Advanced Actuation & Automation Processes in Gas Lines

Precision and safety are critical in the oil and gas industry. Automation using flow control valve actuators optimizes efficiency, modulates the flow of gas or liquid, increases safety for operators and decreases maintenance and operating costs over time. The automation industry has recognized that the function of actuators has moved beyond just opening and closing valves to providing key diagnostic and operational data via Bluetooth interfaces from sensors that measure pressure, torque and vibration. The types of actuators needed are dependent on a variety of factors.

Types of Valves

The types of valves controlled by the actuators determine the actuator used. The actuator must be matched to the following characteristics of the valves:

• * Function
• * Movement
• * Position

The frequency that the valves are used varies with the function of the valves. Those that open up or close off the flow completely for maintenance or safety reasons are used less frequently than those that continually modulate the flow of gas or liquid. Similarly, the movement of the valves varies with the type of valve, requiring actuation. Controls for ball valves require a swivel movement provided by a quarter-turn actuator, while a multi-turn actuator would enable the many turns required to open or close a valve.

Precision is key in oil and gas transmission and electric actuators can provide superior positioning accuracy. Position accuracy is important for control valves that modulate the flow during the various stages. From the initial flow of crude oil and natural gas to storage and transportation, then finally to the refining and distribution process, the valves modulate not only the flow rate and pressure through the various pipe diameters but the rate that the oil or gas is fed into the various processes along the way.

Processes

The more processes involved, the more actuators are needed to manage the complexity of the system. We recommend you work closely with your electric actuator manufacturer to help configure a solution that is right for your needs. Sensor technology has expanded the use of flow control valve actuators to allow for monitoring in real-time and integration into IIoT (Industrial Internet of Things). Much like the smart electronics being used in factories and homes, the controls for ball valves have embraced smart technology to deliver improved flow control. Integration with supervisory control systems enables next-generation processes such as asset management on a plant-wide scale and optimized maintenance control and scheduling. Integrated operations combined with wireless communication provide operational information at a faster rate, allowing more processes to be managed with fewer resources but with increased accuracy, efficiency and response time.

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Industrial Linear Actuators that work best in Hazardous Situations

It is understood that precision and reliability are the primary reasons why mechanical engineers prefer using electric linear actuators over fluid power actuators in critical powertrain applications. But what about in high temperature environments and combustible situations? Some electric linear actuator manufacturers have developed solutions that you may find interesting.

Pneumatic actuators have been the standard for design engineers in hazardous environments due to the lack of an electrical power source. But they are often prone to air leaks, they tend to be larger in size and the stop point precision is not as exacting as their electronic cousins. When precise reliable linear motion is required, electric linear actuation offers some very compelling benefits. Since maintenance and repairs of pneumatic actuators needs to be included into the equation, electric actuators tend to be more durable over time and therefore more economical over the long term.

Making Hazardous Situations More Tolerable

Several manufacturers of explosion proof valve actuators are using NEMA class VII enclosures for the exterior metal castings for certain actuators. This classification of material improves its ability to withstand high impact explosions and prevent penetration from toxic liquids. Flexible designs allow the digital control module, circuitry and critical wiring to be separated from the gear train and mechanical operations of the actuator and therefore can be positioned a safer distance from high temperatures. The most common concerns for analysis include explosions, fire, and shock hazards. Combustible materials such as acetylene, liquefied petroleum gas, hydrogen, methane, propane, alkali metals, magnesium metal, and metallic hydrides, all fall into the hazardous materials category. Today a 120 V linear actuator can be made impenetrable to these hazardous materials and made more compact than the clunkier pneumatic actuators that do similar tasks.

What is Pneumatic Actuation

These types of actuators operate using compressed gas. The compressed gas then generates force and induces motion of a piston. The air compressor serves as the power source of pneumatic actuators. They tend to be simple and durable, and good for high-speed operations. Use of a pneumatic actuator with modern controls typically requires an analog converter for delivering a control signal setpoint. This is a primary drawback since technology developments in the past 10 years has gone beyond this older methodology.

Conclusion

Both pneumatic and electric rotary actuators work best in hazardous situations where there are large air flow dampers involved. A 120 V linear actuator that has been built to NEMA VII specifications and has a flexible electronics compartment is often a wise choice to tight locations were precision and reliability are of utmost importance. There are several electric actuator manufacturers in the USA that are making high quality industrial actuators that are designed specifically for hazardous environments.

