Emerson Innovation Center For Fisher Technology Development ®
THE CONTROL VALVE YOU CHOOSE MATTERS WHEN YOU HAVE TO ACHIEVE MORE EFFICIENT, PRODUCTIVE, AND SAFER PLANT OPERATION. The process industry is changing. Facilities are bigger and demand larger, highly engineered control valves for more severe applications. At Emerson, we have a staff of talented engineers who are passionate about developing Fisher® control valves for the ever-changing process control industry. Our engineers were the: nF irst to develop the proven digital plant architecture, PlantWeb™.
Fisher® Technology Development | 3 QUALIFYING CASTINGS GOING BEYOND CODES Casting quality is frequently cited as a safety issue. Global sourcing of castings has heightened customer awareness and concern about the integrity of these castings. Minimal stress on all features of a pressure vessel greatly improves fatigue life and therefore, safety. Simply meeting minimum wall thickness requirements is not sufficient.
| Fisher® Technology Development IMPROVING OPERATIONAL SAFETY LIMITING EMISSIONS Processes that involve toxic or highly flammable fluids rely on safety instrumented systems (SIS). Lack of knowledge of valve position or operation threatens worker safety, causes environmental concerns, and potentially damages operating equipment. Leaking chemicals and gases can be harmful to health and to the environment.
Fisher® Technology Development | 5 QUIETING NOISE DIAGNOSING CONTROL VALVES LOCALLY Process plants require controlled noise levels to protect employees. Reduced fenceline noise levels are also necessary to maintain good relationships with adjacent, populated areas. Process equipment maintenance must be planned, yet it is difficult to know which equipment needs maintenance. Since control valves are the primary elements in the loop that actually adjust the process, their performance is fundamental.
| Fisher® Technology Development PROTECTING COMPRESSORS QUALIFYING MATERIALS In order to operate more efficiently, liquefied natural gas plants prefer to run turbo compressors close to the surge limit line. The margin for error to avoid equipment damage during surge events is very narrow. Equipment constructed from a material incompatible with the process environment may damage operating equipment or cause a plant shutdown.
Fisher® Technology Development | 7 WITHSTANDING VIBRATION MODERNIZING UNITS High vibration from process plant operation can shorten equipment service life, damage critical components, and cause deterioration or total loss of control. Halting production and turning off profits in order to modernize process units is not economically feasible. Fisher control valves are designed and tested for robustness in high vibration applications.
| Fisher® Technology Development SURVIVING EXTREME TEMPERATURES Whether driven by process temperatures or climate extremes, control valves need to operate as specified. LNG control valves are tested at cryogenic temperatures of –196°C (–321°F). REMOTE MOUNT SOLUTIONS A refinery valve used in catalytic reforming is tested at 704°C (1300°F). Remote mount solutions for instrumentation decouple the electronics from the process environment for extended temperature range.
Fisher® Technology Development | 9 REDUCING PROCESS VARIABILITY REDUCING AIR OR GAS CONSUMPTION Reducing process variability is key to improving product quality. Excessive variability is the direct result of control equipment—such as control valves—failing to achieve required performance levels. High consumption of compressed air or natural gas by instruments means high energy costs for plants.
| Fisher® Technology Development ACCURATE ENGINEERING SPECIFICATION AND PROCUREMENT TIME Sizing coefficients for control valves are based on actual flow tests performed by Emerson engineers. It is not necessary to apply conservative sizing practices; therefore, project costs are reduced. An ISA data sheet has 120 fields that must be agreed upon between the control valve specifier, supplier, and end user.
Fisher® Technology Development | 11 INTEGRATION INSTALLATION TIME AND COST Emerson recognizes that process plants are interconnecting products from different suppliers and that true interoperability is essential. Reduced installation time and cost result in faster time-to-market. With Fisher control valves, you will realize significant savings. Emerson tests different hardware and firmware versions of control valves, digital valve controllers, and software to assure no loss of functionality or data.
Fisher technology development capabilities extend worldwide with engineers and labs in North America, Europe, and Asia.
