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INDUSTRY LEADING VALVE ACTUATION NEWS FROM THE WORLD OF ROTORK

29

Contract NewsWorldwide activity from Rotorks DivisionsCompany News New Rotork Companies and Divisions.

Also inside:

Bill Whiteley retires after twelveyears as Rotork CEOPage 2

Spotlight on Fluid SystemsFull story on Pages 8 and 9

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COVERSTORY

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BILL WHITELEYRETIRES

Its business as usual says Bill Whiteleymodestly as he retires as Rotork Chief

Executive Officer and hands over to PeterFrance. But how that business has grownduring the years that Bill has worked for itand for the past twelve years led it!

Bill Whiteley retires

after twelve yearsas Rotork ChiefExecutive Officer

Born in Yorkshire, Bill studied fora Degree in Economics at theUniversity of Bath in the 1960s andwas pleased to return to the citywhen he joined Rotork in 1974.

In 1977 he became the FinancialDirector of the newly createdActuation Division, beginninga succession of managementresponsibilities for Rotorks electricactuators that has been virtuallycontinuous for 31 years. Between1979 and 1987 Bill ran Rotorksoperations in the USA as President

of Rotork Controls Inc., beforereturning to the UK and becomingManaging Director of theActuation Division in 1988. Hewas appointed Rotork Group ChiefExecutive Officer in 1996.

My aim has been to capitalise onthe opportunities and developmentspresented by the international valveactuation marketplaces says Bill.

In 1993 we launched the IQ theworlds first intelligent electricactuator with non-intrusivetechnology which quickly became

our flagship product. Our fluid poweractuator business at the time wasripe for development and has sincegrown dramatically to become aworld leading participant in thismarket.

As the Managing Director of RotorkFluid Systems my successor PeterFrance has played an inspirationalpart in this achievement. RotorkGears, our gearbox and valveaccessory business, is now thelargest manufacturer of theseproducts of its type. Meanwhile,

successive developments of our IQelectric actuator and Pakscan digitalcontrol technologies have keptRotork Controls in its market-leadingposition.

I have enormously enjoyed everyaspect of my involvement withRotork and feel very privileged tohave led it over the past twelve years.Rotork has always had a uniquespirit which I feel confident underthe talented leadership of PeterFrance will propel it to even greatersuccess.

Bill Whiteley at Rotork, Brassmill Lane. Photograph courtesy of Bath Chronicle.

A total of IQ intelligent electric actuators and two Pakscanmaster stations have been installed during expansion phases and at the Vopak Horizon Fujairah bunkering centre in the Emirate ofFujairah on the Indian Ocean coast.

Cover Story: Actuators withPakscan at giant bunkering centreVopak Horizon Fujairah is theworlds second largest bunkeringfacility, providing a Middle East hubfunction for the storage and supplyof products including naphtha, petrol,diesel, jet fuel, kerosene, condensate,methanol, fuel oil and crude oil.Following the latest expansion theterminal has a total capacity of 1.5million cbm (cubic metres), six tankerberths and a single-point mooringsystem capable of handling vessels

of up to 175,000 dwt (dead weighttonnes). In the latest expansion, 51Rotork IQ actuators were suppliedthrough Tyco Valves and JC Fabrica(Spain). Rotorks agent in AbuDhabi, Universal Technical LLC, has

carried out the commissioning ofall the Rotork MOVs on the siteand continues to provide serviceengineers for local support at what isnow recognised as one of the worldsmain bunker markets. Vopak HorizonFujairah is a joint venture betweenthe ENOC Group, Royal Vopak (theNetherlands), the Governmentof Fujairah, Kuwaits IndependentPetroleum Group and the VitolGroup. Further expansion will see the

addition of six more berths in 2008.Footnote: Rotork and UniversalTechnical LLC have supplied over 1000actuators to ENOC and its subsidiariesfor projects such as this in the northernemirates of the UAE.

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INTRODUCTION:Bill Whiteley retires after twelve yearsas Rotork Chief Executive Officer...... .... .... Actuators with Pakscan atgiant bunkering centre......... ......... ........ .

COMPANY NEWS:The latest company news.............. &

CONTRACT NEWS:Rotork contract stories fromaround the world..................................

FEATURES:

Spotlight on Fluid Systems ................. & Flooding proves the watertightcase for Rotork Actuators....................... Site Services news............................... Rotork at Heathrow Airport 55 to T5.....Product News - IQ Pro & SIL.....................

