The Bandlock 2 Closure.
In the oil and gas industry, safety and reliability are vital when it comes to machinery. Along with this, companies demand exceptional performance making it a tough proposition for manufacturers.
SPX brands Bran+Luebbe and GD Engineering have an established reputation in the oil and gas, petrochemical and chemical industries with products including the Bandlock 2 Quick Opening Closure and the NOVADOS double acting double diaphragm metering pump. These are two examples of solutions designed to meet the specific needs of the oil and gas market.
High pressure applications
The Bandlock 2 Closure is specifically designed for global high pressure applications in the oil and gas and petrochemical industries. It gives quick and safe access to pipelines and pressure vessels including pig launchers and receivers, hydrocyclones, filters, strainers, separators, coalescers and metering skid systems.
It can be used in horizontal, vertical, inclined or declined installations and requires no special tools to operate. Even the largest units can be opened in less than one minute and it is designed for reliable operation in the harshest environments. Key to this is a comprehensive program of verification testing and global service to ensure ongoing reliability and safety throughout the system’s lifetime.
The Bandlock 2 Closure is manufactured to international standards and in full compliance with ASME VIII Div. 1 UG 35. The fail-safe door is held in place by a 360° duplex stainless steel locking band that is in compression and visible at all times, even in the locked position.
The self-energizing fully moulded lip seal uses a stainless steel anti-extrusion spring and can be manufactured from a wide range of materials to meet highly demanding operating conditions. At zero pressure the seal is completely pressure-tight and has full vacuum capability.
Novados Metering Pump with DADD Pumphead.
Pressure warning screw
The closure is designed so it is not possible to open the door with residual pressure inside the vessel. To ensure safe operation, a hand-operated pressure warning screw integrated into the closure mechanism prevents the door from being unlocked until it is confirmed that the vessel's internal pressure has been relieved.
For lethal service where it may be desirable not to incorporate a hand operated pressure warning screw, the closure can be configured to meet this requirement. For additional safety, the closure can be fitted with an optional mechanical key interlock which can be integrated to control valve operations. A double acting hinge mechanism allows the door to be swung through 270° to ensure easy access. The Bandlock 2 Closure is a versatile solution which can be customized to meet application requirements. It has a wide range of standard design configurations available with the closure bore machined to match internal vessel or pipe internal bore.
Reduced access and tapered units machined to exact specifications are available to provide a smaller closure opening where access is required for operations, such as the removal of filter elements. Self-reinforced units with extended length hubs to satisfy code requirements for access to large diameter vessels are also included.
Variations to standard units can be readily engineered. Options include flanged end closures designed for new vessel construction or direct replacement of blind flanges; hydrocyclone closures for filtration and separation vessels and pig receiver and launcher extensions for intelligent pigging operations and receiving cassettes can all be supplied.
The Bandlock 2 Closure is designed for easy operation and industry proven in larger diameter and higher pressure applications even in the most demanding environments. Its track record is backed up by performance records from a vast installed base.
Offshore applications
The Novados double-acting diaphragm pump was specifically designed for offshore applications in the oil and gas industry to reduce the footprint and weight of a pumping installation. Its single double-acting head provides the capacity of equivalent duplex pumps but its size and weight are typically reduced by about 20%.
The Novados metering pumps provide a precise injection of chemicals and can handle aggressive and harmful fluids safely. They use hermetic seals to provide virtually leak-free operation while delivering the advantages and accuracy of reciprocating plunger pump technology.
This increases efficiency and offers a high safety performance in applications that use aggressive or harmful fluids. The pump is ideal for applications such as methanol or glycol injection as well as for handling a wide range of fluids including liquid carbon-dioxide, liquid ammonia, hydrocarbon condensate, LPG, toluene and water.
Safety and efficiency
The unit is equally suitable for use in onshore petrochemical and chemical applications, especially when space is at a premium and safety and efficiency are also prime considerations.
Alongside the double acting pump option, Novados diaphragm pumps are suited to metering, blending and injection applications in industries such as chemical (for example, aggressive or corrosive fluids, resins and catalysts), pulp and paper (for example, anti-foam, perfume, slimicides), water treatment plants (for example, alum, soda, activated silica, lime slurries, polyelectrolytes, ferrous sulphate, pH correction, chlorination, softening, scale inhibitors) and biofuel production (acid and caustic dosing, adding enzymes).
The main benefit of this pump head technology is to provide the equivalent pumping capacity of a duplex pump with just a single pump head and gear – significantly reducing the size and weight of an installation.
This double action is achieved by displacer suction and discharge stroke operating simultaneously. Although double-acting, the solution is based on the Bran+Luebbe diaphragm pump head. The innovative application of this proven technology delivers clear benefits where space is a premium with the added assurance of a proven solution. Using just one gear instead of two also reduces capital costs and, over time, lowers maintenance cost and service time as maintenance requirements are in line with a single gear pump.
A patented positive diaphragm position control system (PDPC) which does not obstruct the pumping chamber makes the pump suitable for the metering of slurries and higher viscosity fluids. This also helps prevent the diaphragm from being damaged under emergency conditions such as a blocked pipe or closed valves upstream or downstream of the pump.
The pumps use double diaphragm protection with TFE diaphragm material as standard and are also available with a rupture alarm if required. They also have an inbuilt control device and do not require a variable speed drive or control valve, making installation straight forward.
Continuous pump monitoring
The pumps can additionally be equipped with the Novalink-CSM 2 continuous pump monitoring and diagnostic system to enable advance detection of possible pump failure. The use of this software can further help increase overall efficiency by optimizing maintenance schedules, maximizing uptime and protecting production capacity.
To achieve equivalent pumping capacity to the Bran+Luebbe double-acting, double diaphragm pump, either a double-acting plunger pump or duplex diaphragm pumps could be utilized. While both have their benefits, plunger pump technology is prone to leakages and does not offer the same level of safety as diaphragm alternatives. A duplex solution would increase the size, weight and complexity of an installation.
The Bran+Luebbe double-acting diaphragm pump head is a combination of proven pumping techniques to assure proven performance, safety and reliability. It is a new pumping solution offering increased efficiency in a smaller footprint. It is just one example of SPX’s understanding of the key markets it serves and the result of an ongoing research and development program which strives to continue to increase efficiency, sustainability, reliability and performance.
