AUMA has developed new actuation solutions for a range of specialised oil and gas applications, including an innovative approach for lift plug valves. These shut-off valves are widely adopted in high temperature, high pressure applications and for the conduction of media containing solids.
Within the lift plug valve, different movements have to be coordinated during operation from one end position to the other: the closing element must first be lifted from its seat, then rotated by 90° from CLOSE to OPEN or vice versa, and finally lowered back into the valve seat.
AUMA's new approach, which simplifies operation and significantly reduces wear, uses two actuators, one designated to be responsible for lifting/lowering while the other controls part-turn movement. The entire procedure is coordinated by the integral controls of the two actuators. Communication with the distributed control system is simplified as just two commands "Running OPEN" or "Running CLOSE" need to be sent to the master actuator.
Successful installations, including a BPO tank farm in Belgium and a Tatneft refinery in Russia, confirm the high reliability of AUMA's lift plug solution. The established supplier of electric actuators recognises that, even for exceptional applications, standardised devices are appreciated by plant operators. AUMA's product portfolio is therefore based on a modular design concept for both device construction and software, this enables easy mechanical adaption of actuators and straightforward extension of software functionality.
