Shut-off Valve Research Articles

Methods for assessing the technical compatibility of heterogeneous elements within a technical system

The article provides methods for assessing the compatibility of elements in the design of complex technical systems. The compatibility of the elements is considered as the main indicator that determines the quality of systems including heterogeneous elements. The presented methods make it possible at the design stage to choose a technical solution that is most suitable for the project objectives, taking into account the operating conditions of the system. The methods make it possible to evaluate compatibility by a single and complex indicator. The choice of indicator depends on the purpose of the assessment. An example of methods implementation in the design of systems including an electric drive and pipeline shutoff valves is considered. It has been experimentally proved that in systems with low values ​​of the compatibility level, the actual power characteristics exceed the required values, which leads to additional voltages in the system elements and their breakdowns. The results of the assessment of typical systems allowed to identify the shortcomings of existing structures and propose alternative solutions to problems. The compatibility of elements within the framework of a technical system makes it possible to increase the functional efficiency of systems with minimum weight and size and power characteristics, to optimize the price-quality ratio, and to increase the competitiveness of the final product.

Применение тепловизионного мониторинга при идентификации утечек на объектах подземного хранения газа

Currently, the unified gas supply system is functioning in Russia, the key element of ensuring reliability of which is the underground gas storage system. Presence of large volumes of gas at these production facilities and close location of storage facilities to the settlements predetermine their danger. From which it follows that during operation of such facilities a special attention is required to be paid to safety issues. The article considers the problem of monitoring of the equipment technical condition and identifying leaks at hazardous production facilities of the underground gas storage. Existing methods do not allow quickly and with a high degree of reliability to detect hidden damages to the operating equipment, to accurately determine and record gas leaks location. The greatest danger is posed by the pipelines and shutoff valves, which is established based on the analysis of statistical data on accident rate at the oil and gas facilities. The performed analysis showed that the technical condition of pipelines is the main cause of most accidents. The main method of non-destructive testing of the technical condition of this equipment is in-line inspection. Due to the fact, that in-line inspections are not provided for the underground gas storage facilities the thermal imaging monitoring was proposed in order to improving the quality of the work during industrial control at such facilities.  The efficiency of this method is confirmed by practical tests at the production sites of a hazardous underground gas storage facility. During the experiment, the possibility of using two types of thermal imagers was studied: classic and cooled. The classic thermal imager operates in the far infrared range and allows to assess the state of the object by the temperature gradient of its surface. The second type — a cooled thermal imager, it operates in the mid-infrared range and allows to visualize the gas leaks. Based on the performed study, the capabilities of each device were evaluated, and the area of their application was identified.

The effect of laser cladding modes on the geometrical parameters and adhesion strength of the deposited layer on a steel substrate 08Kh18N10T of corrosion-resistant powder 08Kh17N8S6G

The results of testing samples of steel 08Kh18N10T with deposited tracks and layers of corrosion-resistant powder 08Kh17N8S6G at various laser cladding modes for the development of coating technology for working surfaces of shut-off valves on nuclear and thermal power plants. Laser cladding the steel substrate was carried out on a robotic cladding complex with an ytterbium fiber laser and coaxial powder feed. Laser output, processing speed, mass flow rate and track overlap were variable parameters for evaluating the quality of laser cladding. Macrogeometry was performed on transverse sections, adhesion tests were carried out on special samples using a testing machine. The absence of pores, cracks, undercut by visual inspection and cross section samples, the adhesion strength of the layer to the substrate, penetration depth and clad height are used as quality of coating. Identified cladding parameters having an effect on increasing the clad height, the penetration depth, as a result, the adhesion strength are revealed. Laser cladding modes are selected that provide a deposited layer with a height of more than 1 mm and good adhesive properties.

