Flowserve launches Heavy Duty Actuator

Flowserve announces European launch of New RG series Heavy Duty Actuator.

Flowserve has launched the new Flowserve Automax RG-Series Heavy-Duty Scotch Yoke Pneumatic Actuator into the European market. Designed to optimise plant and personnel safety through compliance with IEC 61508 (Functional Safety Related Systems), Safety Integrity Level -3, the RG Series also provides major cost savings through extended life cycling and reduced maintenance requirements.

“The actuator’s IP67M (temporary submersion) rating and marine grade epoxy surface treatment provide maximum integrity in harsh corrosive atmospheres such as offshore installations” says Ian Barber, Technical Sales Manager, Flowserve Flow Control Division.

To reduce product modification and installation costs it features a modular design with independent modules for the body, pneumatic and spring segments. The RG’s pneumatic and spring modules are simply changed on location to modify the actuator torque output and fail rotation direction, eliminating the need for a new actuator if these changes are required. While with the pull-to-compress Spring Module, manual overrides are easily added for spring-return or double-acting operation.

Asymmetrical body design gives ready interchangeability of spring and pressure modules. The pressure-module piston incorporates dual-wear bands providing a forward wiping action to extend the life of dynamic squad seals. Inside the pressure and torque module, critical sealing and load bearing surfaces are honed and hard-chrome plated to reduce surface wear and increase corrosion resistance.

Further, a new hard-chrome plated steel guide bar provides optimal support of the transverse loads. Coupling the yoke are new aluminum bronze slider blocks to minimise contact stress and ensure high cycle life. Combining these key technologies, say Flowserve, results in extended automation life cycle to increase production up time and reduce maintenance costs.

The Automax RG-Series is lighter and more compact for ease of installation and reduced cost. The new design represents a 20 percent weight reduction and a 20 percent end-to-end length reduction compared to previous models. The actuator features an expanded torque output range of 2.2 million inch/pounds (248,566 Newton Meters) while the availability of over 100 output torque profiles enhances valve automation selection and reduces the weight, size and cost of the actuator.

The Automax RG-Series, say Flowserve, has been designed for use in quarter-turn automation duties for ball, plug, and butterfly valves and rotary dampers in chemical, refining, oil and gas and general industrial applications. The actuator conforms to global mounting and accessory mounting standards including International Organization for Standardization (ISO) 5211 valve interface with MSS option and NAMUR VDI/VDE 3845 compliance.

Flowserve Flow Control, Tel: +44(0)1444 314400
Website: www.flowserve.com

Published: 10th December 2010