INDUSTRY LEADING VALVE ACTUATIONNEWS FROM THE WORLD OF ROTORK

Rotorks NEW Corporate IdentityThe establishment of RotorkProcess Controls (see full

story page ) coincides withthe launch of a new RotorkCorporate Identity incorporatinga rationalisation of the RotorkGroup Divisions.

In addition to the creation of Rotork ProcessControls within the Rotork Controls Division,the Rotork Skilmatic electro-hydraulic

product range is now re-positioned withinthe Rotork Fluid Systems Division, whereother electro-hydraulic products are alreadymanufactured.

The three new Rotork Divisional logos Controls, Fluid Systems and Gears areshown here, together with the new logofor Rotork Site Services, the departmentproviding life-of-plant support that servesall three.

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COMPANYNEWS

Rotork Group company news from around the world

New Rotork Companyopens in BrazilRotork Brasil, a fully owned Rotork subsidiary company,opened for business in the first week of January , underthe directorship of long-time Rotork Latin American SalesDirector Emilio Osterling.

Emilio describes the new companysinitial objectives and goals as:supporting sales and engineeringefforts in the countrys dynamichydrocarbon industry, led by thestate-owned Petrobras. Followingon, we are also committed toopening up new markets forRotork in Brazil, such as water,power, chemicals, mining and theburgeoning ethanol industry.

In these tasks, Emilio is assistedby his first two employees. MariaClara Pecly is Office AdministrationAssistant and Gil Cavalcanti Acunha

has joined as Sales Engineer.Emilio says: I m proud of theyoung and professional team thatwe have gathered and confident ofthe success that they will bring toRotork.

Rotork Brasil will work alongside andsupport Rotorks established networkof representatives in the country Fluxo Servicios de Petroleo forelectric actuators and Superquip forfluid power actuators.

Full contact details for Rotork Brasilcan be found on the WorldwideLocator at www.rotork.com

Im proud of the young and professional team thatwe have gathered and confident of the success thatthey will bring to Rotork.

Emilio Osterling and the Team at Rotork Brasil

Rotork awarded thirdterm frameworkwith

Thames WaterIn face of severe competitionfrom other European actuatormanufacturers, Rotork haswon a landmark third termframework agreement forthe supply of electric valveactuators to Thames Water.

The exclusive agreement, describedas amongst the most prestigiouscontracts available to manufacturers

such as Rotork, runs for a minimumperiod of three years.

The majority of actuators involvedwill be IQ and IQT models, of whichThames Water now has a hugeinstalled base.

Thames was amongst the first of theUKs water companies to embraceRotorks IQ non-intrusive intelligentactuator technologies when firstlaunched in 1993.

Rotorks two-wire control capabilities,particularly regarding Profibusnetworks, were also importantcontributors to the Thames Waterdecision. Following the signing ofthe new agreement, Thames Waterstechnical specialist Dennis Goodladis pictured with Rotorks UK SalesManager Laurence Kettle (left) andBusiness Development ManagerMike Wendt (right).

Dennis Goodlad is pictured with Rotorks UK Sales Manager Laurence Kettle (left)and Business Development Manager Mike Wendt (right).

Thames was amongst

the first of the UKswater companies toembrace RotorksIQ non-intrusiveintelligent actuatortechnologies whenfirst launched in 1993

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CONTRACTNEWS

Rotork Group contract news from around the world

Australias droughtbuster schemechooses Rotork

IQs line up with Profibus at Coloradowastewater treatment plantMore than fifty Profibus-enabled IQ and IQT actuators have beeninstalled in a major expansion project at the Littleton/Englewood

Wastewater Treatment Plant in Colorado, USA.Serving over 300,000 residents inthe southern Denver Metropolitanarea, the plant is in the final stageof the project to meet populationgrowth and stricter pollutioncontrol regulations. On completion,the plants treatment capacity willincrease from 36 to 50 milliongallons per day. New Rotork IQ andIQT actuators have been installedthroughout the plant processes in

areas including: Headworks grit channel gates Primary clarifier sludge valves Secondary solids contact tank

air valves

Blower inlet and surgerelief valves

Centrate inlet, drain anddischarge valves

Denitrification filter inlet gates

All the IQ and IQT actuators areconnected to a plant-wide Profibusnetwork that also includes processtransmitters, flowmeters andanalysers as part of an overall plant

automation strategy that enablesthe operators to closely monitor fielddata. In addition, using data obtainedfrom the IQ and IQT actuators, thecontrol system has been designed tofacilitate access to valve operational