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What is an Actuator? And What Kind Do I Need?

Shopping for the right components for your automatic control processes means weighing the needs of the system in terms of performance against both the costs and the timing demands necessary to produce it to order. This means that when you are designing those systems, you need actuators with the precision to meet your quality control specifications and the speed to keep your entire system in balance.

What is an actuator? It’s the part of the system that executes, or actuates, the command from the control to perform a mechanical action. There are several kinds, and they are involved in everything from automated manufacturing processes to boiler control for power plants and heating systems, wastewater treatment, and many more applications.

Flow Control Valve Actuators

Fluid control systems allow for everything from the treatment of a city’s water and wastewater to the regulation of building heating systems and even the power plants that run entire cities. To do this, they depend on flow control valves and the actuators that control them. The rise of automated systems across industries has led to growth projections in the demand for actuators that see expansion clear to 2023.

Finding the Right Actuators

What is an actuator good for if it is less reliable than having a manual operator? This is the limiting factor in many processes that prevent their automation. If you’re looking for an actuator manufacturer in the USA whose product offers a level of speed and precision unmatched by other models, you need an actuator that performs consistently.

• - Responsive
• - Precise
• - Instantaneously responds to control systems

That way, you’re going to be able to deliver a consistent performance throughout the fluid control system you’re designing or updating. It’s also important to remember the shipping costs and times associated with suppliers. If you’re in the USA, it’s a good idea to find an electric actuator manufacturer in the USA.

Learn More About Actuator Options

All industry analysis points to the continued rise of automation in many industrial processes, from the extraction of resources to the production of energy and manufactured goods. It contains costs, increases output, and allows businesses to do more with the same resources. That is driving a push to automate more and more industries.

You should consider working with the kind of supplier who constantly asks the right questions and then delivers answers that have the best, most relevant and well thought-out solutions for your infrastructure. Harold Beck and Sons has been making flow control valve actuators for a variety of applications since 1936 and continues to improve upon an already strong product line.

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Figuring Out Which Actuator is Right for Our Needs

An actuator is designed to control the flow of liquids, gases, steam through a mechanical system. The actuator device more often than not receives a control signal electronically that instructs a motor to power the valve or damper system to open, close or partially move based upon the flow control needs of that mechanical system. There is a great answer to the question “What is an Actuator” here on this page. In industrial applications such as petroleum processing, building mechanical systems, metal manufacturing and even the creation of electricity in power plants, the systems involved are very different and the actuator types can vary greatly.

Flow Control Valve Actuators

Automated systems require a variety of process changes to
build products, from assembly and fabrication actions like gluing parts
together or drilling holes in them to fluid control systems that blend
ingredients in chemical processes. They act by controlling the rate of flow
through valves in the system, introducing raw materials at the right speed to
move them through the rest of the manufacturing process. Actuators use a
variety of methods, including electric, pneumatic, and hydraulic action. They
ensure raw materials do not enter pressure and temperature-controlled parts of
their treatment process in ways that disrupt the necessary chemical reactions.
They also provide the control necessary for activities like bottling.

Finding the Right Actuators

An actuator needs to be more reliable than humans and built to withstand repetitious movements, often during harsh environments. Automating monotonous tasks like opening and closing of valves has been around since the industrial revolution. When looking for an actuator manufacturer in the USA whose product offers a level of speed and precision unmatched by other models, you need to look hard at the manufactures quality manufacturing  processes and commitment to excellence. An actuator needs to perform consistently for years to come. It should be:

• - Responsive
• - Precise
• - Instantaneously responds to control systems

Learn More About Actuator Options

All industry analysis points to the continued rise of automation in manufacturing. It contains costs, increases output, and allows businesses to do more with the same resources. In the end, it looks almost certain that companies who don’t resolve to build automatic systems as they become available for new procedures will be outpaced by the competition. Your supplier should have a knowledgeable engineering team that can answer your tough questions and an online resource library of flow control valve actuators, diagrams and answers to commonly asked questions.

Not only do top electric actuator manufacturers constantly offer new products to meet the changing needs of the industries they serve, they should also of a rapid response actuator repair service that can step up in case of emergencies. There can big dollars at stake when an actuator fails.

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