ETNA INDUSTRIE responds to the challenge of High Temperature

ETNA INDUSTRIE, focussed on innovation, develops cutting-edge solutions compliant to customer technical specifications and to current environmental standards and legislation.

After two years of development, we are pleased to announce our SHT high temperature range compliant to DESP 2014 68 UE. This range also meets EDF specifications CST 45.C.015.00 and CRT 91.C.108, going up to RCC-M F6000. Our dual system is comprised of an upstream Pressure Regulator and of a Safety Valve.

Products are designed to withstand temperatures of up to 400°C and maximum pressure 79 bar.

Drawing on its 75 years’ experience of fluid regulation, ETNA responds to technical challenges in the form of bricks, each of which are the focus of separate design and engineering studies. The design phase is followed by a campaign to qualify characteristics and ascertain the meeting of performance objectives.

Below we present the 3 major technical design bricks that underpin the outstanding performance of the ETNA high temperature range.

1) Detection system

Indirect action is a special feature of ETNA Industrie products (cf. link opposite to article on safety valves).  The safety valve is actuated in response to 3 main variables: opening pressure, and the type and temperature of the fluid.

ETNA Industrie’s initial production run, for water and/or steam as fluid, is designed for a temperature of 400°C coupled with valve opening pressure of 79 bar. Hence the adoption of a piston and bellows system operating in the temperature range of 200°C to 400°C and an opening pressure ranging from 50 to 75 bar. Other combinations are possible but are dependent on the 3 above-mentioned variables.

2) Internal / external leak tightness at high temperature

The leak tightness of a safety valve is critical. Its failsafe performance ensures absence of overpressure in the systems protected. The dependability of the seal between valve and seat is governed by the choice of materials and their design, consistent with customer requirements and specifications.

Thus, the variable geometries of valve and seat are the focus of detailed studies by ETNA Industrie. Each design option is then subjected to a characterisation campaign.  To ensure outperformance of API 527 requirements, valve and seat are paired in the manufacturing process. To confirm suitability, each option is subjected to 500-cycle endurance testing to establish no loss of performance under operating conditions.

Meeting external leak tightness is regularly verified during the cyclical testing programmes, under a procedure compliant to standard NF EN 1779 (§B.2.1.).

3) Fatigue resistance

Materials characteristics, and more especially their fatigue behaviour, take into account the conjoined action of the pressure regulator and safety valve. The common objective is the regulation of upstream pressure, which means that both are continuously subjected to differing levels of pressure and gradients of pressure variation. The safety valve opens in response to isolated events of accidental overpressure, the regulator responds to recurrent overpressure events.

Fatigue behaviour must be assessed in each, in order to extend the serviceable life of the overpressure protection system itself and thus of the systems protected. Special attention is required for the fatigue resistance of bellows design and sizing. Under standard NF EN ISO 13445-3, consideration must be given to the number of actuations and to the mechanical stresses endured, which in turn depend on the sizing of the installation, a further necessary factor being allowance for pressure release flowrate. The number of testing cycles is set at 500 for the pressure regulator under calculations providing an assurance of serviceable life of 200,000 openings and reclosures.

With or without adaptation, this product range is operational in a wide variety of industries. Specific characterisation campaigns can be organised in the light of detailed customer specifications.

Given our ability to respond to the needs of scaled-up industrial facilities, we welcome enquiries with a view to providing the most suitable solutions.

ETNA Industrie is available for further information on all aspects of our technology and ready to undertake in-depth assessment of its compatibility with your needs.

This entry was posted in Produits on 28 October 2020 by admin.