Automatic control of a freeze-drying process: Detection of the end point of primary drying

In freeze-drying, the detection of the end of primary drying is a crucial aspect for both the process economics and product quality. Furthermore, the extreme process conditions (low temperature, high vacuum, and sterility) require monitoring devices with a high degree of assurance. In this paper, the most promising methodologies for the detection of the end point of primary drying were investigated and compared. These devices include thermocouples, comparative pressure measurement, condenser pressure, controlled leakage, vacuum shut-off valve, microbalance, mass spectrometers, moisture sensors, and pressure rise test. Furthermore, a multi-scale model of the process was used to describe the process dynamics during the last part of drying, showing that the time difference between the onset and offset points depends on the batch heterogeneity, as well as process conditions and batch size. Ultimately, an automatic stop criterion, named EPD, has been designed and experimentally tested in a wide range of process conditions, batch size, vial size, and drug products. In particular, the experimental validation involved some of the most used excipients as model products, i.e., mannitol, dextran, lactose, and sucrose. In all the runs, the EPD drying times reasonably agreed with the comparative pressure measurement, which was the most reliable way to detect the end of primary drying. Thus, EPD can effectively be used to optimize primary drying without risking the product collapse because of a premature increase in shelf temperature for secondary drying.

Determination of lower sucker-rod breakage in wells equipped with sucker-rod pumps

Development of mature oilfields of the Ural-Volga region is performed primarily by means of downhole sucker-rod pumping units (UShSN). The most characteristic failures of these installations are breakdowns and twist-offs and pump valve failures [1-5]. The ways of the elimination of these accidents vary significantly: rod breakage or twist-off implies pulling out of downhole equipment, and elimination of “sticking” of the pump’s shut-off valve assembly requires rehabilitation of downhole equipment through flushing with water, hot petroleum or a solvent. Failure to identify a malfunction leads to incorrect planning of wellbore equipment rehabilitation activities and, eventually, to economic losses.The cause of downhole equipment malfunctions is usually determined through analysis of dynamometer cards (DC). However, in the majority of cases, the dynamometer cards do not allow to distinguish the rods’ tail end twist-off from the rod pump valve failure. In the paper presented the method is considered for rapid detection of rod breakage and twist-offs (RBT) in the wellbore, which involves creation of an electrical circuit “rod string - tubing string” and monitoring of its integrity. To determine the failure type, the synchronization module measures the system’s resistance on the dielectric coupling via an electromagnetic conduit. In case of RBT, the electrical resistance of “tubing - pump - rod string” circuit will be much higher (over 2 Ohm) than in case of absence of this failure (0…2 Ohm).

Development of a Binary Model for Evaluating Water Distribution Systems by a Pressure Driven Analysis (PDA) Approach

Investigation of Water Distribution Networks (WDNs) is considered a challenging task due to the unpredicted and uncertain conditions in water engineering. When in a WDN, a pipe failure occurs, and shut-off valves to isolate the broken pipe to allow repairing works are activated. In these new conditions, the hydraulic parameters in the network are modified because the topology of the entire system changes. If the head becomes inadequate, the Pressure Driven Analysis (PDA) is the correct approach to evaluate the performance of water networks. Hence, in the present study, the water distribution system was evaluated in pressure-driven conditions for 100 different scenarios and then using a type of neural network called Group Method of Data Handling (GMDH) as a stochastic technique. For this purpose, several most notable parameters including the base demand, pressure, and alpha (the percentage of effective supplied flow) were calculated using simulations based on a PDA approach and applied to the water distribution network of Praia a Mare in Southern Italy. In the second stage, the output parameters were used in a developed binary classification model. Finally, the obtained results showed that the GMDH algorithm can be applied as a powerful tool for modeling water distribution networks.

Improved Hydraulic Simulation of Valve Layout Effects on Post-Earthquake Restoration of a Water Distribution Network

To restore water pipes damaged by earthquakes, it is common to block the water flow by closing the associated shut-off valves. In this process, water supply suspension in the area connected to the isolated pipes is inevitable, which decreases the serviceability of the water distribution network (WDN). In this study, we identified the impact of valve layout (i.e., number and location) on system serviceability during a seismic damage restoration process. By conducting a pressure-driven-analysis (PDA) using EPANET 3.0, a more realistic hydraulic analysis could be carried out under the seismically damaged condition. Furthermore, by considering the valve-controlled segment in the hydraulic simulation, a more realistic water suspension area was determined, and efficient seismic damage restoration strategies were identified. The developed model was implemented on a WDN to demonstrate the effect of valve layout on the post-earthquake restoration process. Finally, effective restoration strategies were suggested for the application network.

