流量控制提供的关键管道安全功能
石油和天然气应用中使用的流量控制在哪里？
Flow control is the management of liquids and gases in industrial applications and actuators are key items of equipment that control valves at critical points within oil and gas operations. Flow control equipment is found across all three sectors/areas within oil and gas: upstream, midstream and downstream. Pipelines fall under midstream operations, moving oil and gas from one place to another. In the current energy climate, pipelines remain an essential tool of, in particular, transporting gas from North America and the Middle East to the markets that have very high demand in Europe and Asia. The demand for gas has largely returned to pre-pandemic levels and globally is predicted to continue to rise in the lead-up to 2030. Midstream infrastructure must therefore continue to provide efficient and reliable operation. This includes the actuators that can ensure safety functions and efficient flowing of oil and gas from the areas that produce it to the areas that need it.
执行器提供原本手动操作的自动化。他们必须承受恶劣的环境和极端条件，通常需要防爆和危险的位置认证。操作员根据不同的要求选择不同的执行器，例如受控的介质，位置，阀尺寸，可用的电源和操作频率。在石油和天然气中，执行器可以在此类多样化的应用中运行，包括井口，坦克农场，加工地点，燃油码头，计量滑冰和管道，仅举几例。他们提供日常流量控制和安全功能。电动执行器在石油和天然气运营中特别有价值，因为它们在运行过程中不释放或排气气排放，从而有助于减少对环境的影响。流体供电的致动器，以液压，气动或电力液为驱动，在石油和天然气中仍经常使用。
在偏远地区和充满挑战的环境中运行
流动控制技术已经发展为确保准确，有效和可靠的致动，即使在管道经常运行的极端环境中。从本质上讲，石油和天然气管道在数百英里，有时甚至数千英里处运输材料。这通常意味着它们跨越了偏远和极端区域（包括沙漠，山脉，森林和冷冻地形），使它们难以进入。他们在极端温度（非常热和非常寒冷）和沿海位置（腐蚀可能性很大）在管道上操作阀门，使它们遭受各种环境影响。极端环境中的阀门操作提出了明确的挑战，这些苛刻的位置需要流量控制，以提供高度的可靠性和鲁棒性。中游油气操作中偏远和孤立的位置的挑战需要创新的工程解决方案，以使管道执行器有效，安全地运行。在这些情况下，最有效的执行器必须为最高程度提供环境保护。Rotork的IQ3电动执行器具有双密封的末端隔室，可防止从环境环境中吸入水和灰尘，符合IP66/68标准。它们可以在-50至 +70°C（-58至 +158°F）的环境温度范围内运行，并且对于最极端的温度，智商范围（多转弯和部分转移）经过认证，可用于操作至-61°C用于俄罗斯市场。传统上，安装了非常低温的流量控制设备，并与加热器一起安装，以防止感冒和冷凝能影响内部电子产品。 Innovative design means that some modern electric actuators can operate without this reliance on external heaters, which removes the needs to supply additional power to each actuator and reduces overall power consumption.
紧急关闭和故障安全功能解决的安全问题
尤其是在偏远（通常是无人驾驶）的位置运行时，执行器停止石油或天然气流的能力至关重要。操作员始终要求执行器提供故障安全或紧急关闭（ESD）功能的要求。持续的石油或天然气流量会带来环境后果，例如对野生动植物和自然栖息地的影响。也有经济影响；这可能是对运营商的产品损失和声誉损失以及对地方经济的负面影响。当不正确处理时，穿过管道的气体或油可能是危险的。安全应该是管道运营商的第一考虑。通过执行器提供的有效关闭选项，撞击会减少或无效，并可以安全控制气体或油的流动。
电湿度致动器将液压操作的速度和灵活性与电动执行器的方便和控制益处相结合。从安全角度来看，他们使用简单可靠的机械弹簧来提供故障安全阀门控制。像Rotork的摩托艇这样的执行器可能会在ESD信号丢失和/或电源损失方面进行故障。如有必要，它可以在几秒钟内关闭阀门。这可以确保该过程以安全的运营状态停止，从而避免安全问题和货币后果。在诸如管道之类的安全关键应用中，此功能至关重要。例如，安装了鞋垫，以在中国的两个新建管道上提供ESD功能。这些管道将石油和天然气从孟加拉湾的海上田地带入中国。执行器在紧急情况下操作远程操作的关闭阀（ROSOV），以隔离管道的部分。在印度南部的一条管道上，安装了冰推致动器，以提供安全关键的故障安全职责。 They were selected due to SIL3 certification requirements and their high torque output that allows them to work with large valves.
