Chapter 8

Installation and Maintenance

Control valve efficiency directly affects process plant profits. The role a control valve plays in optimizing processes is often overlooked. Many process plant managers focus most resources on distributed control systems and their potential for improving production efficiency. However, it is the final control element (typically a control valve) that actually creates the change in process variable. If the valve is not working properly, no amount of sophisticated electronics at the front end will correct problems at the valve. As many studies have shown, control valves are often neglected to the point that they become the weak link in the process control scheme. Control valves must operate properly, no matter how sophisticated the automation system or how accurate the instrumentation. Without proper valve operation you cannot achieve high

yields, quality products, maximum profits, and energy conservation. Optimizing control valve efficiency depends on: 1. Correct control valve selection for the application, 2. Proper storage and protection, 3. Proper installation techniques, and 4. An effective predictive maintenance program. Control valve selection is covered in Chapter 5. The other three topics are included in this chapter.

Proper Storage and Protection

Proper storage and protection should be considered early in the selection process, before the valve is shipped. Typically, manufacturers have packag167

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ing standards that are dependent upon the destination and intended length of storage before installation. Because most valves arrive on site some time before installation, many problems can be averted by making sure the details of the installation schedule are known and discussed with the manufacturer at the time of valve selection. In addition, special precautions should be taken upon receipt of the valve at the final destination. For example, the valve must be stored in a clean, dry place away from any traffic or other activity that could damage the valve.

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Figure 8-1. Install the Valve with the Flow Arrow Pointing in the Direction of the Process Flow

Proper Installation Techniques

Always follow the control valve manufacturers installation instructions and cautions. Typical instructions are summarized here.

on the female threads because excess compound on the female threads could be forced into the valve body. Excess compound could cause sticking in the valve plug or accumulation of dirt, which could prevent good valve shutoff.

Inspect the Control Valve Read the Instruction Manual

Before installing the valve, read the instruction manual. Instruction manuals describe the product and review safety issues and precautions to be taken before and during installation. Following the guidelines in the manual helps ensure an easy and successful installation. Although valve manufacturers take steps to prevent shipment damage, such damage is possible and should be discovered and reported before the valve is installed. Do not install a control valve known to have been damaged in shipment or while in storage. Before installing, check for and remove all shipping stops and protective plugs or gasket surface covers. Check inside the valve body to make sure no foreign objects are present.

Be Sure the Pipeline Is Clean

Foreign material in the pipeline could damage the seating surface of the valve or even obstruct the movement of the valve plug, ball, or disk so that the valve does not shut off properly. To help reduce the possibility of a dangerous situation from occurring, clean all pipelines before installing. Make sure pipe scale, metal chips, welding slag, and other foreign materials are removed. In addition, inspect pipe flanges to ensure a smooth gasket surface. If the valve has screwed end connections, apply a good grade of pipe sealant compound to the male pipeline threads. Do not use sealant
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Use Good Piping Practices

Most control valves can be installed in any position. However, the most common method is with the actuator vertical and above the valve body. If horizontal actuator mounting is necessary, consider additional vertical support for the actuator. Be sure the body is installed so that fluid flow will be in the direction indicated by the flow arrow (figure 8-1) or instruction manual. Be sure to allow ample space above and below the valve to permit easy re-

Chapter 8. Installation and Maintenance

Control Valve Maintenance

Always follow the control valve manufacturers maintenance instructions. Typical maintenance topics are summarized here. Optimization of control valve assets depends on an effective maintenance philosophy and program. Three of the most basic approaches are:
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Figure 8-2. Tighten Bolts in a Criss-cross Pattern

Reactive Action is taken after an event has occurred. Wait for something to happen to a valve and then repair or replace it. Preventive Action is taken on a timetable based on history; that is, try to prevent something bad from happening. Predictive Action is taken based on field input using state-of-the-art, non-intrusive diagnostic test and evaluation devices or using smart instrumentation. Although both reactive and preventive programs work, they do not optimize valve potential. Following are some of the disadvantages of each approach.

moval of the actuator or valve plug for inspection and maintenance. Clearance distances are normally available from the valve manufacturer as certified dimension drawings. For flanged valve bodies, be sure the flanges are properly aligned to provide uniform contact of the gasket surfaces. Snug up the bolts gently after establishing proper flange alignment. Finish tightening them in a criss-cross pattern (figure 8-2). Proper tightening will avoid uneven gasket loading and will help prevent leaks. It also will avoid the possibility of damaging, or even breaking, the flange. This precaution is particularly important when connecting to flanges that are not the same material as the valve flanges. Pressure taps installed upstream and downstream of the control valve are useful for checking flow capacity or pressure drop. Locate such taps in straight runs of pipe away from elbows, reducers, or expanders. This location minimizes inaccuracies resulting from fluid turbulence. Use1/4- or 3/8-inch (6-10 millimeters) tubing or pipe from the pressure connection on the actuator to the controller. Keep this distance relatively short and minimize the number of fittings and elbows to reduce system time lag. If the distance must be long, use a valve positioner or a booster with the control valve.