Oscillating method for monitoring the technical condition of the hydraulic cylinders of manipulator machines

The substantiation of the oscillatory method for monitoring the technical condition of the hydraulic cylinders of manipulator-type machines is presented on the example of the boom hydraulic cylinder of a John Deere 1470 forest machine. The results of numerical simulation of dynamic processes in pressure cavities of hydraulic cylinders of manipulator-type machines are described on the basis of a developed mathematical model based on the method of theoretical description of the hydraulic drive structural components using hydromechanical circuits. The hydraulic system of the hydraulic drive boom was adopted as the calculated one. For the formation of dynamic processes in the pressure cavity of the hydraulic cylinder of the boom drive of the described machine, a shut-off valve installed in the drain line is used. This valve made it possible to provide an almost instantaneous stop of the piston, resulting in a hydraulic shock. The calculations also used the method of forming a hydraulic shock with an almost instantaneous stop of the piston at the end of its stroke. The research allowed us to justify the most informative parameter for monitoring the current technical condition of hydraulic cylinders in the functional mode-the logarithmic decrement of damped oscillations, as well as to develop a new hydro-shock method for monitoring the technical condition of hydraulic cylinders.

Gasoline Vapor Emissions During Vehicle Refueling Events in a Vehicle Fleet Saturated With Onboard Refueling Vapor Recovery Systems: Need for an Exposure Assessment

Background: Gasoline contains large proportions of harmful chemicals, which can be released during vehicle refueling. Onboard Refueling Vapor Recovery (ORVR) can reduce these emissions, but there is limited research on the system's efficacy over time in an actual vehicle fleet. The aims of this study are: (1) determine the feasibility of using an infrared camera to view vapor emissions from refueling; (2) examine the magnitude of refueling-related emissions in an ORVR-saturated fleet, to determine need for an exposure-assessment.Methods: Using an infrared camera optimized for optical gas imaging of volatile organic chemicals, refueling was recorded for 16 vehicles at six gas stations. Pumps were inspected for damage, refueling shut-off valve functioning, and presence of Stage II Vapor Recovery. Vehicle make/model and age were recorded or estimated.Results: Vapor emissions were observed for 14 of 16 vehicles at each station, with severity varying substantially by vehicle make/model and age. Use of an infrared camera allowed for identification of vapor sources and timing of release, and for visualizing vapor trajectories.Discussion: Notably emissions occurred not only at the beginning and end of refueling but also throughout, in contrast to a prior study which did not detect increases in atmospheric hydrocarbon levels mid-refueling. Future studies are vitally needed to determine the risk to individuals during typical refueling in an ORVR saturated vehicle fleet. We recommend comprehensive exposure-assessment including real-time monitoring of emitted volatile organic compounds paired with infrared gas-imaging and measurement of internal dose and health effects of gas station customers.

Experimental Study of Dynamic Deformation Processes in Gas Pipeline

This paper is concerned with an experimental investigation of vibrations occurred in gas pipelines under different impact loads. The mechanical state of these objects is determined by the interaction between the processes taking place in the metal pipe, the ground in the vicinity of the pipe and the gas flow inside it. In the experiments, different pipeline vibration modes were investigated. Application of fiber-optic accelerometers made it possible to record vibrations from shutoff valves, as well as gas leak-generated vibrations. It was found that the loads applied to the pipe wall or surrounding soil induced pipe vibrations in the local region near the impact site (the signal effective distance is about 60 meters). A much stronger effect on the pipe wall was exerted by the jumps in pressure via the shut-off valves (the distance measurement of 2 km). The data obtained can be used to construct a structure diagram for the online monitoring system needed to control the deformation state of gas pipelines, to assess the sensitivity of sensors to various factors, and to verify the available mathematical models describing vibration processes in gas pipelines.

Critical frequency of autonomous current inverter when operating on active-inductive load

The article presents the results of a study of a circuit of an autonomous current inverter with shut-off valves when operating on an active-inductive load in terms of identifying its properties, energy characteristics and comparing the circuit with a traditional parallel current inverter with capacitive switching without additional valves.