Fluid powered actuators are also often specified on pipelines because gas from the pipeline can sometimes be the only available motive power for the actuator. Actuators powered pneumatically or hydraulically often have fail-safe capability, high torque and thrust capacity and are fast acting. Spring-return pneumatic actuators provide a simple and reliable way of achieving a fail-safe action. Large actuators such as Rotork’s GP range are often used in safety roles. For example, over 80 of these actuators were installed on a 1,000 km Gas Authority of India Limited owned pipeline (the “Kochi-Koottanad-Bangalore-Mangalore pipeline”) to provide safety functionality. They control ball valves along the length of the pipeline, which carries natural gas. Fluid powered actuators are also often found within LNG applications. Actuators that convert gas into hydraulic pressure were installed on a cryogenic pipeline in northern Venezuela that transports gas and LNG between sites. These Rotork actuators provide control of ball valves along the pipeline and provide essential ESD functionality. Fluid power actuators are also found on peripheral systems, such as compressor stations that maintain a predictable pipeline flow and to preserve the pressure level in the network.
Safety control with battery options
管道操作的安全要求很明确。在间歇性或不可靠的电源的情况下，操作员如何保证此基本安全功能？答案是电池动力控制。可以使用昂贵的外部电池，但是更好的解决方案是执行器中的积分电池。这在遥远或无人的站点中尤其重要。在这些远程位置提供故障安全选项并增加操作灵活性的解决方案是Rotork的IQT零件停机电池。如果需要（直到电池电量用完为止），则该设计的目的是满足停电后继续操作的要求，或者如果削减电源，则将过程安全停止。关闭电池可提供IQT执行器的功能，并具有故障安全，失败，失败，打开或停留功能的其他功能，所有功能在需要时都在电池电源上。流程以安全的操作状态完成，防止任何安全问题，并避免由于失电后失去控制而导致金钱后果。恢复功率后，正常操作简历。 An example of use would be a remote pipeline station that operates on solar energy and loses power temporarily. Operating in freezing conditions, this is the kind of engineering innovation that brings additional reliability to pipeline applications that require flow control. Because pipelines are increasingly found in these extreme or remote environments, it has been necessary for technology to swiftly evolve in this way to ensure continued effective and reliable actuation.
Pipeline monitoring
流控制技术在监测管道的健康，效率和生产率方面起着重要作用。远程管道中断裂的隔离确保了管道操作的效率和安全性。
Equipment such as an Electronic Line Break (ELB) from Rotork can be either be mounted on an actuator or remotely. This technology provides early detection of pipeline breaks (by continuously monitoring pipeline pressure dynamics) and initiates a movement of the actuator to a pre-defined emergency position. It quickly identifies and facilitates the isolation of a ruptured section of a pipeline, then sends data about the condition of the rest of the system. When used in conjunction with an actuator (usually fluid-powered, using pipeline gas as the motive power source), line break equipment can help to reduce damage to equipment and the environment as a result of a leak. Line break equipment overcomes operational challenges of transporting oil and gas over large distances. In the case of the ELB, detection is based on rate-of-drop (RoD) and rate-of-rise (RoR) as well as high- and low-pressure limits. An example of use and benefits derived is a project where ELB units were combined with fluid power actuators on valves on a natural gas pipeline in China. The operators benefited from the ability to swiftly close the appropriate valves and isolate problems when they arise.
结论
管道是中游石油和天然气操作的关键组成部分。为了使他们有效工作，他们需要流量控制技术才能操作阀门。执行器提供超过日常控制。他们提供关键的安全功能，并可以在紧急情况下关闭操作。这在经常贯穿的遥远和极端景观管道中尤其是必要的，这些管道通常是无人驾驶的和荒凉的。执行器在石油和天然气管道上的强大和可靠性意味着操作员可以依靠它们来提供高效，安全和可靠的流量控制。