Featured Story

It is highly likely that at least once, most adults have ignored the ‘change oil’ alert that blinks in their vehicle or rolled past the odometer knowing a standard maintenance is due. Whether it is because they are too busy, or just did not prepare, there are risks to ignoring maintenance in any situation. The risks associated with ignoring maintenance on actuators is much more critical than overlooking the maintenance of a car.

Valve World Americas pays a visit to VIZA Valves every year as its long-term partner for the opportunity to share information, collaborate on ideas and exchange experiences that shed light on industry changes and business management. We recently had a rewarding talk with Mr. Stephen Zhu, Vice General Manager of VIZA Valves, to provide readers with an insight on the cutting-edge innovations of the valve industry.

How do you know if a valve has been specified for low temperature environments and applications? What types of materials should you be using? What are maintenance best practices for these valves?

In preparing an accurate time and cost estimate, it is customary for the client to provide the following information: Up-to-date Piping and Instrumentation Diagrams, Process Flow Diagrams (P&IDs and PFDs), Shutdown Key(s), Design Basis Memorandum (DBM), Plot Plan, and, A description of the process steps or unit operations involved.

When designing a new plant, a piping engineer has to make sure that loads imposed by piping on attached equipment does not reach certain limits. Normally, rotating equipment and vessel nozzles are considered possible weak links and thus closely watched. However, valves also need a certain degree of attention, especially when not using flanged connections.

As an engineer-turned-manager for Wood’s Instrument Engineering and Design Department, Bridget Spencer helps her team to tackle a diverse range of projects in the upstream and downstream oil and gas sector. Spencer’s leadership style emphasizes knowledge sharing and training.

Have you ever tried to paddle upstream? You learn very quickly that if you slow down the stroke rhythm, you go back to places you have been. Process safety works the same way – if a company does not train and enforce safety procedures frequently, complacency sets in and bad habits return. Valves, for example, need proper understanding, from the people selecting them to the people being sent to work with them.

Air release valves play a critical role in maintaining pipeline integrity in water and wastewater treatment systems, but plant operators face a common problem: most of the valves do not seal properly at lower pressures without changing to a softer seat, which is when the system is most at risk.

The world of fugitive emission control has changed, and continues to change rapidly. Major oil and gas players are beginning to aim for zero emissions, in an effort to ensure that future generations have a better environment.

The best valve design processes are standardized and follow a characteristic method that assures each valve meets industry standards, allows for easy traceability, and will meet even the most stringent demands of the application.