Happy Holidays from CTi Controltech

A time of peace, a season of wonder and joy... We wish you all the best during the holidays and through the coming year.

The Advanced Technology Behind Air Monitor Flow Measurement Products

Air Monitor Flow Measurement Products

Air Monitor products are used for measuring clean airflow, dirty airflow, and combustion airflow in refineries, foundries, aerospace, power, electronics manufacturing, food & beverage, pharmaceutical, automotive, chemical, wastewater, pulp & paper, and environmental industries. Air Monitor uses multi point averaging pitot tube technology coupled with ultra low, high accuracy, differential pressure measurement to measure air flow in any industrial environment.

Pitot Averaging Technology


The Air Monitor multi-point self-averaging pitot averaging technology is unique in that it is a pure instrument measuring true velocity pressure (total pressure – true static pressure). Other technologies measure a reference pressure on the back or side of the probe resulting in a DP that is not true velocity pressure as derived from Bernoulli’s Equation. This reference pressure requires the use of correction factors that vary with Reynolds number (i.e. velocity and density changes) in order to relate the measured DP to true velocity pressure. The Air Monitor system also utilizes the Fechheimer method of true static pressure measurement along with a chamfered impact or total pressure measurement to provide an accurate velocity pressure measurement and do so with pitch and yaw angles up to ± 30 degrees without requiring additional corrections.

Differential Pressure Technology


Differential Pressure technology is commonly used to measure fluid velocity due to their well-defined relationship. The square root of the differential pressure is proportional to the velocity of the fluid. In ducted systems the total pressure consists of the velocity pressure and static pressure. By measuring the total and static pressures in a duct, the velocity pressure can be obtained by subtracting static pressure from total pressure. This is achieved in practice by directly measuring the differential pressure between the two.

Air flow measurement over a large velocity range requires an extensive selection of DP transducers with multiple upper range limits (URLs) to fit the required application - from ultra low range like 0.05” w.c. URL transducer and higher. Air monitor offers this ultra low range DP sensing capability coupled with the Auto-zero function to provide a highly accurate DP measurement with long term calibration stability starting for 0.05” w.c. URL transmitters.

For more information in Northern California and Northwestern Nevada, contact CTi Controltech by calling 925-208-4250 of visit their web site at https://cti-ct.com.

Thermal Mass Flow Meters

Thermal Mass Flow Meters

Thermal mass flow meters measure flow by introducing heat into a flow stream and measuring the dissipation of heat between temperature measurement points. They are very popular because they provide a fairly unrestricted flow path, have no moving parts, are accurate over a wide range of flow rates, work well on large or small pipes, don’t require temperature or pressure compensation, and actually calculate mass flow rather than volume. In most cases, thermal flow meters are used to measure and monitor flowing gases, but in some cases they are used to measure the flow of liquids.

Fox Thermal Instruments, located in Marina, CA, manufacturers some of the most innovative and reliable thermal mass flow meters today. Their products are used in a wide variety of industrial gas flow and emissions monitoring applications.

Fox Thermal provides basic models:

Model FT1:

Winner of the 2015 Flow Control Innovation Awards, is the newest Thermal Gas Mass Flow Meter offered from Fox Thermal Instruments.  The Model FT1 was nominated for this award because of its innovative design elements such as the DDC-Sensor™ technology platform that allows it to operate using the Gas-SelectX® gas menu selection tool.

Model FT2A:

The Model FT2A continues to accurately measure gas flow rate in standard units without the need for temperature and pressure compensation. Some additional features available on the FT2A include a standard display, a standard USB port to connect to a PC, and the option of BACnet MS/TP communication protocol.

Model FT3:

The Model FT3 measures gas flow rate in standard units without the need for temperature and pressure compensation.  Calibration Validation, using the CAL-V™ and Zero CAL-CHECK® features, is an in-situ calibration routine that validates the flow meter’s accuracy by testing the functionality of the sensor and it associated signal processing circuitry.

Model FT4A

The Fox Thermal Model FT4A was the first meter to use the expanded Gas-SelectX® gas selection menu and the 3rd Generation DDC-Sensor™ design. The Gas-SelectX® gas menu feature for the Model FT4A flowmeter. Gas-SelectX® allows the user to choose from a menu of several common gases or gas mixtures for their application.

