A large supplier of unsaturated polyester resins has equipped its new gel coat manufacturing facility in Norway with a Tyco valve and actuation package. At Fredrikstad, the Reichhold A/S manufacturing plant is being extended to include the production of gel coat pigmented resin. The Tyco package includes full-bore double flanged ball valves with firesafe trim, butterfly valves, check valves and PremiAir pneumatic actuators fitted with AVID range ZR-Plus position monitors to EExme classification. The ZR-Plus is suitable for Intrinsically Safe applications, and integrates a pre-wired solenoid valve coil and position sensor in one single, IP67 resin unit. Tyco equipment is used throughout the plant, mainly in the processing of polyester. Reichhold required the valves to be suitable for hazardous area Zones 1 and 2 and wetted parts to be suitable to withstand contact with styrene. The installation of the AVID control equipment requires only one steel wired armoured cable as opposed to the conventional two, saving time and costs, as the solenoid and switchbox are housed in one easy to maintain unit.
