Valve Condition Monitoring Enters a New Era

Score Group’s Innovative V-MAP® G3 Successfully Launched at ONS 2014

In issue 30 of Valve User Magazine, we mentioned that Score Diagnostics limited was launching a new valve condition and performance monitoring system for critical process valves : V-MAP® G3.

It was quite a launch, with the new kit being presented from the back of a boat in Stavanger Harbour during the busy and successful ONS Stavanger Exhibition, August 2014.

As a supplier of valve condition monitoring solutions, Score Diagnostics recognise the importance of having reliable, high integrity products. The Safety Integrity Level (SIL), which defines the target level of risk reduction required for a Safety Instrumented System (SIS), is an important characteristic which must be complied with. As functional safety requirements are becoming ever more important, Score Diagnostics appreciate the importance of SIL compliance with both the manufacturers and end users.

To ensure compliance with customer requirements, Score Diagnostics act in accordance with the international functional safety standards, IEC61508 and IEC61511. IEC61508 covers all electronic, electrical and programmable electronic systems, the forefront of Score Diagnostics business. Although it is not compulsory, Score use this standard as a guideline for best engineering practice.

The Need

The monitoring of the condition of Emergency Shutdown Valves (ESDVs), on both onshore and offshore oil and gas installations, is an essential part of ensuring the safety of personnel, protection of the environment and capital assets. The failure of an ESDV to operate on demand, or fail to provide a shut off, will have a major impact.

To demonstrate that an ESDV’s performance meets the installation’s safety criteria, it is normally subjected to routines involving inspection, partial closure, full closure, and leakage tests. These routines often require special test equipment and trained personnel, and will involve a planned shutdown, thereby MIDAS® Diagnostics Demonstrations Area interrupting production.

The Solution

This need to continuously demonstrate performance is met by Score’s V-MAP® systems development. V-MAP® G3 is an on-line system that continuously monitors ESDV condition and the process duty under which it is operating. Data is acquired remotely, without the need for personnel to be in attendance to monitor specific ESDV tests. V-MAP® G3 will also acquire data for every valve operation, including unplanned ESDV operation events, so building up a history of performance that can be used in-lieu of a planned shutdown test, thereby avoiding the need to interrupt production. The valve and actuator performance trends can then be used to establish a maintenance programme based on actual and specific valve and actuator condition.

Score’s new V-MAP® G3 system is the market’s best available technology for assuring the required in-service performance and integrity of critical valves. It gives process and plant owners, integrity and safety assurance engineers as well as maintenance personnel enhanced visibility of all developing failure modes in valves and their operators and further extends the Score range of diagnostic equipment available to monitor in-service performance over time.

The Development

V-MAP® G3 has been developed, based on Score’s long term experience in valve and actuator design, diagnostics, data acquisition, and system design and construction. The basic monitoring techniques and principles have been well developed in the past. It is the hardware and software developments of recent years that have enabled those techniques and principles to be implemented in a cost effective modular system design: One that can be tailored to the specific monitoring requirements, communications and protocols of the installation’s automation system.

The System

V-MAP® G3 dedicated sensors are located on the valve, actuator and on the adjacent piping. The sensor types typically selected are:
• Acoustic Emission leak detection sensors
• Strain gauges to measure the torque or force required by the valve
• Pressure transmitters to monitor the actuator fluid power requirement
• Position transmitter to measure the valve stroke

The V-MAP® G3 sensors are continuously logged by bespoke data acquisition units (MIDAS® DAUs). On detection of a valve operation, the V-MAP® G3 server downloads the information from the MIDAS® DAU and typically requests the following input from the installation’s automation databases:
• Process pressures and temperatures
• Actuator limit switch and solenoid status and timestamp
• ESDV event timestamps

Once the server has collected the raw data from the various sources, it is processed in the Score bespoke Signal Processing Unit (MIDAS® SPU) and stored.The following functions can then be performed to transform the data in to information:
• Manipulation to obtain derived data
• The derived data is then analysed by use of proprietary V-MAPS software, with algorithms for:
• Raising of alerts if performance characteristics exceed preset alarm or notification levels
• Comparison and trending with previous readings, benchmarks and design calculations
• Comparison of sensor outputs to detect sensor drift or malfunction
• Provision of summary reports

Benefits of using V-MAP® G3:
• Remote monitoring of all valve operations
• Reduces site exposure for personnel
• Automatic alerts and warnings of deterioration
• Measures compliance with acceptable criteria
• Focuses maintenance activity
• Therefore, maximises plant safety and availability and reduces costs

The third generation of V-MAP® G3 has all the benefits of the previous system but also benefits from being easier to install (in both Brownfield and Greenfield Sites), reduced weight and space requirements and reduced installation costs.

Score (Europe) Ltd
Tel: 01779 480000
www.score-group.com

Published: 18th November 2014