Jeff Quarrell with some of the droughtbuster valves in the John Valves factory

torque profiles. In addition to

the electric actuators, 32 P rangepneumatic and 2 EH range electro-hydraulic actuators from Rotork FluidSystems have also been installedduring the Littleton/Englewoodexpansion project. The site is also

noteworthy as the first US plant to

install an IQT, when first launched in2003, on a retrofit project to replacea competing actuator. Since thenseveral more IQ/IQT actuators havealso been installed on other retrofitapplications.

The Northern Pipeline Interconnectoris a key part of the Queensland stategovernments emergency droughtstrategy and will play an importantrole in the areas water distributiongrid to connect dams, weirs and otherwater storage sites.

Australian valvemaker John Valveshas been awarded one of the largestcontracts on the project includingthe supply of fourteen 1000mmhigh pressure mainline gate valves.Manufactured at Ballarat, all areeither motorised with RotorkIQ70/IB12 actuator and gearboxcombinations or fitted with RotorkGears IS11 / AS5 `dual input manualgearboxes. Jeff Quarrell, NationalSales and Operations Manager forthe valve division, describes themainline valves as: arguably themost important in the pipeline

structure.Rotork actuators have a long andsuccessful track record for reliable,low maintenance service in the

harsh extremes of the Australianclimate. We especially like the speedand efficiency of non-intrusivecommissioning provided by theRotork IQ, together with the abilityto download and analyse valveoperating data to minimise routinemaintenance.

These were all importantconsiderations for us and thecustomer when we put togetherour total valve package for thisproject, which was won against stiffcompetition from other Australianand international companies.

The Northern Pipeline Interconnectoris being constructed by the SouthernRegional Water Pipeline Alliance, a joint venture between Abigroup, KBRand McConnell Dowell Constructions.With the potential capacity totransport 65 million litres of potablewater a day, the pipeline will linkexisting and potential future watersources throughout AustraliasSunshine Coast.

Water is front page news in Australia as it hasbecome obvious that drought, climate change,population and consumption growth have combined

to make the countrys future water security a majorsocial, environmental and political issue.

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7/16[ ]7For more information on ROTALK articles and features contact Nicky Skinner at ROTORK Bath: +44(0)1225 733200 email: [email protected]

CONTRACTNEWS

Rotork Group contract news from around the world

Rotork IQ and IQT range intelligent electric valve actuators

have been installed as part of a multi-million pound upgradeand modernisation programme awarded to Interserve ProjectServices at one of the Severn Trent Water Treatment Works.

Major Valve ActuationUpgrade Completed

A total of 136 actuators have beenfitted by Rotork Site Services toexisting valves on Rapid Gravity(RGF) and Granulated ActivatedCarbon (GAC) filter beds to providea more reliable, economical andlow maintenance alternative tothe hydraulically operated systemoriginally installed.

Nikki Holden, Interserve SeniorAgent at the water treatmentworks, explains: The actuatorswere specified for the upgradeapplication in line with the waterindustrys preference for electricactuation, through Rotorksframework agreement with SevernTrent. The choice of installer wasthe responsibility of Interserve asproject manager and we selected

Rotork Site Services for the work dueto their specialist retrofitting skillsand extensive experience of similarprojects.

Each of the fourteen RGF andtwenty GAC filter beds at thewater treatment works has beenretrofitted with Rotork IQ multi-

turn actuators on 500 or 600mminlet and outlet penstocks and IQTdirect drive quarter-turn actuatorson 200mm air scourer butterflyvalves. Rotork Site Services scope ofsupply encompassed an initial valvesurvey, the design and manufactureof new screwed valve stems andpedestals for the penstocks andadaptors for the butterfly valves,actuator sizing, installation andcommissioning. Butterfly valve

adaptors were sourced fromValvekits, the Rotork Groupsdedicated valve accessory company.Rotork IQ/IQT actuators featurenon-intrusive commissioning anddata interrogation by means of abi-directional infra-red link to a handheld setting tool. A data logger ineach actuator stores historical valveoperating data including torque

profiles which can be downloadedand analysed using RotorkIQ-Insight software to minimisethe requirement for routine valvemaintenance. Rotorks contract ispart of an 8 million investment toupgrade the quality and efficiencyof water treatment at the site forthe benefit of customers in theCheltenham and Worcester areas.

we selected Rotork Site Services for the work dueto their specialist retrofitting skills and extensiveexperience of similar projects.

