Control Valve Passing Audit

Valves are critical equipment that is used as a traditional controlling device for media like steam, air, gas, oil, etc., for ages. Continuous usage of valves over a period of time leads to erosion of valve seats. Valves that leak internally can lead to major losses of valuable utility, or unintended transfer of process constituents, in some cases seriously elevating process risks. Identifying such internally leaking valves is a bigger challenge considering the volume of control valves in a plant.

Stopleakloss a service offering from Permaweld Pvt Ltd, identifies internal leakage of control valves using ultrasound technology. We have solid experience in surveying lakhs of control valves in the last two decades.

• The audit is intended to analyze the control valve without dismantling or isolating it.
• A team of professionally qualified engineers use an ultrasound leak detector to monitor the pressurized control valve and determine whether the valve is passing or not.
• The survey is carried out to check the control valves that are intended to be closed during operating conditions and there is no room for internal passing. Such control valves are prioritized during our audit.
• On identifying internal leakage, based on the sensitivity of the ultrasound device the severity of leakage is classified as major, medium, and minor. The control valves are tagged with basic information of the valve and health status marked on it.
• An empirical formula is used to estimate the mass flow through a leaking control valve and equivalent monetary loss is calculated.
• A detailed report is prepared and submitted which contains list of control valves and its health status, losses from leaking control valves with equivalent monetary loss, recommendations, and its ROI.

• Infrared Thermal Imager – To identify hotspots
• Anemometer – To measure wind velocity

• A list of all hotspots identified from the steam network.
• Total heat loss, equivalent steam loss, and equivalent monetary loss.
• Economic insulation thickness, type & quantity of insulation materials to be used.
• Other recommendations and their ROI.

By conducting a thermal insulation survey once a year, one can understand the current health condition of insulation materials on steam pipelines. Heat loss from the steam pipeline is directly fuel loss in the steam generator. Identifying and rectifying hotspots will give benefits in fuel savings, steam quality improvement, good health of pipelines, and reducing carbon emissions.