Standards Certification Education & Training Publishing Conferences & Exhibits Communication necessary to achieve LowE valve sealing compliance Presented by: Ron Frisard AW Chesterton Stationary Equipment Solutions

2 Presenter  Ron Frisard graduated from Northeastern University in Boston with a degree in Mechanical Engineering technology in Ron has worked for the A.W. Chesterton Company for the last 25 years in all facets of Mechanical Packing. Ron has held positions in Application Engineering, Research and Development, Global Training, and currently in Global Marketing in the Stationary Equipment Solutions group.

Communication  LowE Plant wide success needs good communication between many groups.  Many failures root causes are a breakdown between silos  Appropriate communication is needed from birth to grave of LowE LDAR equipment 3

Success stories of communication  Mars Climate Orbiter  750 lb robotic space probe launched by NASA on December 11, 1998 to study the Martian climate, atmosphere, and surface changes  The cost of the mission was $327.6 million  On September 23, 1999, communication with the spacecraft was lost as the spacecraft went into orbital insertion, due to ground- based computer software which produced output in non-SI units of pound-seconds (lbf×s) instead of the metric units of newton- seconds (N×s) specified in the contract between NASA and Lockheed. 4

What groups new valve? 5

What groups during life? 6

Valve Actuation Differences  Instrumentation & Control group  Control valves  Packing Friction  Need to know limits for LowE sealing and Packing Friction calculations  If installing packing, need to know Packing Manufacturer’s installation instructions 7

Valve Packing Manufacturer  API 622 testing  Sealability  Corrosion  Gland load requirements  Packing Arrangement requirements  Installation procedure  Tolerances needed  Tamping rings  Consolidation 8

Valve Manufacturer / Valve Repair to API RP 621,  API 622 and API installer spec  Installing the packing  Right rings  Dimensions (tolerances)  Hydro Testing  Torque / Gland load  Warranty information  When installed date 9

Gland load  Critical step needed to get LowE Performance and long life  Torque is not tension  Accuracy of bolting condition is critical  Valve Springs sets as load guides  Assist in monitoring load  Re-torquing in-effective at temperature 10

Plant Maintenance (valve installers)  Should the valve be inspected?  Corrosion on stem  Gland force still loaded  Unless live loaded, impossible to tell  Dried Anti-seize could effect values  Has the packing been consolidated?  API 622 and API RP 621 specifically states that the valve has been consolidated to packing manufacturers limits.  Does the gland bolts need to be adjusted ( Block vs. Control) 11

Engineering  Plant specs on procedure for installing valves  Specs need to bridge groups linkage  While in-service, inspection opportunities  Large reason valves leak over time – Loss of gland load  Walk down review of live loading heights  Preventative maintenance instead of reactionary 12

Operations  Do they adjust gland load for any reason?  Do they do inspections and know what to look for?  If so, need to know facts about the valve on gland load limits. 13

LDAR/First attempt  valves during monitoring  Need access to valve gland load during first attempt  or directing first attempt with contractors  Big Data analysis of failure mode  Troubleshooting packing removed  Create matrix and recommend improvements 14

Repack loop 15 Send valve out Repack in line

Engineering  Spec writing on replacement packing  Meets API 622 leakage requirements  Installation and arrangement documented to plant spec and training  Fire safe approval  Tracking of packing arrangement and size  Valve Drawings does not show stuffing box  Stocking sizes (die formed vs. spool)  Issues with cutting  Bolting should be replaced 16

Purchasing  Following Engineering Specification  API 622 approval  Plant wide acceptance  Installation and arrangement documented  Qualified, knowledgeable vendor 17

Maintenance Installer  Following engineering procedure  Key document  Training on how to properly install  Cutting spacers  Cutting rings (if needed)  Arrangement  Training on trouble shooting removed packing  Cross functional team  Looking for failure modes  Access to packing arrangement and gland load requirements (torque) 18

Consolidation  Major step to ensure proper leveling of gland load  Actuate the valve multiple times  Retighten with torque wrench  if any movement of the nuts (consolidation), repeat actuation steps until no movement at the recommended torque.  The larger the packing cross section the greater the consolidation 19

Continuous improvement - Goals  Lower packing leakage rates (LDAR)  Cross functional team  Maintenance, Engineering, I&C, etc  Capture ALL packing failure  Training all groups to capture packing coming out of valves  Fill out form to track  Look for ROOT CAUSE!! 20

Cloud Software  Software can assist in keeping groups on same page  “cloud” solutions can ensure everyone working on same page  Engineering  Valve Shop  Purchasing  Planning  Maintenance 21

Cloud solution  A good software should include up to date access for  Packing style  Packing size  Packing Arrangement  Packing Torque  Installation date  Warranty length and end date  Testing documentation 22

 Remember, communication is key between groups to ensure LowE compliance  Thank you  Questions? 23