Breaking Down Barriers: Overcoming Power and Distance Limitations
Remote control valves and actuators virtually connect remote assets to the control room located miles or even hundreds of miles away. Operators are able to respond to emergency events in a fraction of the time it would take to get a technician out to the site, and do it remotely reducing risk to personnel, and minimizing environmental impact.
Where are Remote Control Valves Needed?
- Pipelines
- Refineries
- Tank farms
- Petrochemical facilities
- Oil & gas production well sites
What are the Barriers that Limit Installation of Remote Control Valves?
With such positive benefits for safety and operations, why aren’t all valves controlled remotely? In most cases, the problem is the expense and logistics associated with bringing reliable utility power and communications to the asset.
- Distance to remote assets requiring extensive trenching
- Environmental surveys and permit requirements
- Land access and rights-of-ways permissions
- Hazards of construction near pipelines and other infrastructures
- Construction delays
What are the Alternatives?
New failsafe valve actuationand modulated flow valve power and control applications use modern DC or AC powered valve actuators. These systems can also include local controls forfailsafe valve actuation.
A correctly designed solar power and battery system generates sufficient power to operate the new failsafe valve actuators, modulated flow valves, or pneumatic or hydraulic accumulators.
In addition, the same powersystem can be sized to power process controls and wireless communications to monitor and operate the valve in real time from a control room miles away.
Solar power solutions offer the least intrusive installation, are extremely low maintenance, and are the fastest safest way to deploy a remote control valve infrastructure. System size will vary based
upon location (climate), actuator or accumulator power loads, system voltage (AC or DC), automation control system, and communications infrastructure such as VSAT, BGAN, microwave, Ethernet over Wi-Fi, or licensed radios.
Complete System Design for Drag and Drop Deployment
Solarcraft can design and build simple power systems --- or thoughtfully designed, complete valve power systems with communications, power storage and power production --- all on the same skid mounted package. Skids can be deployed on engineered concrete ballast blocks, eliminating site pad construction, thus saving time and limiting site impact.
Consider Solar Power for Your Valve Project
When should you consider a solar power system for your valve project? Any time a project involves:
- Developing fields and remote operations
- Conversion from manual control to electric or pneumatic control
- Upgrading communications hardware
- Additional need for real-time controls
Solarcraft can help you bring all your remotely controlled valves and valve actuators online to positively improve daily operations. Handling situations remotely in real time mean tremendous savings, added autonomy and the elimination of dangerous trenching for cable installation.
Contact a Solarcraft Technical Sales Representative today for more information >>