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AMPO POYAM VALVES SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETES THE FIRST YEAR OF OPERATION OF A CUSTOMIZED SWITCH PLUG VALVE SOLUTION WITH AN IN-HOUSE BUILT CONTROL PANEL FOR A MAJOR U.S. REFINERY
AMPO POYAM VALVES successfully supplied a fully customized switch plug valve solution with a complete control panel for a major refinery in the United States, specifically for its Delayed Coker Unit (DCU). The refinery, located in the Northeast, has a crude processing capacity of 144,000 barrels per calendar day (bpcd) and plays a key role in converting sweet and heavy sour crude oils into gasoline, distillates, asphalt, natural gas liquids, petrochemicals, propane, and heavy fuel oil.
A Critical Valve for a Critical Process:
The supplied equipment includes one complete 12” and 600# highly engineered switch plug valve, manufactured in a special alloy material, and installed in the DCU—one of the most demanding and safety-critical units of the refinery. This valve performs a central function: diverting the high-temperature process fluid to the different drums, making it one of the most important valves in both the DCU and the entire facility.
To ensure maximum reliability and safety, AMPO POYAM VALVES integrated double redundant systems, including:
- Real-time plug position encoder
- Limit switches for double redundancy
- A complete control panel for commanding the valve and ensuring seamless communication with the Control Room
A Fully Tailored Integrated Smart Solution (ISS):
This project was developed jointly by AMPO’s ISS (Integrated Smart Solutions) engineering team and the end user, resulting in an ad-hoc solution 100% aligned with the refinery’s operational requirements. This collaboration allowed AMPO POYAM VALVES to address the refinery’s concerns with existing valves and deliver a fully optimized, turnkey package that improves overall performance and reliability.
Comprehensive Testing and On-Site Support:
Before shipment, the entire valve package—including control panel, communication systems, and others—underwent rigorous FAT (Final Acceptance Testing) at AMPO’s facilities.
Once delivered, an AMPO SERVICE team composed of Field Service Engineers and ISS specialists supported the installation, commissioning, and start-up activities directly at the customer’s site, ensuring flawless integration and operation.
One Year of Successful Operation:
Since its commissioning, the customized switch plug valve solution—with the in-house-built complete control panel—has successfully completed its first full year of operation at the refinery. Throughout this period, the system has demonstrated outstanding reliability, stable performance, and seamless communication with the plant’s control room, reaffirming the robustness of AMPO’s engineering and manufacturing capabilities.