PPOYAM, AMPO’s valve division, received an order to manufacture a special 4-way valve for the coker unit in a refinery. This type of valve needs an electronic controller in order to position itself at the different outlet channels. The client specifications included an LCD screen to display valve status information. The system needed to be certified for explosive environments and resist ambient temperatures as low as -40ºC.

The product to be controlled: http://www.ampo.es/es/products-services/valves-special-non-lubricated.php

Solution provided

Based on client specifications, the following tasks were performed:

• Cabinet design, based on a National Instruments’ cRIO controller. Includes a heating system to maintain the interior temperature above the operating limits for the electronics. A BEKA-brand screen was used to display the parameters.
• Creation of the control program in Labview.
• Supervision of the assembly and in-factory tests before the system was shipped to the client.
• Start-up at the client's facilities in Volgograd (Russia).

Advantages

• The CompactRio system withstands temperatures as low as -40ºC. Its low power requirements enable it to be housed in flameproof cabinets.