delivers maintenance alarms prompting action to avoid failure, and provides an intuitive view of the meter health. The new firmware provides continuous flow analysis and generates actionable alerts to identify not only abnormal flow profiles, but also upstream blockage, deposit build-up within the meter, and the existence of liquid hydrocarbon in gas. The firmware also provides real-time AGA 10 Speed of Sound (SOS) calculations. These calculations reduce measurement uncertainty by comparing AGA 10 SOS calculations with the meter-calculated SOS. 713-827-3831, Khadra.Helminski@Emerson.com.
Sensus
In what is says is a direct response to gas utilities that want another choice in low-cost, compact residential meters, Sensus announced the upcoming release of the Cubix250 in early 2010. The meter is an ANSI Class 250 meter designed to offer utilities a better option at a lower price-point while maintaining the performance and reliability that other Sensus gas meters deliver. The Cubix250 uses Sensus’ new accuWAVE diaphragm material, already delivering positive results in its standard size Class 250 meter, the model R275. The Cubix250’s reduced size – it’s about 25% smaller than the R275 – allows for a lower initial cost while setting a new standard for performance and life expectancy for a compact meter. 919-845-4007,
jim.hilty@sensus.com, www.sensus.com.
Pietro Fiorentini
Pietro Fiorentini of Norcross, GA offers a line of gas-pressure regulators which it says was designed with advanced features that provide superior accuracy and long-term reliable operation. The line features precise accuracies +/- 1% of full scale as well as compact design, low noise and wide rangeability. The regulators are available in body sizes of one to ten inches and offer the largest range of sizes available in all ANSI dimensions, including up to ANSI 600. Features include true top-entry design, which provides for ease of maintenance in all models and sizes, and bubble tight shut-off for environmental responsibility. The rangeability designed into the regulators provides for quieter operation and lower pressure drop through the regulator. Options include an integral monitor, slam-shut, a silencer with no capacity loss and retrofitability in the field. 770-441-6400, www.fiousa.com.
TechCorr
TechCorr says on its new website that it offers over 400 qualified, experienced, certified and reliable individuals with expertise in inspection, conventional nondestructive testing and advanced nondestructive testing services. With over 18 offices worldwide, the company says its inspection and testing division is equipped to handle nearly any inspection program requirement no matter the complexity or location. Capabilities include API inspections, nondestructive testing, QA/QC-new construction, third-party vendor surveillance, advanced nondestructive testing and specialty inspection and testing. The company says its clients rely on it to manage their day-to-day inspection and testing requirements whether rolling out a mechanical integrity program, supporting expansion projects, or providing additional support during routine and emergency plant outages. www.techcorr.com.
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