Model FT4X

The Fox Thermal Model FT4X comes equipped with an advanced intrinsic Data Logger for advanced record-keeping and data retention. Data logging is commonly used in applications such as flare and waste gas monitoring, gas studies, gas royalties and allocation, and gas flow research.

For more information about thermal mass flow meters, contact CTi Controltech. They can be reached by calling (816) 353-6550 or by visiting their web site at https://cti-ct.com.

Remembering Our Veterans Today


Veterans Day is not just another holiday. It honors those Americans who fought for our freedom. By celebrating our Veterans, we continue to tell the story of how this country became the most powerful on Earth - through bravery, honor, truth, and determination.

Our Veterans are our neighbors, friends, family, and co-workers. They took an oath to defend the United States and our Constitution, from all enemies, foreign and domestic. We must never forget their bravery, service, and sacrifice.

CTi Controltech thanks our Veterans for serving our country and protecting our freedom.

PBM Industrial Valve Solutions

PBM is a leading producer of dependable, high quality valves for the Chemical & Paint, Food & Beverage, Marine, NQA-1 Qualified, Pharmaceutical, Energy, Paint & Resin, Pulp & Paper, Cryogenic, Personal Care, and Steel industries.

This catalog contains comprehensive information on the following PBM products:
Download the PBM Industrial Valve Catalog from Here
  • SP, SD Series 5; SP Series 6
  • SP, SD Series 5; SP SERIES 6 Actuated
  • AN Series 5, 6 150 & CL300
  • AN Series 5, 6 Actuated
  • AN Series 1 CL150
  • AN Series 1 Actuated
  • FT, FD Series 5; FT Series 6
  • FT, FD Series 5; FT Series 6 Actuated
  • AF Series 1 & 3
  • AF Series 1 & 3 Actuated
  • DP, DD Series 5
  • DP, DD Series 5 Actuated
  • MP Series 5
  • MP Series 5 Actuated
  • MP Series 4
  • MP Series 4 Actuated
  • MP Series 1 Actuated
  • Instrument Valves
  • Double Block & Bleed Valves
  • Bolted Instrument Valves
  • Bolted Double Block & Bleed Valves
  • Transmitter Isolation Valves
  • Fabflex® Instrumentation Valve Manifolds
  • Flush Rings/Bleed Rings with Integral Valve
  • Sampling Tank Bottom Valves
  • Cryogenic Ball Valves

Understanding Pressure/Vacuum Relief Valves, Flame and Detonation Arresters, and Blanket Gas Regulators

Groth Equipment

PRESSURE/VACUUM RELIEF VALVES

Pressure/vacuum relief valves are protection devices typically mounted on a nozzle opening on the top of a fixed roof atmospheric storage tank. Their primary purpose is to protect a tank against rupture or implosion by allowing the tank to breathe, or vent, when pressure changes in the tank due to normal operations.

PILOT OPERATED RELIEF VALVES 

Pilot operated relief valves serve the same primary purpose as pressure/vacuum relief valves, but with better performance characteristics than weight or spring loaded valves. Lower leakage and better flow performance make a pilot operated valve the solution when the focus is product conservation, expanded tank working pressure range, and reduced fugitive emissions. A pilot operated relief valve pro-vides the maximum available leakage control technology as specified in the Clean Air Act of 1990.

EMERGENCY RELIEF VALVES 

Emergency relief valves protect tanks against excessive pressure caused by external fire exposure or flashes within the tank. Emergency relief valves provide higher flow capacity than standard pressure/vacuum relief valves.

DEFLAGRATION FLAME ARRESTERS 

Deflagration flame arresters are fire safety devices used to protect stored or process media from deflagrations. A deflagration flame arrester can be used on the top of a tank in certain conditions, as an in-line safety device where combustible gases are transported through low pressure pipe lines.

DETONATION FLAME ARRESTERS 

Detonation flame arresters provide flame protection in cases where the ignition source pipe lengths are greater than what can be protected with a deflagration arrester.

BLANKET GAS REGULATORS 

Blanket gas regulators can provide both pressure and fire protection for storage tanks by supplying a blanket- ing gas which maintains a constant positive pressure in the vapor space of a storage tank.

For more information, contact CTi Controltech. Call them at 925-208-4250 or visit their web site at https://cti-ct.com.