Rotorks latest IQ Pro intelligent electric valve actuators havebeen installed on an ingenious renewable energy scheme onthe south coast of England that generates power from the riseand fall of the tides.

Renewable Energy SchemeSpecifies IQ Actuators

However, unlike the much publicisedproposed Severn Barrier, tidal energyhas been harnessed on this sitefor nearly one thousand years andthe technology has been used bymankind since pre-Roman times.

The Eling Tide Mill has been grindinggrain into flour for at least thelast 940 years and is now the onlyremaining working and productivetidemill in Britain.

The present building, which isbelieved to date from the 18th

century, is owned by New ForestDistrict Council and run by the ElingTide Mill Trust Ltd. Built on an inletbranching off a tidal estuary, themill has a dam which incorporates aspecial type of sluice gate, known as

a sea hatch. The sea hatch consistsof two penstocks, incorporating flapswhich open with the incoming tideand close automatically at high tide,trapping the water in the mill pond.

This water is then used to operatethe mill wheel, enabling a period ofapproximately four hours workingbetween each tide. The penstocksare raised if the mill pond needsto be emptied in order to carry outmaintenance, or if the river that feedsinto the mill pond is in flood afterheavy rainfall, or if debris that canaccumulate in the pond needs to bereleased.

The old gates and electric motors,which had worn out after many yearsservice, have now been replaced

with a brand new installation,incorporating two Rotork IQPro Model 25 actuators. The specificationfor the new installation was writtenwith the help of two of the milltrustees, Dave Plunkett and JohnChristmas. With over forty yearsexperience of the UK water industry, John was particularly well qualifiedfor the task, his previous experience

with Rotork actuators enablinghim to recommend them withconfidence for this application. Thefunctionality built in to Rotork IQcontrol and instrumentation enablesthe actuators to be operated without

removing vandalproof covers fittedover the local controls by meansof a dedicated hand-held wirelesscontroller which was speciallydesigned for the installation. Thepush-to-run buttons on the controllercan be used to operate the actuatorseither individually or together. Thecompletion of the new sea hatchproject has secured the continued

operation of Eling Tide Mill well intothe future living proof that, nomatter what we are told or read inthe newspapers about innovativerenewable energy projects, there isreally nothing new under the sun!

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SPOTLIGHT ONFLUID SYSTEMS

Rotork Group Features from around the world

Photographed at the Maua JurongShipyard in Rio de Janeiro, thisRotork GH range heavy dutyhydraulic failsafe actuator willoperate a Tomoe Tritec 24inchdouble flanged Class 1500 ball valvehandling liquid hydrocarbons on thegiant new Petrobras P54 floatingproduction storage and offloadingvessel (FPSO).

Rotork Fluid Systems has receivedorders for GH range actuators fromvalvemakers including Tomoe in theUK and Cooper Cameron in Italy forthis significant project, which willproduce oil from thirteen deepwaterwells in the Campos Basin, off thesouth eastern coast of Brazil.

The huge vessel will have a dailycapacity to produce 180,000 barrelsof oil and compress 6 million cubicmetres of natural gas from theRoncador Field.

Hydraulic actuators forSouth Atlantic floatingproduction vessel

Born and educated in Rotorks homecity of Bath, Alex (48) has over twentyyears international sales, engineeringand business management experienceof the fluid power actuator industry.Having worked for Rotork in the1980s he re-joined the companyin 2003, becoming BusinessDevelopment Director for Rotork FluidSystems in 2005.

As Managing Director he will guidethe Divisions continued globalexpansion with the right productsand approvals in existing and new keymarkets. With four manufacturingplants supported by a growingnetwork of strategically sited Centresof Excellence, Rotorks fluid poweractuator activity is experiencingimpressive growth and now accountsfor a significant proportion of the

Groups total business.Commenting on his appointment,Alex said: I am looking forward tothe exciting and challenging taskof fulfilling the high expectationsof the Division, a task in which Iam fortunate to be working withthe most experienced team in thebusiness.

New Managing DirectorforRotork Fluid Systems

Alex Busby has been appointed the new Managing

Director of Rotork Fluid Systems.

