2018 was a big year for us here at Automation Service. We merged with Allied Valve, Inc. and launched an e-commerce site, as well as helped several customers give back to their communities via our recycling rewards program.
We also published several new articles on our blog. In case you missed any of them, here are our Top 5 process control articles of 2018.
1. How to Have a Successful Plant Turnaround: Challenges and Strategies
Plant turnarounds aren’t most people’s idea of fun. They’re stressful and expensive and, let’s face it, they usually go over schedule and over budget. But by planning carefully and leaning on trusted suppliers, you can minimize the stress and position your plant for turnaround success.
2. Proportional Only vs Proportional + Reset Control
To keep a process running efficiently, the system that controls that process must also work efficiently. That means the control valve needs to respond quickly and accurately to any changes in the process variable. One way to improve the speed and accuracy of your control valve response is to switch from Proportional Only control to Proportional + Reset control.
3. How Trinity EOR Reduced Unplanned Downtime and Improved Plant Performance
Oil producer Trinity EOR was regularly experiencing unplanned downtime and lost productivity because the control valves on their inlet lines couldn’t keep their compressors from overloading. Our team solved the problem by installing remanufactured controllers with Proportional + Reset control, remanufactured positioners, and a remanufactured actuator.
4. Why You Should Use Control Valve Positioners
In a standard control system, the process controller sends a signal directly to the actuator, which moves the valve. This system works, but it can be slow, and actuators always have a certain offset, so they are only accurate within a range. In applications where changes are made frequently or precision is required, valve positioners help to ensure fast, accurate responses.
5. It’s 2018. Do You Know Where Your Control Valves Are?
A typical food plant can contain more than 1,000 control valves. However, these valves are frequently neglected. Sometimes, they’re lost track of entirely. But control valves are critical for helping processors meet their productivity goals, ensuring consistent product quality, and boosting food safety. If you don’t know where the control valves are in your facility, put some time aside to do a complete audit.
Thank you for being a regular reader of our blog in 2018. If you’d like to keep up with what we’re doing in 2019, subscribe to our newsletter on the right sidebar. You can also visit us at the 2019 Energy Generation Conference in Bismarck. We’ll be in Booth #221.