Adjustable Sealing Technology by PBM


Let's face it valve seats and seals wear. It's just the inherent nature of soft seated valves. Just like the brakes on your vehicle wear over time, so do valve seats and seals. But if you have a process that runs 24/7 and downtime is costly to your organization, then PBM has a product that you have been waiting for. Most of all PBM valves feature adjustable sealing technology. Adjustable sealing technology allows you to reseal the valves in the event of leakage. Similar to tightening a packing nut on a valve to stop seepage, PBM applies he same principle to their valves body bolts, which bring the seats incrementally closer to the ball to compensate for normal wear, allowing multiple adjustments over the life of valve seats and seals.

This technology works by having the ball compressed by the seats, using the force of the valve body bolts, which provides a second benefit. An upstream sealing ball valve. Where traditional ball valves rely on upstream pressure to float the ball to the seats,  PBM brings the seat to the ball. Two seats, two sealing points. True upstream and downstream sealing. Now you have two seats versus one. Upstream sealing allows the valve cavity to be completely isolated in the ball open or closed position. Have a sticky gooey process? Want to sterilize the valve cavity? Want to flush between batches? Fast and efficiently PBM has you covered. Add ball drain flats or holes, and you can get by with one purge point to the valve. Everything gets flushed through the downstream piping. If you're looking for an innovative solution to costly downtime, or need to clean internals quickly and efficiently, look at the benefits of adjustable sealing technology - a standard benefit of using PBM.

For more information, contact CTi Controltech.
925-208-4250
https://cti-ct.com

Rotork Electric Valve Actuators on Gas Production Wells Powered by Solar Panels

Solar Powered Rotork Electric Valve Actuators
Solar Powered Rotork Electric Valve Actuators

Engineered for choke and control valve applications, Rotork’s IQTF actuators provide reliable flow control for oil and gas or process operations, capable of achieving accuracy to 0.3% and resolution to 0.1%. A highly accurate absolute position sensor can measure up to 22 output turns independent of electrical power.

Rotork’s customer has ordered IQTF actuators to carry out modulating duties on wellhead rotary non-rising choke valves. Approximately 60 actuators have already been installed to control the flow and pressure of gas and condensate, a mixture of liquid hydrocarbons formed when pressure and temperature decrease as a result of well drilling, at the site near the city of Lufkin. Two IQTF actuators have been installed on each well. More than 30 have also been ordered to hold in the customer’s inventory.

All wells are fully automated to maintain flow and well pressure. To maximize the lifespan of the wells, the customer uses two choke valves on each one to step pressure down from 10,000 psi to 1,200 psi. Shale gas is metered between the wellhead and midstream trunkline where it is transported to domestic supply customers as well as industries including LNG plants and power stations.

The remote location of the wells means a DC power supply using a solar system and battery pack is being used to power the IQTF actuators. This solution was specified as a more reliable option than hydraulic or pneumatic actuation as it avoids potential leakage common in hydraulic actuators. At this location there is also plenty of sun to use as a source while electric actuators use less power than a hydraulic system.

Rotork’s lightweight, compact IQTF actuator provides fast and accurate valve control and can perform up to 1,800 starts per hour, an important factor given the need for a tight well flow threshold to avoid over pressure in the main trunkline. If too much gas is extracted in a short period of time the reservoir can implode or cause ground fractures which water or gas can infiltrate and cause a loss in production. The involvement of Rotork Site Services (RSS), which offered final commission and warranty, and Rotork’s support during initial testing and calibrating was also key in the customer’s decision to choose the company’s products.

IQTF actuators are available with rotary, linear or rising stem valve drive outputs to ISO / MSS standards.

A sealed for life internal lubrication system ensures reliability for the actuators installed on wells at unmanned, remote sites. This system uses oil which can perform in temperatures ranging from -50 to +70 °C (-58 to +158 °F), ideal for the environment in East Texas where temperatures very rarely drop below the lowest point.

For more information about Rotork product in California and Nevada, contact CTi Controltech by calling 925-208-4250 or by visiting https://cti-ct.com.

Reprinted with permission from Rotork.

CTi Controltech Service and Support: Improving Our Customer's Safety and Profitability

CTi Controltech Service and Suppor

With engineering, design, and support resources available in Northern California and Western Nevada, CTi Controltech delivers value-added solutions that improve operations and increase profitability for our customers in the power generation, alternative energy, municipal water, wastewater treatment, gas & oil, chemical, refining, mining, agricultural, food service, pharmaceutical, and aerospace industries.

