Airline Ex 8650 Controls Oil-Rig Gas Samplers

Burkert's Airline Ex 8650 system, which works with modules from the Siemens Simatic ET 200iSPTM system, has helped Jiskoot to control three gas samplers on a North Sea oil rig. Jiskoot, part of Cameron's Measurement Systems Division, supplies Zone 1 customised turnkey sampling systems to the oil-and-gas sector. In one of Jiskoot's recent projects, the company required an electro-pneumatic actuation system for a sophisticated and compact gas-sampling system it was manufacturing. The skid was destined for use in the North Sea, controlling three gas samplers in an automated system for use on an offshore oil rig.

Maintainability and space were premium requirements. The ideal control solution for the skid needed to interface and communicate with a Profibus DP network and be suitable for use within an Atex Zone 1 Area. This zoning requirement meant a control solution needed to be integrated in the system's stainless-steel control panel; this could then be certified for use in the hazardous area. The requirement for single-source responsibility was also important due to the location of the oil platform, in a remote area of the North Sea.

This placed a premium on equipment conformity and reliability, as getting spares and/or personnel to the site could be difficult, depending upon the prevailing weather conditions. Until recently, Jiskoot's requirement for a control cabinet that combined electrical and pneumatic devices for use in Zone 1/21 could not have been satisfied. This was due to the risk of corrosion of electrical parts, which could subsequently cause an explosion.

However, Burkert's development of its Airline Ex 8650 system meant that a new solution was available to Jiskoot. The Airline Ex 8650 system delivers substantial reductions in cabinet space, wiring, documentation and validation by combining EExia solenoid valves with modules from the intrinsically safe Simatic ET 200iSPTM system, and Fieldbus communications, providing users with a complete Atex-certified unit for use in zone 1/21.

Burkert's EX 8650-based solution allowed Jiskoot to collect all of the control signals generated on the sampling skid into one place within the hazardous area, and then seamlessly communicate this information back to a Siemens S7 315 PLC located in a safe area. The use of a pneumatic manifold with integrated Siemens I/O reduced the amount of wiring required and tubing on the skid; and because the PLC and remote I/O were from the same manufacturer, this ensured there were no communication problems between the hazardous location panel and main control centre.

The Airline Ex 8650 system is housed in a stainless-steel control panel with the ET200iSP distributed I/O system, consisting of 17 off 3/2 solenoid pilot valves, 32-off channels of digital input (from proximity switches) and 11-off channels of 4:20mA HART input for two-wire transmitters. The control panel collects: the digital signals generated from position-feedback switches on process valves; analogue-input control signals generated by external pressure transmitters; temperature transmitter signals; and position transmitters located on the sample-collection cylinders to provide performance feedback and alarming, and for the valve-position confirmation.

It also sends pneumatic signals to the 17 process valves located on the skid. These signals are then fed back to a Siemens S7 315 PLC provided by Jiskoot's client, which is situated in a safe area and acts as the Profibus DP system master. The S7 315 communicates with the ET200iSP module on the front end of the 8650 Valve + I/O assembly and also the Stahl ET316 touchscreen located in the door of the Jiskoot panel. Burkert's Airline Ex 8650 unit is fully Ex certified; it can, therefore, be used in explosion-hazard areas with gas or dust atmospheres.

The system is suited to decentralised process-control tasks concerning fine chemicals, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and oil and gas; it can be employed where solvents, alcohol or lacquers are utilised. It can even be installed for direct factory automation: for example for the automatic filling of solvents, alcohol or lacquers. In these application areas, the new system is claimed to be the only compact electro-pneumatic automation solution that allows integration of EExia pneumatic valves without additional wiring.

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