Blog - Post List
  • Valves, Actuators & Regulators Blog: Gain Asset Health Insights with Emerson’s Digital Valve Controller

    In many applications, control and on-off valves are subjected to regular position changes and constant contact with process media, causing wear and tear that must be monitored to prevent operational issues. Control valves are typically operated with a 4-20mA signal sent from a remote automation system, but without valve position feedback, drift from the intended setpoint can occur. On-off valves are simpler to control…
  • Valves, Actuators & Regulators Blog: Mitigating Shutdown, Turnaround, and Outage Issues

    Plant shutdowns, turnarounds, and outages (STOs) have never been simple, but in recent years they have become even more challenging due to labor shortages and difficulties procuring parts. My article in Processing , titled “ Rethinking shutdown, turnaround, and outage planning ,” discusses the impacts of these challenges on STO planning and execution, and it offers strategies to minimize their effects. Increasingly…
  • Valves, Actuators & Regulators Blog: Mitigating Shutdown, Turnaround, and Outage Issues

    Plant shutdowns, turnarounds, and outages (STOs) have never been simple, but in recent years they have become even more challenging due to labor shortages and difficulties procuring parts. My article in Processing , titled “ Rethinking shutdown, turnaround, and outage planning ,” discusses the impacts of these challenges on STO planning and execution, and it offers strategies to minimize their effects. Increasingly…
  • Valves, Actuators & Regulators Blog: Mitigating Shutdown, Turnaround, and Outage Issues

    Plant shutdowns, turnarounds, and outages (STOs) have never been simple, but in recent years they have become even more challenging due to labor shortages and difficulties procuring parts. My article in Processing , titled “ Rethinking shutdown, turnaround, and outage planning ,” discusses the impacts of these challenges on STO planning and execution, and it offers strategies to minimize their effects. Increasingly…
  • Valves, Actuators & Regulators Blog: Mitigating Shutdown, Turnaround, and Outage Issues

    Plant shutdowns, turnarounds, and outages (STOs) have never been simple, but in recent years they have become even more challenging due to labor shortages and difficulties procuring parts. My article in Processing , titled “ Rethinking shutdown, turnaround, and outage planning ,” discusses the impacts of these challenges on STO planning and execution, and it offers strategies to minimize their effects. Increasingly…
  • Valves, Actuators & Regulators Blog: Detecting Bellows Damage in Pressure Relief Valves

    Pressure relief valves (PRVs) provide critical overpressure protection in many industries by venting excess process media when necessary. PRVs often include bellows in applications with relief valve headers subject to backpressure, but bellows may be damaged by cycling or corrosive chemical applications, causing significant performance impacts and environmental leakage that may go unnoticed for years. My article in…
  • Valves, Actuators & Regulators Blog: Detecting Bellows Damage in Pressure Relief Valves

    Pressure relief valves (PRVs) provide critical overpressure protection in many industries by venting excess process media when necessary. PRVs often include bellows in applications with relief valve headers subject to backpressure, but bellows may be damaged by cycling or corrosive chemical applications, causing significant performance impacts and environmental leakage that may go unnoticed for years. My article in…
  • Valves, Actuators & Regulators Blog: Detecting Bellows Damage in Pressure Relief Valves

    Pressure relief valves (PRVs) provide critical overpressure protection in many industries by venting excess process media when necessary. PRVs often include bellows in applications with relief valve headers subject to backpressure, but bellows may be damaged by cycling or corrosive chemical applications, causing significant performance impacts and environmental leakage that may go unnoticed for years. My article in…
  • Valves, Actuators & Regulators Blog: Pneumatic Controllers Revived by Flexible, Configurable, Digital Process Controller

    It’s said that nothing succeeds like success, but after years and decades pile up, initially successful innovations can result in huge installed bases that can be challenging to service and maintain. In this article on Emerson’s New Digital Process Controller Brings Simplicity and Flexibility to Single Loops | Emerson US,  learn how digital process controllers reliably upgrade performance, safety and compliance by making…
  • Valves, Actuators & Regulators Blog: Pneumatic Controllers Revived by Flexible, Configurable, Digital Process Controller

    It’s said that nothing succeeds like success, but after years and decades pile up, initially successful innovations can result in huge installed bases that can be challenging to service and maintain. In this article on Emerson’s New Digital Process Controller Brings Simplicity and Flexibility to Single Loops | Emerson US,  learn how digital process controllers reliably upgrade performance, safety and compliance by making…
  • Valves, Actuators & Regulators Blog: Pneumatic Controllers Revived by Flexible, Configurable, Digital Process Controller

    It’s said that nothing succeeds like success, but after years and decades pile up, initially successful innovations can result in huge installed bases that can be challenging to service and maintain. In this article on Emerson’s New Digital Process Controller Brings Simplicity and Flexibility to Single Loops | Emerson US,  learn how digital process controllers reliably upgrade performance, safety and compliance by making…
  • Valves, Actuators & Regulators Blog: Advanced Diagnostics for Electric Actuators

    Due to stringent greenhouse gas emissions regulations, as well as ongoing technical advances, electric valve actuators are proliferating across process industries, but until recently, these actuators have lacked comprehensive diagnostic and monitoring features. This situation is changing for the better, as we explain in Hydrocarbon Processing November 2023 article, titled “ Maximizing the Advantages of Electric Actuator…
  • Valves, Actuators & Regulators Blog: Advanced Diagnostics for Electric Actuators

