PCN Europe 2013 award

The PCN Europe 2013 was awarded to ASCO Numatics' solenoid valve manual operator. On the Powtech show in Nürnberg, PCN Europe's editor Constanze Schmitz meet up with Wim Van de Haar, ASCO Numatics’ Marketing Manager for Oil, Gas and Chemicals to present the award.

ASCO Numatics' solenoid valve manual operator is removable under pressure, enabling faster, easier commissioning and start-up while preventing inadvertent valve movement during plant operation.

It is often considered good practice to include manual operators on solenoid valves to enable functional checking during start-up and commissioning. These operators are then removed prior to the plant being handed over to operations. This prevents potential plant trips or unplanned shutdown. Previously this would have meant depressurising the instrument air systems, a time consuming process and one that can add to the project schedule. The new removable under pressure manual operator from ASCO Numatics can be removed and re-installed while the pipe-work is pressurised, with no loss of line fluid or pressure.

“We believe this is the first solenoid pilot valve manual operator in the market that is removable under pressure.” Said Wim Van de Haar, ASCO Numatics’ Marketing Manager for Oil, Gas and Chemicals. “We work closely with our customers to understand the issues that affect them in their day to day work. The need for a removable under pressure manual operator was the outcome of one of these customer meetings.”