Low temperature specification Rotork EH electro-hydraulic actuators have been supplied for critical Emergency Shutdown (ESD) valve duties on an icebreaker tanker being built to serve an LNG terminal in the Russian Arctic.
Located within the Arctic Circle where winter temperatures drop below -40ºC, the terminal will be ice bound for up to nine months a year. Installed on deck and exposed to the full force of the Arctic weather, 14 Rotork EH failsafe actuators will operate ESD valves on the ship’s cargo transfer system.
To meet the challenges of the harsh weather conditions and corrosive saline atmosphere, the actuators have undergone stringent testing procedures to achieve certification according to Bureau Veritas Rules for the Classification of Offshore Units. Testing took place at the Rotork Fluid Systems factory in Melle and involved operation at -62ºC in a climate chamber in accordance with RS winterisation requirements, followed by 28 days in a salt mist chamber in accordance with DIN EN 60068-2-52.
Both tests were successfully completed, confirming that the actuators and controls are able to operate without a heating system in the extreme working temperatures, defined in the specification as -52ºC to +45ºC. Additional demands of the specification included remote open/close control, remote indication of position and alarms, no aluminium material and explosionproof certification.