Pipelines carrying products including natural gas from Asian countries traverse Turkey en-route for export to other final destinations or as a source of energy for domestic consumption.
Compressor stations along the route are designed to preserve the pressure level in the networks and transfer the gas for local area consumption. These are among the pipeline locations where Rotork valve actuation technologies are widely utilised. The compressor station on the natural gas pipeline at Erzincan in eastern Turkey, serving the country’s Anatolian area, is a typical example. Here, Rotork’s well established agent Omas Teknik Pazarlama Temsilcilik has supplied, installed and commissioned actuators for operational and safety-related duties. The Erzincan station consists of four turbine/compressor units maintaining a pipeline flow rate of between 1.6 and 2 million standard cubic metres per hour, which helps to increase the network’s overall transportation capacity.
Rotork valve actuators are integrated into an ABB automation system that controls the compressor station and other processes including a high integrity safety system for emergency shutdown, instrumentation and other electrical equipment. The safety-related valve duties are performed by Rotork GO Range gas-over-oil actuators operating ISO Class 600 ball and plug valves in 16 inch and 48 inch sizes.
The GO Range uses the pipeline gas as the motive power source. The gas is delivered to oil tanks that convert the gas into hydraulic pressure and this pressurised hydraulic oil is used to drive Rotork scotch-yoke quarter-turn or linear valve actuators. Using pressurised oil as the driving force provides powerful and smooth actuator control and isolates the cylinder from the pipeline gas. This prevents contaminants from entering the hydraulic cylinder, eliminating corrosion and seal deterioration and extending actuator life.