I am looking forwardto the exciting andchallenging task offulfilling the highexpectations ofthe Division...

The SVM system is used throughoutthe world to assist in the testingof hydraulically and pneumaticallyactuated block valves on dutiesincluding ESD (EmergencyShutdown), BDV (Blow Down),HIPPS (High Integrity PressureProtection) and SSIV (Sub SeaIsolation).

The patented SVM technologyperforms real time partial stroketesting of critical valve installations,enabling the user to assess not

only whether the valve will close asrequired, but also the performanceof all the final elements in the valveloop.

By analysing this performance dataover a number of tests the usercan also predict any degradation

in performance and schedulemaintenance accordingly. In thisway costly unplanned or extendedshutdowns can be avoided and thepossibility of failures on demandminimised.

Rotork addsSmart Valve Monitoringand Critical Valve Testing capabilityto product portfolio

Pictured with the valve and actuator is

Neil Harden, Tomoes General ManagerSales & Marketing.

The technology, which has beensold by the Fluid Systems Divisionfor a number of years, has provedto be of great benefit to the partialclosure testing of valves in locationsas disparate as Sakhalin Island andSaudi Arabia.

Alex Busby, Rotork Fluid SystemsManaging Director, explains: Thisinnovative technology provides uswith a platform to further developour products for safety criticalapplications.

To give added strength to thepromotion of the technology, SVMspecialist Richard Harvey has joinedRotork as Business DevelopmentManager for the product. Richard Harvey

Business Development Manager

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Rotork Group Features from around the world

SPOTLIGHT ONFLUID SYSTEMS

This dramatic photograph ofP range pneumatic actuatorswas taken at the Sepon CopperMine in Savannakhet Province,south-central Laos.

Built at Rotork Fluid Systems factoryin Rochester, USA, the actuators areoperating Cameron ball valves in the

autoclave plant at the site, which hasbeen mining copper from open cast pitssince 2005. Copper ore mined at Seponis turned into pure copper cathodes,ready for fabricating into wire and rodfor customers mainly in Vietnam andMalaysia. 62,541 tonnes of copper wereproduced at the plant during 2007.

Remote Control Sweden (RCS) is the latest acquisition inRotorks expanding Fluid Systems Division, providing it with arange of complementary products and market opportunities.

Rotork acquiresRemote ControlSweden (RCS)

RCS has been trading since 1961and, under the ownership of PerLarsson, the company has developeda worldwide reputation for qualityand service as a manufacturer ofpneumatic valve actuators andassociated control systems.

RCS products will continue to be

marketed through their existingsales channels and integrated intoRotorks extensive international salesnetwork.

Commenting on the acquisition,Alex Busby, Managing Director ofRotork Fluid Systems said: RCScomplements Rotorks existingmedium to heavy duty range ofpneumatic and hydraulic actuatorsand brings with it a reputation forquality and service, strengtheningour reputation as the actuatorcompany of choice.

The acquisition increases our abilityto provide a single source for theseproducts and enhances our presencein existing and new market areas.

RCS complements Rotorks existing medium

to heavy duty range of pneumatic and hydraulicactuators and brings with it a reputation for quality

Rotork fluid power valveactuators have beeninstalled throughout

a major new watertreatment plant whichsupplies up to litres ofdrinking water per secondto the city and port ofMazatlan in the Mexicanstate of Sinaloa.A total of 144 Rotork double-acting,scotch-yoke pneumatic actuatorshave been installed throughoutthe two project stages of the LosHorcones water treatment plant,which began operating in May 2007.

The actuators, from Rotork FluidSystems CP and P ranges, operatebutterfly valves in sizes from 6 to 20

inches. Built for the Mexican waterauthority Jumapan, the Los Horconesplant treats water from two inlandwells named San Francisquito andEl Pozole in order to remove ironand manganese. The 11.6 million

dollar plant has been constructed byConstructora y Cribados Almoza, S.A.de C.V. The orders for the actuatorswere won by Rotorks representativein the country, Rotork ServoControles de Mexico, S.A. de C.V.

Rotork Specified inMexicanWater Treatment Plant

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DESIGNFEATURE

Rotork Group design features from around the world

Rotorks double-sealed electric valve actuator enclosure designhas proved its worth in the aftermath of the disastrous floodingof the Severn Trent Mythe water treatment works at Tewkesburyin Gloucestershire.