    Due to stringent greenhouse gas emissions regulations, as well as ongoing technical advances, electric valve actuators are proliferating across process industries, but until recently, these actuators have lacked comprehensive diagnostic and monitoring features. This situation is changing for the better, as we explain in Hydrocarbon Processing November 2023 article, titled “ Maximizing the Advantages of Electric Actuator…
  • Valves, Actuators & Regulators Blog: Advanced Diagnostics for Electric Actuators

    Due to stringent greenhouse gas emissions regulations, as well as ongoing technical advances, electric valve actuators are proliferating across process industries, but until recently, these actuators have lacked comprehensive diagnostic and monitoring features. This situation is changing for the better, as we explain in Hydrocarbon Processing November 2023 article, titled “ Maximizing the Advantages of Electric Actuator…
  • Valves, Actuators & Regulators Blog: Easy and Effective Oil Separator Retrofit Improves Operation

    Due to more stringent methane emission regulations, natural gas-powered level control systems in oilfield separators are no longer practical. Thankfully, many of these separators can be retrofitted easily with new electric level control technologies, as discussed in my article, titled “ Improved oil separator control strategies ,” in the October 2023 edition of Process Instrumentation . Please find a summary of the article…
  • Valves, Actuators & Regulators Blog: Easy and Effective Oil Separator Retrofit Improves Operation

    Due to more stringent methane emission regulations, natural gas-powered level control systems in oilfield separators are no longer practical. Thankfully, many of these separators can be retrofitted easily with new electric level control technologies, as discussed in my article, titled “ Improved oil separator control strategies ,” in the October 2023 edition of Process Instrumentation . Please find a summary of the article…
  • Valves, Actuators & Regulators Blog: Easy and Effective Oil Separator Retrofit Improves Operation

    Due to more stringent methane emission regulations, natural gas-powered level control systems in oilfield separators are no longer practical. Thankfully, many of these separators can be retrofitted easily with new electric level control technologies, as discussed in my article, titled “ Improved oil separator control strategies ,” in the October 2023 edition of Process Instrumentation . Please find a summary of the article…
  • Valves, Actuators & Regulators Blog: Advice at the Device™︎ for Your Valves

    I wanted to ensure you saw the news:  Emerson’s New Digital Valve Controller First to Offer Embedded Edge Computing to Streamline Workflows, Optimize Performance . With the ongoing exodus of expertise due to retirements across the globe, having Advice at the Device can help. The Fisher FIELDVUE DVC7K is the industry’s highest performing, most reliable valve controller and the first to include embedded prognostics …
  • Valves, Actuators & Regulators Blog: Advice at the Device™︎ for Your Valves

    I wanted to ensure you saw the news:  Emerson’s New Digital Valve Controller First to Offer Embedded Edge Computing to Streamline Workflows, Optimize Performance . With the ongoing exodus of expertise due to retirements across the globe, having Advice at the Device can help. The Fisher FIELDVUE DVC7K is the industry’s highest performing, most reliable valve controller and the first to include embedded prognostics …
  • Valves, Actuators & Regulators Blog: Advice at the Device™︎ for Your Valves

    I wanted to ensure you saw the news:  Emerson’s New Digital Valve Controller First to Offer Embedded Edge Computing to Streamline Workflows, Optimize Performance . With the ongoing exodus of expertise due to retirements across the globe, having Advice at the Device can help. The Fisher FIELDVUE DVC7K is the industry’s highest performing, most reliable valve controller and the first to include embedded prognostics …
  • Valves, Actuators & Regulators Blog: How Reliability Improves Sustainability

    While high reliability clearly entails high availability, what is less obvious is that reliability also enhances sustainability. My column from the October 2023 issue of InTech , titled “ Executive Corner: Reliability Through the Lens of Sustainability ,” explains why. When devices such as relief or isolation valves do not operate reliably, undesirable emissions can escape to atmosphere, wasting materials and potentially…
  • Valves, Actuators & Regulators Blog: How Reliability Improves Sustainability

    While high reliability clearly entails high availability, what is less obvious is that reliability also enhances sustainability. My column from the October 2023 issue of InTech , titled “ Executive Corner: Reliability Through the Lens of Sustainability ,” explains why. When devices such as relief or isolation valves do not operate reliably, undesirable emissions can escape to atmosphere, wasting materials and potentially…
  • Valves, Actuators & Regulators Blog: How Reliability Improves Sustainability

    While high reliability clearly entails high availability, what is less obvious is that reliability also enhances sustainability. My column from the October 2023 issue of InTech , titled “ Executive Corner: Reliability Through the Lens of Sustainability ,” explains why. When devices such as relief or isolation valves do not operate reliably, undesirable emissions can escape to atmosphere, wasting materials and potentially…
  • Valves, Actuators & Regulators Blog: Advantages of Digitized On-Off Valves

    Automated on-off valves play important roles in many systems, including starting and stopping batch processes, routing process fluids, filling and emptying tanks, backwashing filters, performing safety shutdown functions, and more. These valves are often required to operate reliably for years of continuous service. In both new and existing plants, smart valves featuring microprocessors and digital communication capabilities…
  • Valves, Actuators & Regulators Blog: Advantages of Digitized On-Off Valves

    Automated on-off valves play important roles in many systems, including starting and stopping batch processes, routing process fluids, filling and emptying tanks, backwashing filters, performing safety shutdown functions, and more. These valves are often required to operate reliably for years of continuous service. In both new and existing plants, smart valves featuring microprocessors and digital communication capabilities…