Oxford Flow has received positive feedback following more successful installations of the IM-S gas regulators. The latest installation in the US has been on the Texas Gulf Coast supported by our Houston main office. The client was unaware of Oxford Flow’s patented piston regulator, which provides greater reliability and stability than the flexible element types, commonly used. Operators know that the ‘boot’ or ‘diaphragm’ flexible element is the primary failure point. During operation, the boot must deform repetitively to regulate pressures.
The flexible element is susceptible to wear and naturally prone to sudden unexpected failure. Operators must frequently replace the costly boot, which is even more expensive for applications needing high-end materials. More importantly, failure will cause interruptions in gas flow – something gas companies are only too keen to avoid.
To prove this point, Oxford Flow installed two regulators in a ‘worker monitor system’, (or ‘active monitor system’) configuration in the same face-to-face length of a single ‘weir flow path’ flexible element regulator. This setup provides an extra level of supply security as one valve can be made redundant and left open and is common practice for natural gas systems that experience harsh environments both internally and externally with large amounts of dirt and debris, for example.
The client was also surprised by how quick and easy the final commissioning of the IM-S was, particularly when dialing in the setpoint pressure. This usually requires tuning the pilot and a restrictor several times to hone in on the desired set point pressure. The IM-S immediately found the set point during commissioning.