In what has been described as a oncein a two hundred and fifty year event,water from the adjacent rain-swollenRiver Severn flooded the entire Mythesite at the end of July 2007, in someplant areas to a depth of five metres,cutting off the daily supply of 120million litres of drinking water to350,000 customers in the Gloucester,Cheltenham and Tewkesbury areas.

It was imperative that the workswere cleaned, repaired and broughtback into operation with the utmosturgency and thanks to the tirelessperformance of personnel from Severn

Trent Water and its contractors thiswas successfully achieved within theremarkably short period of only fourdays after the flooding had subsided.

As a part of this colossal task, morethan 150 Rotork electric valve actuators encompassing A, AQ and IQ ranges,controlling the automated sequence ofwater treatment processes throughoutthe site had to be inspected forwater damage before they could bereturned to service. To assist in this

work, Rotork immediately providedtwo site service technicians whenrequested on the first morning of theclean-up, who inspected and checkedactuators in vital areas including thelow lift pump house, which had been

In Rotorks experience, the floodingat Mythe is the latest in a long list ofworldwide events over the decadeswhere the Rotork double-sealedenclosure design has prevented seriousdamage to actuators that have beensubmerged.

Severn Trent Water Area ManagerAndrew Bowkett described theflooding as unprecedented in the 137year history of water treatmentat Mythe.

The Rotork actuators acquittedthemselves well, assisting theenormous efforts made by SevernTrent staff and our contractors to bringthe plant back into full operation withthe absolute minimum of delay.

Flooding proves thewatertight casefor Rotork Actuators

The Rotork actuatorsacquitted themselveswell, assisting theenormous efforts madeby Severn Trent staffand our contractors to

bring the plant back intofull operation with theabsolute minimumof delay.

AQ and A range actuators in the rapid gravity filter plant. The flood water level herereached above the ceiling of the chamber

Double-Sealing

submerged to a depth of three metres.In all cases they found that where waterhad entered an actuator, it had onlydone so through cable entries into theterminal compartment and had beenprevented from reaching any electricalcomponents within the actuator itselfby the O ring seal fitted around theterminal bung. This design feature,known as double-sealing, was firstintroduced on Rotork actuators aslong ago as the 1960s and has beena benchmark of Rotork designsever since.

As a result, all the actuators inspectedby the Rotork technicians were foundto be fully functional and could beimmediately returned to service aftercleaning and drying out some of theterminal compartments.

Severn Trent Area Manager AndrewBowkett with one of the A rangeactuators in the low lift pump house,which was flooded to a depth of metres

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SITE SERVICES NEWS

Rotork Site Services news from around the world

Penstock Upgrade atThames Water BecktonRotork Site Services has completed an automationupgrade on the main inlet penstocks at the ThamesWater Beckton Sewage Treatment Works, involving

motorisation with the latest IQ Pro intelligent electricactuators. The IQ Pro actuators were specified forthe application within the terms of the frameworkagreement which Rotork holds with Thames Water.

Beckton is the largest sewagetreatment works in the UK. Situatedon the north shore of the RiverThames in the London Borough ofNewham, the site treats the sewagefrom 3.4 million London residentsand businesses. Someone has takenthe trouble to calculate that thisis enough to fill 34 Olympic sizedswimming pools every hour!

The first stage of sewage treatmentis fine screening to remove solidsand debris. A total of twelve inletand outlet penstocks are installedin the screening plant to enablethe flow to be diverted andscreens to be isolated for routinemaintenance.

The substantial penstocks, eachmeasuring approximately 150 by300 centimetres, were fitted withelectric hoists and chains to liftthem out of the inlet channels.

The hoists, which had providedsatisfactory service for manyyears, were reaching the end oftheir operating life and requiredreplacement to prevent potentialinterruptions and reliability issuesin this crucially important area ofthe works.

In addition, operation of theelectric hoists was a relativelylabour intensive process that couldonly be performed locally and amore up to date and automatedsolution was therefore required.

Engineers from Rotork Site Servicesfirst carried out a survey of theexisting plant and then designedthe new drive systems and topworks on which the new actuatorsare mounted. The hoists and chainswere replaced with threaded risingstems, operated by Rotork IQPro Model 35 actuators and IB7 bevel

gearboxes. In addition to preciseand reliable operation, the newactuators also enable a particularoperating characteristic of thepenstocks which used to beperformed manually to be nowcarried out automatically, thanks tothe flexible functionality built in tothe Rotork IQPro control package.

