LV008 / 09 / 10

LETDOWN VALVE
Conversion
Pneumatic to Hydraulic

Taganito HPAL Nickel Corp.

22JAN2021

Japheth T. Achay
Sales & Service ‐ Philippines
‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐‐
Rexa, Inc.
4 Manley Street, West Bridgewater, MA 02379 ‐ USA
Tel: +1‐508‐584‐1199 | Mobile: +63 917 674 0894
email: [email protected] | web: www.rexa.com
Agenda
 REXA Background
 Who and What is REXA
 Products Background – XPAC over MEGAPAC Series

 LV008 Conversion
 Objectives and Background
 Existing Problem and Proposed Solution
 Pneumatics vs Hydraulics
 Pneumatics vs REXA
 Expounding Problem caused by Pneumatics
 Investment and ROI
 Proposed REXA Unit
 Installation References

 REXA Technology
 Features and Benefits
CONVERSION of LV008
 From Existing Pneumatic Actuation into REXA ElectraulicTM Actuation

OBJECTIVES
• Improve Controllability for Improved Production Efficiency
• Minimize Trim Breakage and Reduce Maintenance Cost
• Minimize Downtime and Improve Productivity

BACKGROUND
• Existing pneumatic Actuator has poor control ability
• Frequent Ceramic Trim breakage which is very costly
• Higher Maintenance Cost due to breakdowns
• Downtimes and Un-Scheduled Shutdowns are high
Proposed Solution
SOLUTION
• Replace actuator with a more reliable and highly precise positioning capability – ELECTRAULICTM ! ! !

WHAT IS THE PROBLEM WITH EXISTING?

• PNEUMATIC Actuators
Actuator - widely used in various industries for various control valve applications. These are
common actuators and are less expensive. Most industries uses these type of actuators because it has
LOW initial cost and most maintenance personnel has the knowledge of the repair.

• HOWEVER . . . there are Disadvantages of using these type of Actuators.

Pneumatics
ADVANTAGES
• Capable of operating (moving) continuously
• Capable of Fail-safe operation (spring fail)
• Low initial cost
• Relatively low maintenance (excluding Compressor / Air Handling)

DISADVANTAGES
• A pneumatic actuator is a soft, weak muscle. Because air is compressible, the inherent ability of the actuator
to accurately position, repeat, and hold position is limited.
• Delay in response to signal change
• Prone to “hunting” and Controller Windup
Electro-Hydraulics
EH Actuators are used when:
• Strong Forces are required to drive the driven device
This is because hydraulics (oil) is NOT compressible. Thus, EH actuators have “inherently stiff” positioning
that cannot be pushed around by external forces.

• High-Precision Positioning is required

Most of the application that requires high-precision positioning uses hydraulics. This is because OIL as the
force transmission medium in hydraulics is not compressible. Thus, it will not overshoot from the target
position.
Governor Valves in huge power plants to control the speed of their turbines uses hydraulics. Other
actuation technologies are not suitable for this application where high precision is required.

• Quick-Response is required
Turbine speed controls and other critical applications uses hydraulics. These applications could not allow
any delay in actuation. Pneumatics cannot be used in these types of applications.
Response – Pneumatic vs Rexa
Response – Pneumatic vs Rexa (cont.)
Response – Pneumatic vs Rexa (cont.)
Valve Trim Breakage
TRIM (PLUG) BREAKAGE will result to:
• COST – purchase of new trim (plug) replacement
• COST – downtime caused by broken trims (production loss)
• COST – labor (maintenance) for trim replacement

CAUSES OF TRIM BREAKAGE

Valve Plug
• Scaling on Trims
• This scenario cannot be avoided and is inherent with the process
• Pneumatic Actuator Valve Seat
• Using PNEUMATICS that AIR compressibility cannot be avoided
• Actuator is hunting and pounding the plug onto the seat
Inside the Valve
NORMAL OPERATION
Large Opening
High Flow Rate
PLUG is Away from the SEAT

NO PROBLEM ! ! !

SLOW PRODUCTION
Smaller Opening
Low Flow; High Velocity
PLUG is Closer to the SEAT

THIS IS WHERE THE

PROBLEM IS ! ! !
Scaling
Small Opening and Low Flow scenario is the usual status of the valve
during normal operation.

In a scenario where the plug is close to the seat, there will be no

problem if there is no scaling on the plug and seat. The plug will
never touch the seat because there is a gap of 2mm between them
during initial setup.
SCALING Formed

HOWEVER, if there is scaling that is formed in the plug or on the

seat, the plug touches the seat thru the scale being formed. If the
valve tends to close, the plug pushes the scale onto the seat which
will result to breakage in the long run.
Bathtub Stopper Effect

• Velocity increases
and Pressure
decreases as slurry
exits. When plug is
<20% open, the
decrease in pressure
can cause the valve
to close with a
pneumatic actuator.

• Bathtub Stopper
Effect Impacts
Process Stability and PNEUMATIC ACTUATOR RESPONSE
Flash Tank Level
Air Compressibility AIR is
Compressible !!!

When the valve has a small opening, there will be a high flow velocity which tends
to pull the plug onto the seat. The existing pneumatic actuator cannot hold the plug
and maintain its position due to air compressibility.

Once the plug is pulled down onto the seat, the actuator (thru the positioner) will
tend to lift the plug to attain the desired position. After a while, the flow will again
pull down the plug onto the seat. Actuator LIFTS; Flow PULLS down….

This scenario will repeat itself and the actuator now is “hunting” and could not
maintain the desired opening.

