ChE-661 / ME-623

Final Control Element Instrumentation

(Valves and Drives)
Other Considerations for Corrosion,
Wiring and Safety
2009 Stevens Institute o
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Instruments - Review
Instruments are devices that are affected by Physical, Chemical or
Electrical Properties of the medium they are designed and
intended to measure. (DAF)
Instruments measure Intensive or Extensive Properties.
Intensive Properties: Not dependent on the amount of matter.
Intensive properties include: Temperature, Pressure, Density,
Conductivity, Viscosity, Turbidity, pH, ORP, DO or other analysis.
Extensive Properties (less common): Level, weight (inventory).
Is Flow Extensive or Intensive? (HINT: It is not a Property of
the matter? Does it depend on the total mass of the material?)
Is Differential Pressure Extensive or Intensive?
The Intensive Property can affect the Extensive Property.

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Instrumentation - Valves

Quick review of Open/Close Ball Valves

Focus on Control Valves
Valves can be air-operated or motor-op.
Fail-Open / Fail-Closed / Fail-Last
Feedback indication always recommended
Seal tightness is described by Class
The higher the Class seal, the tighter (2, 4)
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Instrumentation Ball Valves

Standard Port versus Full Port

Seats, Stem packing and gland
Actuator sizing and effects of return spring
Limit switch setup philosophy (make / break)
Failure Position requires Haz-Op review
Fire Rating of seats
Observe detailed materials of construction:
- Seat material (Temperature, corrosion)
- Stem packing and gland seal material
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Instrumentation Control Valves

Three Most Common parameters are:
+ Failure direction (Open /Closed)
+ Cv size
+ Cv trim type (Linear, Quick Opening, Equal %)

Other Considerations:
+ Body size versus pipe size (typical valve body size smaller than

the pipe size.)

+ Fluid flashing and noise calculations (severe wear)
+ Materials of Construction (wear, corrosion, seats and seals)
+ Body Style (bellow seals, cryogenic extension, etc.)
+ Seat Seal Class (control valves usually not designed for a tight
shut seal)
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Instrumentation Control Valves

Dynamic Response mostly a function of
the positioner.
Control Engineer needs to consider the
local response time of the valve
movement when tuning a fast loop.
Control Valves should be located
downstream of the flow instrument in the
loop to keep the flow instrument flooded.
Valve Characteristics change with wear.
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Instrumentation VFDs (AFDs)

VFD Variable Frequency Drive

AFD Adjustable Frequency Drive
Terms are more or less interchangeable
Used to drive a constant speed A/C motor
at different speeds, or power output
Considered as a Final Control Element
Proper application requires engineering
Consideration for Motor, wiring, distances
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Instrumentation - VFDs

Used on 3-phase motors

Applicable Motor ratings from 120/208 to 7KV/13KV, typically 277Y/480 VAC
VFD converts the feed to DC on a bus and then generates pulses to synthesize A/C
to the drive the motor at varied speed.
Older BGT (Bipolar Gate Thyristor) models have a slower pulse rise time and
therefore very short periods of under-voltage that causes heat in the motor coils.
(Drive Rated Motor)
Newer IGBT (Isolated Gate Bipolar Transistors) have very fast switch-on times and
eliminate the heat of under-voltage, but fast rise times of pulse cause frequency
components that are very high voltage spike.
The wire to the motor acts like a capacitor (it IS a capacitor) and the motor windings
are an inductor. There is a wave reflection at the wire-to-coil interface that creates a
combined (addition) wave spike.
277Y/480 VAC = 600 VDC bus = 1200+ Volt spike
Voltage spike is actually higher than the motor winding rating and there is a slight
current leakage through the motor winding insulation which eventually causes
chemical breakdown of the insulation. The motor can fail within a few months of
operation. Motors MUST be rated NEMA-MG1-Part 31 standard, or other
transformers and choke coils must be added to the circuit, increasing costs.
AFDs and VFDs can cause severe HARMONICS within the plant power system.

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Instrumentation - Communications
Various communication protocols are available to
communicate with instruments beyond just an analog
electrical signal.
HART / FieldBus / ProfiBus
HART: (1980s) uses tiny bipolar pulses to allow serial
data communication on the loop while the transmitter is
operating.
HART data mostly used for configuration
FieldBus (USA), ProfiBus (Europe) uses elaborate data
link protocols to communicate process data on a multidrop data link.
ProfiBus also used to I/O layer communication w/ PLC
Profibus DP versus Profibus PA
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Instrumentation Failures

Most failures are Over-Temperature or Corrosion

Seal Failure versus metallic failure
+ Fugitive Emissions
+ Contamination of the process from instrument fill
+ Contamination of the Instrument System from process fluids
Elastomer Seals or Wetted Parts Halogenated solvent attack
Teflon Cold Flow (Glass reinforced)
Effects of HF and H+
Hydrogen stress cracking
Decarburization
Metal phase changes (J-Thermocouple De-Curie)
Hydrogen permeation through metals into fill material
Coating and fouling of sensing elements
See SIL slide later in this presentation
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Instrument Enclosures
NEMA - National Electrical Manufacturers Association
Most Commonly found in Chemical Plants:

NEMA 1 Useless, Mostly in Electrical Substation, MCC

NEMA 12 Resists splashing (indoor)
NEMA 4, 4X Outdoor weatherproof
NEMA 4X corrosion resistant (stainless steel, fiberglass)
NEMA 7 Explosion Proof for Gases (Div 1, Class 1)
NEMA 9 Explosion Proof for Dusts (Div 1, Class 2)
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Instrument Enclosures
IP Ingress Protection
Two Digit code that rates increasing
protection with increasing numbers
(Third Digit Exists but not part of standard)
1st digit describes size of particle
2nd digit describes moisture resistance
IP-rating is NOT an Explosion Proof rating
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Instruments - Intrinsic Safety

Work-around for Hazardous Areas

Based on limiting the source of ignition
Requires CAREFUL attention to design, selection and installation of
the instrument and the electrical circuitry.
Wiring REQUIRES an I.S. Barrier along the circuit wiring located in
a safe area.
I.S. barrier limits the voltage and current allowed along the field-side
wire to the instrument in the hazardous area.
Field Instrument MUST be I.S. approved for use in the loop to
prevent ignition (a spark or heat) from the discharge of stored
energy. Must use I.S. diagnostic devices (Volt Meters, HART, etc.)
Instrument can be opened and worked on in a hazardous
atmosphere without sniffing.
Must segregate (LIGHT BLUE) wiring, clearly label as I.S.
(Remember, Explosion Proof must remain sealed tight to be safe.)
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Instrumentation - S.I.L.
SIL Security Integrity Level
SIL 1 (least reliable) through SIL 4 (most reliable)
Probability of Failure under Demand PFD
i.e. push the button it doesnt work

SIL-1 Failure 1:10 to 1:100

SIL-2 Failure 1:100 to 1:1,000
SIL-3 Failure 1:1,000 to 1:10,000
SIL-4* Failure 1:10,000 to 1:100,000
*SIL-4 not considered achievable with a single PLC
*SIL-4 special redundancy of PLC/DCS required.

2009 Stevens Institute o

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