Konstrukcija, održavanje i pogon zapornih ventila velikih energetskih postrojenja

The paper analyzes the constructive parameters of all parts of the shut-off valves with a flat seating system designed for operation on the steam pipe with values of temperature and pressure overheated steam 535 °C and 135 bar. All parts of the shut-off valve are given guidelines on the maintenance, packing and repair of possible damage, including the necessary machines, tools, equipment and materials. Based on a good knowledge of the design characteristics of the shut-off valve with flat seating, operating fluid parameters and the torque calculation necessary for rotating the spindle, the dimensioning and selection of an electric actuator for valve operation has been performed. The basic data on the drive, the motor and the control unit of the selected electric actuator are given, as well as the connection forms for the connection of the flange of the electric actuator and the shut-off valve.

ОСОБЕННОСТИ РАСЧЕТА ПЕРЕХОДНЫХ ПРОЦЕССОВ В ВОДОВОДАХ НАСОСНЫХ СТАНЦИЙ В УСЛОВИЯХ ОБРАЗОВАНИЯ РАЗРЫВОВ СПЛОШНОСТИ ПОТОКА

The purpose of this work is to provide a method for engineering calculation of an unsteady process in gas-liquid mixtures in complex hydraulic systems. When determining the optimal version of the pressure system, transient processes should be considered which occurrence is connected with the change of the operation mode of pumping units: emergency and planned turning-off,starting pumps, regulation of their operation, changing of the opening degree of shut-off and safety valves. Therefore, it is necessary to be able to determine changes in parameters of pressure water supply systems during transient processes. Accounting for the presence of the undissolved air in hydro systems is one of the most important factors to ensure the reliability of calculation since the presence of air leads to the increased compressibility in the medium due to which there occur sharp pressure fluctuations. Hydroelectric and water management include pressure systems with pumping stations, providing the necessary required amounts of water to specified heights. As a result of the work, the following conclusions were obtained, which allow us to revise the methodology for calculating transients in water pipelines of pressure water supply systems. The simplest and most effective measure to deal with an unacceptable increase in pressure in the event of a hydraulic shock caused by engine shutdown is to pass water through the pump in combination with the intake and pinching of air at the points where the continuity of the flow is formed. In pressure pipelines transporting a single-phase liquid (for example, water), there is always a small amount of undissolved air, which has a significant impact on the non-stationary processes that occur in the pipelines. Therefore, under certain conditions, even a single-phase liquid should be considered as a two-phase liquid and this circumstance should be taken into account when calculating pressure unsteady movement and hydraulic shock in pipes.

Опыт использования экспресс-методов неразрушающего контроля для оценки технического состояния запорно-регулирующей арматуры

Опыт использования экспресс-методов неразрушающего контроля для оценки технического состояния запорно-регулирующей арматуры

Декомпозиция как основа бинарных сопоставлений в зарубежной и отечественной нормативной документации на запорно-регулирующую арматуру

Декомпозиция как основа бинарных сопоставлений в зарубежной и отечественной нормативной документации на запорно-регулирующую арматуру

Hardware and Software Design for Premixing In-Line Injection System Attached to Variable-Rate Orchard Sprayer

.HighlightsA premixing in-line injection system was designed as a retrofit attachment to a laser-guided variable-rate orchard sprayer.A graphical user interface with touchscreen functions was incorporated into the system to facilitate field applications.Preliminary tests demonstrated that simulated pesticide and water could be accurately dispensed and discharged separately into the injection line and mixed well in the buffer tank.This premixing in-line injection system has great potential to further reduce pesticide waste and improve environmental stewardship for conventional and precision variable-rate sprayers.Abstract To eliminate the problems associated with leftover tank mixture in pesticide applications, a premixing in-line injection system was designed as an attachment to a laser-guided variable-rate orchard sprayer. The primary components of the system consisted of a chemical metering pump, a water pump, a two-stage static mixer, a premixing tank, a buffer tank, an electric shut-off valve, a chemical container, electronic control boards, a graphical user interface, and an embedded computer with a touch screen. Liquid level sensors were mounted in all tanks and the chemical container to control the fluid discharge and prevent overflows. The graphical user interface on the touch screen was designed for operators to communicate with the system and monitor the system status. During spray applications, the system performed with automatic loops in dispensing, mixing, and transferring the desired amounts of water and chemical concentrates to maintain the spray mixture at a constant concentration for use with variable-rate nozzles. The system was rinsed automatically when the spray application task was completed. Test results showed that simulated pesticide and water could be accurately delivered into the injection line and could be mixed well in the buffer tank before the spray mixture was discharged to the nozzles. The premixing in-line injection system is a potential technique to further reduce pesticide waste and improve environmental stewardship for both conventional and precision variable-rate orchard sprayers. Keywords: Automation, Environmental protection, Intelligent sprayer, Pesticide spray application, Precision agriculture, Tank mixture leftover.

