SACO Introduce Wiggle Feature To Help Reduce ‘Sticky’ Valves

The Smart Actuator Company (SACO), the innovative UK developer of the SmartAct® RIFT electric actuator range, has developed a solution to the longstanding problem of infrequently used valves becoming stuck or ‘sticky’.

The software feature, known as ‘WIGGLE’, allows the actuator to be preprogramed to move the valve at regular, user defined, intervals and amounts. The feature has shown positive early results in reducing the build-up of material which causes valves to seize in position.

How valves become ‘sticky’
As a new manufacturer in the electric actuator market SACO has spent a lot of time over the last 5 years asking questions of potential distributors, end users and even other manufacturers about the problems faced by suppliers of valves and actuators.

One regular problem that was described was the tendency of valves to ‘stick’ or ‘seize’ in position when being used in an application with long or infrequent duty cycle times.

In many instances this problem alone accounts for the need to replace valves altogether after relatively short working life times. At the very least it often requires pipelines to be shut down while regular maintenance and valve seat cleaning is carried out. The problem occurs much less often in applications where valves are in regular use with shorter duty cycles.

Working with Severn Subsea Technologies in Redruth, Cornwall, on projects for two of their clients, SACO saw first-hand The Smart Actuator Co. Ltd Tel: 01684 565709 Web: www.smartact.co.uk how quickly equipment deployed in the marine environment can be colonised by marine micro-organisms. In one particular application 6 inch KSB Butterfly Valves are required to stay open to allow sea water to pass through and only open and close perhaps once each day. In another application regular wave splash and occasional immersion to up to 5 metres caused similar problems in a Mars Ball Valve, again with infrequent duty cycles.

The SACO Distributor in the Netherlands, Frank Schiere of Ebora Process Automation, also identified the same problem with many of his clients and asked if a solution could be developed. He said ‘Even apparently clean fluids can cause deposits in valves that are not in regular use; as these build up they can cause valves to either function badly or cease to function altogether’.

How ‘WIGGLE’ prevents valves from sticking
Regular operation ‘cleans’ the valve seats and prevents build-up of material that can cause the valve to stick in position. The action of the valve against the seat does not allow the micro-organisms to settle and grow within the valve.

The Central Processing Unit (CPU) in the SACO actuators electronic control boards can be programmed to open and close any valve to a set angle on a time schedule. This can be to just a few degrees or the full duty cycle. SACO commissioned the software work required as part of their Horizon 2020 European Union Funding Project and has now added the feature, which has been christened ‘WIGGLE’, to the ‘drop down’ menu in their software user interface. This is currently available for all Microsoft Windows software platforms and is to be released shortly for Android devices.

James O’Donnell, SACO Technical Director says ‘We are developing a reputation as the company that can solve problems other manufacturers can’t. When we introduced our first medium actuator in 2014 we designed it to be flexible and multifeatured. Thank goodness we did because as our sales volumes are rising we are able to add in new features like ‘WIGGLE’ to react to customer demand’.

The first prototype of the new SmartAct® Subsea 250Nm actuator is on the left. It has been designed for depths up to 100 metres initially but potentially up to 750 metres over the next 2 years. It is one of the first actuators from SACO to include the ‘Wiggle’ feature to help keep the valve seats clean. This has also now been added to the standard medium SmartAct® RIFT 40-100 Nm actuator on the right.

The Smart Actuator Co. Ltd
Tel: 01684 565709
Web: www.smartact.co.uk

Published: 18th November 2015