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Lifetime management solution for control valves

Edited by the Engineeringtalk editorial team Jul 3, 2001

Severn Glocon and Severn Unival have developed an independent single source capability to meet the lifetime demands of process control valves - their own or those from other manufacturers

Severn Glocon and Severn Unival have announced an important and innovative evolution of their sales and service organisations.

They have developed an independent single source capability to meet the lifetime demands of process control valves, applicable to their own valves or those from other manufacturers.

The Valve Management Support service (known as VMS) has been carefully developed in consultation with customers to meet evolving market requirements, particularly the trend towards simplified procurement, increased plant utilisation, low maintenance costs, reduced shutdown durations and an increased emphasis on single sourcing.

The unrivalled strength of Severn Glocon and Unival is illustrated by technology-based design solutions for severe duty control applications and the well established independent aftermarket management of customer installed control valves, facilitated by ISO 9001 approved repair and re-engineering centres.

These are situated at Huddersfield, Widnes, Middlesbrough, Aberdeen, Gloucester and Bahrain.

Any centre can be used as the single source for all VMS enquiries.

For valves on existing applications, the aftermarket service available, involving repair, re- engineering, maintenance, spare parts and lifetime care can utilise computerised valve historian, problem solving and inventory management programmes to further assist users in planning for optimum valve performance and minimum operational down time.

In addition, valve diagnostic and criticality studies may be undertaken for any application to complete the overall lifetime planning concept, enabling valve procurement, maintenance, performance enhancement and replacement to be organised with previously unachievable precision.

The VMS service has been developed from experience in valve design and manufacture gained since 1957, combined with twenty years' active involvement in valve overhaul contracts.

Skills have been harnessed to deliver a responsive organisation that understands the importance of customers' strategic initiatives for improved efficiency and cost savings across their broad base of installed valves, together with improved safety and quality.

This has been achieved by utilising advancements in metallurgical technologies to provide innovative valve design solutions and developing software tools to enhance specific valve management skills.

For example, valve failure analysis is divided into a three tier identification process and includes a re-engineering solution to eradicate recurring valve problems.

In addition a comprehensive valve historian database can form the cornerstone of each valve's total lifetime care programme, using modern EVT (Electronic Valve Tagging) technologies.

Within this framework, OPERA (Output Performance Enhancement Repair Analysis) software, condition monitoring and data mining are among the tools and disciplines available to optimise the performance and lifespan of every valve.

All activities are operated under NQA approval to BA5750 Part 1 quality standards for design, manufacture, assembly and repair.

The benefits of using the VMS service is summarised as achieving improved plant uptime and reduced maintenance costs through a unique and individual approach to valve management that meets contemporary industry needs as an integrated part of users' site wide support programmes.