Valve improvements in EGA Alumina Refineries (UAE)

CHALLENGE:

Due to service severity, angle valves at EGA alumina refineries suffer high erosion and life/performance needs to be continuously improved. 

Emirates Global Aluminium (EGA) is the world’s largest premium aluminium producer and the biggest industrial company in the United Arab Emirates outside oil and gas.

SOLUTION:

On an ongoing collaboration between AMPO SERVICE and EGA, new solutions (design changes, new materials, overlays…) are being continuously developed and implemented achieving excellent results on valve performance and service durability. 

AMPO POYAM VALVES has been supplying custom-made angle valves to alumina refineries since 1978, having supplied more than 40,000 manual and actuated angle valves for key global customers as their Single Source of Alumina Valve Solutions (SSAVS). 

The main areas of use for these valves are the following units: digestion, clarification, precipitation, calcination, bauxite grinding, evaporation, RMPH, causticization, security and fine seed filtration, washing, AutoGenus, semi-autonomous milling and grinding, pre-desilication (PDS), digestions (evaporators, back-pressure control station, flash tanks, blow off transfer, heat exchangers), lime slaking to BRDA (Bauxite Residue Disposal Area) transfer, RMF, decanting and bauxite residue washers, clarification and washers (mud thickeners, primary and secondary security filtrations), agglomeration, precipitation-pachuca train tanks, classification, primary seed filtrations (hydro-cyclone, secondary seed filtrations, hydrate thickeners and washers, hydrate transfer to calcination, transfer line of spent liquor throughout the processes…)

Our expertise and know-how allow us to always offer the optimal solution for any severe service application. Thanks to our experience and flow simulation facilities AMPO can recommend internal coatings and designs to increase valve performance; the regrinding operation is included to avoid sealing problems and increase valve life, different operations are adapted to the customer’s plant requirements (Manual, Grindbide® (Bevel gear) or actuated (Electric, Pneumatic or Hydraulic)), face-to-face dimensions are customized, etc.

Salt Lake City refinery (Utah, US)

CHALLENGE:

Several AMPO POYAM switch plug valves were installed at Salt Lake City refinery years ago and Marathon Petroleum requested a safety and ergonomics upgrade for the operation of an AMPO POYAM switch plug valve. 

Salt Lake City refinery began operations in 1908 and is now the largest refinery in Utah with a total crude oil refining capacity of 66,000 barrels per calendar day (bpcd). The Salt Lake City refinery processes crude oil from Utah, Colarado, Wyoming and Canada to manufacture gasoline, distillates, heavy fuel oil, natural gas liquids and petrochemicals and propane.

SOLUTION:

AMPO rebuilt the existing switch plug valve automatizing valve operation with an electric actuator and double security interlocks for safety increase.

AMPO POYAM VALVES evaluates and offers complete valve actuation control systems customized specifically for functional requirements, optimizing CAPEX and OPEX. We are moreover part of an integrated supply chain network with world-renowned actuator manufacturers, which allows us to offer the widest range of proven-in-use VALVE ACTUATION CONTROL system solutions. The VALVE ACTUATION CONTROL  SYSTEMS go through comprehensive Factory Acceptance Testing (FAT) to deliver the most reliable valve actuation control systems on the market.

AMPO POYAM VALVES offers more than just valves by its INTEGRATED SMART SOLUTIONS (ISS) development services.

Queensland Alumina Refinery (Queensland, Australia)

CHALLENGE:

The development of an Emergency shutdown integrated system for Queensland Alumina Limited. (Turnkey project)

SOLUTION:

AMPO POYAM VALVES supplied in 2023 an emergency shutdown integrated system for Queensland Alumina Limited (QAL), one of the largest alumina refineries in Australia. The system was tailored designed by our in-house Ph.D level “INTEGRATED SMART SOLUTIONS (ISS)” experts in tight collaboration with our AMPO SERVICE team, who takes care of aftermarket and develops custom made engineered solutions for worldwide end users/operators of the mining and energy sectors. The system consisted of six 20” 600 lbs slurry angle valves, six Hydraulic Power Units (HPU) and Programmable Logic Controllers (PLC) as well as six oil accumulators.

Located in Gladstone, Queensland, the East coast of Australia, this SIL1 rated emergency shutdown integrated system will be shortly installed in the flash tank area of the alumina refinery, after the digestion unit. This smart system assures valve closure in case a command is received from the plant Emergency Shutdown System (ESD). Hydraulic accumulators guarantee valve closure even if electric power is down. This control system has maximum priority and overrides any other order.

The dual control system also has a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC) for valve positioning. DCS (Distributed Control System) controls the valve position using an optical fibre communication system and can be controlled in 1% increments.

The emergency shutdown system also includes a condition monitoring system to monitor critical parameters such as oil level, temperature, pressure and valve position, which are transmitted to the plant DCS (Distributed Control System) using the beforementioned optical fibre communication system. Electrical enclosure also includes vortex coolers to assure long service life under high temperature conditions. The enclosure is moreover IP65, keeping system isolated from outside contamination.

These ISS systems have already been delivered and will be shortly installed in Queensland Alumina refinery, where we will work hand in hand with the customer during the set-up process, referring our valve and ISS specialists from AMPO to Australia.

With the achievement of this new milestone, AMPO strengths its INTEGRATED SMART SOLUTIONS (ISS) development services, offering more than just valves. AMPO POYAM VALVES’ technology expertise and integration capabilities allow AMPO to design and develop complete bespoke integrated systems, both free standing or skid modular solutions.