Design of Joint Test Device for Fuel Delivery Shut-off Valve

In view of the fact that the new aircraft units were used, it was common to lack the fuel accessory inspection equipment, a set of combined test equipment for fueling and fuel delivery shut-off valve was designed. The basic work of the fuel delivery shut-off valve was introduced, the composition and principle of fueling test system and electric control system were described, and the realization methods of the hardware and software were given. The practical application shows that the test equipment can meet the test requirements of this type of fuel accessories, fully meeting the design goals.

Parameter control of the adjustable pipeline heat supply system

Controlled pipeline heat supply systems are equipped with shut-off valves that causes a decrease in the stabilization level of the heat-transfer agent transportation process and reducing the pressure in the network during transition processes. Booster pumping stations are installed to stabilize the pressure in the heat supply system. The heat-transfer agent transportation process becomes turbulent that significantly reduces the hydraulic system stability when such systems are working. The process of transporting the coolant. Regulator that contains proportional, integral, and differential control components is used to control the dynamic parameters. Studies have revealed the reduction level of dynamic characteristics depending on the regulator components. The use of PID control allows to change the oscillatory process into acyclic process.

A new small device made of glass for separating microplastics from marine and freshwater sediments.

Separating microplastics from marine and freshwater sediments is challenging, but necessary to determine their distribution, mass, and ecological impacts in benthic environments. Density separation is commonly used to extract microplastics from sediments by using heavy salt solutions, such as zinc chloride and sodium iodide. However, current devices/apparatus used for density separation, including glass beakers, funnels, upside-down funnel-shaped separators with a shut-off valve, etc., possess various shortcomings in terms of recovery rate, time consumption, and/or usability. In evaluating existing microplastic extraction methods using density separation, we identified the need for a device that allows rapid, simple, and efficient extraction of microplastics from a range of sediment types. We have developed a small glass separator, without a valve, taking a hint from an Utermöhl chamber. This new device is easy to clean and portable, yet enables rapid separation of microplastics from sediments. With this simple device, we recovered 94–98% of <1,000 µm microplastics (polyethylene, polypropylene, polyvinyl chloride, polyethylene terephthalate, and polystyrene). Overall, the device is efficient for various sizes, polymer types, and sediment types. Also, microplastics collected with this glass-made device remain chemically uncontaminated, and can, therefore, be used for further analysis of adsorbing contaminants and additives on/to microplastics.

Design &amp; Development of Contactless Valve for Adhesive Fluid Flow

Valves are the components in a fluid flow or pressure control system that regulates either the flow or the pressure of the fluid. Pinch valve is control and shutoff valve, used for slurry application where abrasive or corrosive, powders or granular substances are present. The Objective is to design and manufacture a contactless dispensing valve to avoid curing and rapid hardening of the adhesive/high viscosity fluids, using pinching effect between the flowing fluid and the tube in contact. Validation of this design is done through analysis. The methodology to achieve this objective will be first to define the problem definition. After defining the problem, the literature survey is done on various methods that are already in market and a detail study on the solution or the way to achieve the solution. Design of the valve is done based on the pinching effect. Model is prepared in SolidWorks software and analysis is done in Ansys software. Testing of the valve is the most crucial part for the valve to sustain the design and the parameters. The expected outcome from this paper is to design and manufacture a valve for high viscosity fluid to flow with high pressure and without any curing, metal life will be increased because there is no contact between metal and the fluid. Due to the pinching effect used, the wastage of fluid will be avoided