A large European refinery and petrochemical operator recently decided to install FlexiDrive remote valve operators, to enable safe manual valve operation from a distance.
Butane spheres must be isolated in case of fire
The refinery operates four butane plants, where individual canisters are loaded with butane. The butane spheres are built one meter above the ground. in case of a fire, the manual valves located underneath these spheres must be closed immediately.
Operators must risk their lives to operate manual valves
As the spheres are so near to the ground and the valves are obstructed by surrounding piping, operators need to climb and crawl before reaching the valves. In case of a fire, having to crawl over the piping, under the sphere, and then operating these valves by hand would be extremely dangerous for the operator. The risk of an operator getting injured this way would be unacceptable.
Valve actuation is not an option
To eliminate the risk of operator injury, plant management of the refinery searched for a safe yet cost-effective solution. Actuation of the valves would have been relatively expensive, adding unnecessary complexity whilst still holding a realistic chance of actuator failure in case of fire. Therefore, a manual solution was preferred.
Moving manual valve operation away from the danger zone
FlexiDrive remote valve operator was the ideal solution to safely operate these valves in emergencies. With Flexidrive, the valves could be operated from a safe distance.
High-temperature resistant cables
FlexiDrive allows the operation of manual valves away from the valve location. Valve stations are mounted on top of the manual valve and connected to operator stations through a 7-8-meter-long flexible cable system. FlexiDrive remote operators are available with specific fire-resistant cabling that can resist operating temperatures of up to 1.000 °C, this ensures suitability in case of a fire. In this case, standard cabling was selected.
Operating manual valves quickly and safely
By adding four FlexiDrive remote operators to a single sphere, this refinery has now enabled operators to operate the valves which are located directly under the spheres, from a safe location. In case of a fire, these valves can be closed quickly and safely, without the need to automate these valves. After a successful pilot on one sphere, over fifty FlexiDrives have been installed on the valves of the other spheres.