AUMA PRESENTS
VARIABLE SPEED ACTUATORS
News / MAY 15, 2018
AUMA presents variable speed actuators for explosive atmosphere spaces
The manufacturer of electric actuators AUMA has presented explosion-proof actuators with variable valve speed for use in a potentially hazardous environment. The new SAVEx actuators for control operation and SARVEx for control operation, combined with the intelligent control of the ACVEx actuator, enable full control of the motor speed at any time.
In oil and gas applications, variable speed offers significant advantages for demanding valve control tasks as it provides optimum operating speed for any change in valve position. For example, high positioning accuracy and optimized setpoint control significantly increase the efficiency of the pressure control valve in the gas pipeline. On multi-pass valves, variable speed actuators allow fast and accurate switching between connections. Mechanical stresses on the valve, actuator and pipeline are minimized by reducing the operating speed close to the end positions, allowing the moving valve element to achieve a slight contact with the seat. Pressure surges and cavitation in the pipeline can be avoided by using adaptive speeds for a specific case.
During control operation, the actuator speed can be set so that the actuator slows down, and the moving part of the valve slowly approaches the set value, which significantly increases the positioning accuracy.
The actuator speed can also be controlled by an external signal – analog 4-20 mA or digital 0- 100% (positioner) – to take full advantage of additional control variables or algorithms. An additional option is speed synchronization between the two actuators.
The new AUMA SAVEx and SARVEx actuators in explosion protection complement the weather conditions OF SAV and SARV type. They are available in six sizes covering torques up to 1,000 Nm. The speed ranges are 6-60 rpm, 12-108 rpm and 24-216 rpm.