CTi Controltech offers our customers a group of services designed to provide outstanding value and cost savings throughout your equipment's life span. By integrating access to best-in-breed equipment manufacturers, decades of application experience, and state-of-the-art tools, CTi Controltech helps customers:
  • Improve plant and personnel safety
  • Optimize asset uptime and performance 
  • Lower total cost of operation and maintenance
  • Increase equipment reliability

PARTS, REPAIRS, UPGRADES AND FIELD SERVICES

CTi Controltech mobile service personnel and advanced diagnostic technologies, along with the unparalleled expertise of their technicians, is equipped to address virtually any process equipment service requirement, regardless of the manufacturer.

Repair and Upgrades — CTi Controltech repairs and/or upgrades equipment, providing new life to existing process instrumentation, valves, and control systems.

Replacement Parts and Components — Using its broad network of manufacturer's service facilities, and our own local stocking centers, CTi Controltech provides timely delivery of quality parts that keep your operations running smoothly and profitably .

Field Service Personnel — From maintenance to management, highly qualified CTi Controltech project managers, engineers and technicians will assist you in keeping your plant running smoothly .

ENGINEERING AND TECHNICAL SERVICES

Technical Analysis — CTi Controltech can perform system audits to identify operational issues that may be constraining output or elevating operating costs, and then recommended laser-focused solutions.

Reliability and Efficiency Services — CTi Controltech lends their decades of hands-on experience to offer practical solutions that improve the performance, efficiency, and reliability of your process control equipment - all while lowering your total cost of ownership.

Loop Design, Integration and Engineering Support — CTi Controltech engineers engage with our customers, providing on-site support for grassroots project planning, system design, or project management requirements.

ASSET MANAGEMENT AND OPTIMIZATION

CTi Controltech continues to invest in its capabilities and technologies to help our customers realize more payback from their plant assets.

Equipment Life Cycle Optimization — Through a combination of on-site assessments and technology, CTi experts help customers benchmark operational performance, define key metrics, and implement precise solutions to achieve long-term operational goals.

Intelligent Product Solutions — By employing an array of sophisticated products, services, and software that collects, examines and understands data, CTi Controltech helps customers use predictive analytics to take action and improve asset reliability and reduce downtime.

EDUCATION AND TRAINING

CTi Controltech offers a wide range of innovative training programs to help plant operators, managers, reliability specialists, engineers and maintenance staff further develop their understanding of critical equipment and processes.

Training at CTi — At our state-of-the-art facility in San Ramon, California, highly trained instructors provide hands-on training and instruction in the principles of process control, instrumentation maintenance, control valve operation, and equipment reliability.

Customer On-site Training — CTi Controltech will design, develop, and deliver training programs tailored specifically around the people, equipment and processes at a customer’s facility.

CTi Controltech
925-208-4250

Reversing the Fail Action and Air Action on the Flowserve Valtek VL Actuator


The Flowserve Valtek VL series spring cylinder linear actuators are powerful, compact, high-performance pneumatic actuators that provide solid throttling or on-off operation for automatic control valves. The positioner supplies air to both sides of the piston, providing stiff, precise movement and high-frequency response and quick stroke speeds.

The VL series is the standard set of actuators for Valtek control valves, providing precise control and reliable performance. Providing maximum thrust from a compact lightweight package, the VL cylinder has set the industry standard for two generations.

For more information about Flowserve Valtek products, contact CTi Controltech by calling 925-208-4250 of by visiting https://cti-ct.com.

Flowserve Valve, Actuation and Instrumentation Portfolio

Flowserve valve, actuation and instrumentation
The Flowserve valve, actuation and instrumentation portfolio includes world-class quarter-turn, rotary, linear, control and special configuration valves. Additionally, Flowserve also offers precision actuation and instrumentation for every application, from remotely controlled, fully automated electric, hydraulic and pneumatic actuators to electronic positioners and level switches . Fail-safe isolation, on-off modulation and precision process control ensure efficient and reliable operation, even in the most hazardous environments.

Flowserve valve and actuator products deliver industry-leading performance and reliability, with embedded technologies that make them easy for operators to use and maintain. By coupling their control solutions with real-time system analysis, predictive maintenance and remote service capabilities, today's manufacturing plants get end-to-end intelligence that maximizes their uptime.

View the embedded document below, or download your copy of the Flowserve Valve, Actuation and Instrumentation Portfolio here.

CTi Controltech
https://cti-ct.com
925-208-4250