This is like “dribbling” a ball !!!

- it will NOT STOP until it breaks! SCALING Formed
Electro-Hydraulics?
WILL IT ELIMINATE THE PROBLEM?
• Replacing with an ELECTRO-HYDRAULIC Actuator will NOT Guarantee a ZERO Trim Breakage.
The ceramic trims will still break in the long run of operation.
• Using of Electro-Hydraulic Actuator is expected to PROLONG the life of the ceramic trims.
• Prolonging the life of the ceramic trims (e.g. from 6 months to 12 months) would already mean a lot
of cost-savings!

HOW ???
• EH Actuators will not “DRIBBLE” because hydraulics (oil) is not compressible.
• EH Actuators has very precise positioning capabilities.
• The actuator will be setup to have : HIGH THRUST during OPENING and
LOWER THRUST during CLOSING
Reduction of Trim Breakage
REDUCING TRIM (PLUG) BREAKAGE will result to:
• COST SAVINGS – on purchase of new trim (plug) replacement
• COST SAVINGS – on downtime caused by broken trims (production loss)
• COST SAVINGS – on labor (maintenance) for trim replacement

BENEFITS OF USING ELECTRO-HYDRAULICS

• Improved Controllability
Precise Controls would yield to improved production efficiency
• Minimize Trim Breakage and Reduction of Maintenance Cost
This would mean COST-SAVINGS.
• Reduction of Downtime
This would mean COST-SAVINGS on Un-Scheduled Shutdowns and
improved PRODUCTIVITY.
Cost of Investment (Estimated)

Complete Set of Electro-Hydraulic Actuator (1 set) $ 80,000.00

Shipping Cost, Duties, and Taxes $ 2,000.00
Installation Cost (Labor & Materials) $ 3,000.00
SPARE Parts (supplier will provide 2-Year Warranty) $ 0.00
(Supplier has stock of common parts in Manila)
(Technical Support will be provided free-of-charge
within the warranty period)
TOTAL COST $ 85,000.00
Return on Investment (ROI) (Estimated)

TRIMS Replacement (Material) $ 50,000.00 (plug)

*saving 1 plug breakage per year (1 x $ 50,000) $ 90,000.00 (seat)
TRIMS Replacement (Labor) $ 3,000.00
*saving 1 trim breakage per year (1 x $ 3,000)
Production Loss $ 125,000.00
*saving 1 un-scheduled shutdown per year (10hrs)
15000TPY/350days/24hr/day = 1.78TPH
assuming $7,000/Ton; $7,000x1.78TPHx10hrs =
≈ $ 125,000.00
TOTAL SAVINGS $ 268,000.00

Total Investment Cost = $85,000 ; Total Savings (1yr) = $268,000

RETURN ON INVESTMENT = Less than 1 year

*** 1 Trim Breakage Saved will pay for the investment !!!
The Retrofit
Existing Pneumatic Actuator Proposed Hydraulic Actuator

Retrofitting will be Seamless ! ! ! Caldera has been using REXA…

Existing vs REXA
DETAILS EXISTING PROPOSED
TAG NUMBER 102/202-LV-008 SAME - 102/202-LV-008
SERVICE HP SLURRY LETDOWN VALVE SAME - HP SLURRY LETDOWN VALVE
VALVE SIZE/RATING DN350 /14” / CL600 SAME - DN350 /14” / CL600
END CONNECTION ANSI B16.5 SAME - ANSI B16.5
TRIM NO. 146 mm / 5.75” SAME - 146 mm / 5.75”
STROKE 76 mm / 3.00” 4 INCH MAX; Adjustable to 3.00 inch
ACTUATOR MAKE CALDERA/Existing REXA (Retrofit into Existing Caldera)
FAIL MODE IN-PLACE – Loss of Air Supply IN-PLACE – Loss of Power Supply
CLOSE – Loss of Command Signal Configurable 0-100% (Loss of Command Signal)
ACTUATOR SIZE 2952cm2 / 380 in2 X3L40,000-4-D-P
THRUST MAX 34,200 lbf @ 90 psi 40,000 lbf @ 2000 psi
380 in2 x 90 psi = 34,200 lbf 20.0 in2 x 2000 psi = 40,000 lbf
THRUST (OPENING) Maximum @ 34,200 lbf Max @ 40,000 lbf;
adjustable to 35,000lbf if required
THRUST (CLOSING) Maximum @ 34,200 lbf Initially SET to 8,000 lbf
(@ 500 psi setting)
STROKE SPEED Fast - Pneumatic 10 secs per inch
ACCURACY 1% of travel span (Fieldvue) 0.1% of travel span
(from Fieldvue Inst Manual)
DEADBAND 5% to 2% 5.0% to 0.1%
(from Fieldvue Inst Manual)
REXA on LetDowns
 Soot Slurry Letdown Valve | Caldera Engineering
 Pressure Letdown Equipment for Severe Service Applications | Caldera
(calderaengineering.com)
 Ambatovy (Madagascar)
 Barrick Gold (Pueblo Viejo)
 Anagold (Turkey)
 Newmont Mining (USA-NV)
 Rio Tinto - Kennecott Copper (USA-UT)

INSTALL PHOTOS
and REFERENCES
REXA Installs on Caldera
REXA Installs on Caldera (cont)
The Technology

REXA FEATURES and BENEFITS

End of Presentation
For more information, you may visit:

www.rexa.com

Or you may contact me at:

JAPHETH T. ACHAY
Sales/Service - Philippines

Email: [email protected]
Mobile : +63 917 674 0894