Global engineering and technology corporation Metso states that its corporate initiative to increase the number of its valves certified to the most stringent environmental emissions standards is on track.

In 2012, numerous Neles metal- seated and Jamesbury soft-seated valve products, distributed by Metso, were certified to meet the requirements of the global ISO 15848-1 standard, complying with many standards mandated in specific regions, including TA-Luft, in Germany, and EPA 40 CFR parts 60/63, in the US, Metso reports.

Valves that are ISO 15848-1- certified are regarded across industries as having fulfilled the most stringent emission standards. This certification is also a mandatory requirement of the majority of current projects in the oil and gas industry worldwide, the company adds.

Metso’s control and on-off valve product series includes ball, butterfly and eccentric rotary plug valves in pressure classes ASME #150-600.

Last year, representative products from these series acquired ISO 15848-1 certification for endurance in the highest temperature class, which is +400 °C with graphite packing for metal seated valves, and +200 °C with polytetrafluoroethylene packing for soft-seated valves, as well as for low-leakage achievements in Class B and Class A of the Neles D1F series cryogenic valves with graphite packing.

“Metso valve products reduce fugitive emissions even at high operating temperatures, meeting the demands of harsh hydro- carbon processing plant environ- ments. By reducing fugitive emissions, these products help improve health and safety for workers, allowing plants to meet regulatory standards and reduce product losses,” Metso explains.

Nelprof Valve Sizing and Selection Software

Further, Metso reports that it has released its Nelprof 6 valve sizing software – a first on the market for safety valves. The company states that the new version improves on earlier Nelpro versions with two new calculation modules, enabling the selection of intelligent automated on/off valves and emergency valves.

“Special safety requirements, such as an actuator-sizing safety factor, or a complete valve- assembly safety-integrity level, can be evaluated with the new tools in the program,” notes Metso.

Nelprof, with its advanced control-valve selection features, was first introduced in 1981 and can be used to select all Metso’s auto- mated on/off and emergency valves. Performance analysis, which has been one of the value-adding features in the control-valve sizing tool since the 1980s, can be used to study valve controllability in a closed control loop.

The module also includes multiphase flow sizing, as well as noise and cavitation prediction analysis, states Metso.

The company explains that the Nelprof 6 valve sizing software’s on/off calculation tool allows the selection of all Metso metal- and soft-seated on/off valves with advanced, but easy-to-use, actuator sizing, including adjustable safety factor and torque key figures.

“The tool enables customers to select the actuator more quickly and accurately in the engineering phase, compared with conventional actuator selection, and to use the mass calculation tools, which increases the technology’s efficiency,” Metso reports, highlighting that documentation and revision of the sizing are also possible when needed in later phases.

In addition, several pneumatic components can be taken into account in the calculation.

“These two new modules help to reduce engineering time in the selection of on/off and ESD [emergency shutdown] valves by providing field-proven-based information. The modules are easy to use and provide reliable results – with all the relevant parameters on the screen and printouts enabling the avoidance of mistakes and increased efficiency.

“Nelpro software uses intelligence based on several decades of real life experiences to help companies size and select the best valve solution for each application,” Metso explains.

The company further notes that its automation segment’s process automation and flow control solutions meet the growing needs of its customer industries to improve production process efficiency, as raw materials and energy sources become scarcer and their costs increase.

“Our global network of service experts delivers business solutions to our customers that improve their productivity, lower risks and optimise costs,” Metso concludes.