Actuator Control Solution for Long-Distance Pipelines
Application Description
Long-distance oil and gas pipelines transport media over trunk routes, with heating stations, booster stations, offtake stations and valve stations along the line. The isolation valves installed at stations and valve stations serve both as a means of isolation for maintenance and as emergency protection devices in the event of leaks or fire, rapidly isolating a pipe section and containing the spread of risk.
Application Focus
1. Wide ambient temperature range at remote valve stations: at low temperatures actuators are prone to increased hydraulic oil viscosity, seal shrinkage and abnormal operation of electronic components.
2. Automatic fire shutdown: emergency shutdown valves must reliably detect a fire on site and act per the preset sequence to keep the pipeline safe.
3. Difficult power supply: valve stations are mostly outdoor installations where mains power cannot be supplied reliably over the long term.
4. Fast opening, slow closing to prevent water hammer: an abrupt change in pipeline flow at the end of closing generates water hammer, threatening the pipeline and valve body.
Solution Overview
1. Low-Temperature Actuator Design
(1)Gearbox: low-temperature selection to IP68 protection, with dedicated low-temperature treatment of seals, lubrication and bearings to overcome material embrittlement, suitable for −50 °C and below; lubricant rated down to −57 °C.
(2)Controller: industrial-grade components with higher-grade critical ICs; backlight-free, high-brightness wide-view display; forced-air circulation heater with automatic temperature control, switching on below −30 °C and off above 15 °C.
(3)Motor: motor bearings receive dedicated low-temperature treatment for high-speed rotation at low temperatures.
2. Fire Protection
Integral fusible plug: triggers shutdown autonomously when the site temperature reaches the melting point; commonly 80 °C, 92 °C or 120 °C.
3. Power Supply Reliability
Brushless DC electric actuators are used: high power efficiency, high output torque, low speed and long duty cycles, compatible with solar, wind and battery supply without an inverter.
4. Water Hammer in the Main Oil Pipeline
Different speeds in each direction and stepped speed control within a stroke: rapid movement through the travel with reduced speed at the open and close points, meeting the closing time requirement while effectively suppressing water hammer.
Customer Value
1. Strengthens emergency isolation and pipeline integrity management, provides passive fire-triggered shutdown and protects trunk line transportation safety.
2. Dedicated ultra-low-temperature design improves equipment reliability at unmanned remote valve stations and reduces the risk of cold-related failure.
3. Direct supply from solar, wind and battery without an inverter lowers the cost of power infrastructure for remote valve stations.
4. Dampens water hammer surges, protects the pipeline itself and reduces the risk of damage to line equipment.
5. Supports standardised selection across regions and simplifies spare parts inventory and project management.
6. Suited to unmanned remote operation, reducing failures and emergency repair work at remote stations.
Related Products
M Series electric actuators,
CL electro-hydraulic actuators
CR series electro-hydraulic actuators