When the penstocks are in the shutposition sludge, debris and solidssettle out on the bottom of thechannel adjacent to the penstocksover a period of time. If a penstockis opened in one uninterruptedmovement, this concentrated

build up would rush through ontothe screening equipment andpotentially overwhelm it.

Therefore, it had always been thepractise to raise each penstock byapproximately 10% of its travel andthen stop it for a set period, whichenabled the build up of sludge todisperse slowly before the penstockwas fully opened.

The successful completion ofthis sequence used to rely on theeye of the operator but is nowautomatically performed by theRotork actuators. Each actuator isprogrammed to communicate a

Becton STW inlet penstocks upgraded with Rotork IQ actuators

signal to its supervisory plc whenit reaches the 10% position ofopening travel, at which pointthe plc stops further travel for a

preset time before then asking theactuator to complete the openingoperation.

During original project discussionsthis sequence of operationswas to be triggered by externalposition switches attached to thepenstocks themselves, but RotorksSite Services engineers were ableto demonstrate that using thestandard features inherent in theIQPro control package provided asolution that is more reliable, lessexpensive and more flexible. Forexample, it is easy to programmethe actuator to pause at a differentopening position if operatingexperience dictates.

The alternative would be tophysically move the external switchon the penstock. Rotork SiteServices contract encompassedthe survey, design of newadaptation and topworks,installation and actuatorcommissioning. Completion wasachieved on time and on budget,continuing the long and successfulassociation that Rotork has enjoyedwith Thames Water.

Engineers from RotorkSite Services first

carried out a surveyof the existing plantand then designed thenew drive systems andtop works on whichthe new actuatorsare mounted. Thehoists and chainswere replaced with

threaded risingstems, operated byRotork IQPro Model35 actuators and IB7bevel gearboxes.

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Second upgrade at cleantechnology power station

Connahs Quay PowerStation on the north Walescoast is no stranger toRotork IQ actuators. Almost

were retrofitted onthe cooling towers at the

MW Combined CycleTurbine (CCGT) station in, after the American

designed actuators originallyfitted had proved vulnerableto the saline coastalatmosphere.

Now, in a further cooling towerplant upgrade, Rotork Site Serviceshas installed another 80 IQ and IQTactuators in a project designed to

increase the generating efficiencyat the E.ON owned station. Byincreasing the cooling capacityof the plant, emissions of carbondioxide are minimised as is theamount of water lost to drain.Bothimprovements have a beneficial

effect on the surrounding coastalenvironment.

Tony Higgins, from E.ONs electricalengineering department at ConnahsQuay commented that Rotork wasselected again for this latest projectas a result of the proven reliabilityof the installed IQ actuators, thebenefits of non-intrusive settingand the valve diagnostic capabilitiesinherent in the latest IQPro actuatortechnology.

SITE SERVICES NEWS

Rotork Site Services news from around the world

The MW RWE nPower Aberthaw power station in SouthWales is undergoing a series of environmental improvementprojects including the introduction of flue gas desulphurisingtechnology to enable the station to operate under the latestEuropean environmental regulations.

Skilmatic in environmental upgradesat UK power stationRotork Site Services is involved inthe projects, installing Skilmaticactuators to improve valveperformance in critical areas,two of which are illustrated here.The existing, customised electro-hydraulic actuators on the millisolation dampers had become

increasingly time consuming andexpensive to maintain due toobsolescence. The Rotork SkilmaticSI electro-hydraulic quarter-turnactuator with its integral failsafedesign has provided an idealengineering solution.

Existing feed water regulation valveswith pneumatic actuators werecausing operational problems andproving uneconomical to maintain.Aberthaw decided to replace the

valves and actuators and selectednew valves manufactured by Weir,fitted with Skilmatic SI electro-hydraulic modulating linear actuatorswhich matched the technicalrequirements for fast acting,high thrust and accurate valvepositioning.

Aberthaw has utilised Rotorkactuators for many years and hasfound that the latest non-intrusivefeatures inherent in Skilmatic SI, IQand IQT actuators provide reliableservice with the added benefitsof time and cost savings duringcommissioning. IQ and IQT actuatorshave been recently installed onapplications including feed systemand boiler valves and quarter-turndampers.

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