Reactive Maintenance
Reactive maintenance allows subtle deficiencies to go unnoticed and untreated, simply because there is no clear indication of a problem. Even critical valves might be neglected until they leak badly or fail to stroke. In some cases, feedback from production helps maintenance react before serious problems develop, but valves might be removed unnecessarily on the suspicion of malfunction. Large valves or those welded in-line can require a day or longer for removal, disassembly, inspection, and reinstallation. Time and resources could be wasted without solving the problem if the symptoms are actually caused by some other part of the system.

Preventive Maintenance
Preventive maintenance generally represents a significant improvement.
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However, because maintenance schedules have been able to obtain little information on valves that are operating, many plants simply overhaul all control valves on a rotating schedule. Such programs result in servicing some valves that need no repair or adjustment and leaving others in the system long after they have stopped operating efficiently.

valve maintenance work practices. These digital devices significantly improve upon the fault detection and discrimination aspects of traditional maintenance programs. For example, in-service diagnostics (figure 8-3) can detect problems with instrument air quality, leakage and supply pressure restriction, and can identify such valve problems as excessive friction and deadband as well as being out-of-calibration. When a problem is identified, its severity is reported, possible causes are listed and a course of action is given. These diagnostics typically result in one of three conditions:
D No fault detected (green condition). The valve should remain in service, and monitoring should continue. D A warning that a fault has been detected, but control remains unaffected (yellow condition). This is a predictive indication that the detected problem has the potential to affect control and that future maintenance should be planned. D An error report that a fault affecting control has been detected (red condition). These faults generally require immediate attention.

Predictive Maintenance
Today, plant operators often extend the time between turnarounds to three or four years and even longer in order to maximize process availability. These extended run times offer less opportunity for traditional, out-of-service valve diagnostics. The traditional maintenance process consists of four distinct modes: Fault Detection A majority of valve maintenance effort is spent in monitoring valves while in service to detect the occurrence of a fault. When a fault is identified, the maintenance process transitions to fault discrimination. Fault Discrimination During this mode, valve assets are evaluated to determine the cause of the fault and to establish a course of corrective action. Process Recovery Corrective action is taken to fix the source of the defect. Validation In this final mode, valve assets are evaluated relative to either asnew condition or the last established baseline condition. Once validated, the maintenance process returns to fault detection status.

More specifically, in-service diagnostics oversee: Instrument Air Leakage Air mass flow diagnostics measure instrument air flow through the control valve assembly. Because of multiple sensors, this diagnostic can detect both positive (supply) and negative (exhaust) air mass flow from the DVC. This diagnostic not only detects leaks in the actuator or related tubing, but also much more difficult problems. For example, in piston actuators, the air mass flow diagnostic can detect leaking piston seals or damaged O-rings. Supply Pressure The supply pressure diagnostic detects control valve problems related to

Using Control Valve Diagnostics

The advent of micro-processor based valve instruments with their in-service diagnostics capabilities has allowed companies to redesign their control
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Figure 8-3. Non-Intrusive Diagnostics Program for Predictive Maintenance

supply pressure. This in-service diagnostic will detect both low and high supply pressure readings. In addition to checking for adequate supply pressure, this diagnostic can be used to detect and quantify droop in the air supply during large travel excursions. This is particularly helpful in identifying supply line restrictions. Travel Deviation and Relay Adjustment The travel deviation diagnostic is used to monitor actuator pressure and travel deviation from setpoint. This diagnostic is useful in identifying a stuck control valve, active interlocks, low supply pressure or shifts in travel calibration. The relay adjustment diagnostic is used to monitor crossover pressure on double-acting actuators. If the crossover pressure is too low, the actuator loses stiffness, making the valve plug position susceptible to buf-

feting by fluid forces. If the crossover pressure is set too high, both chambers will be near supply, the pneumatic forces will be roughly equal, the spring force will be dominant and the actuator will move to its spring-fail position. Instrument Air Quality The I/P and relay monitoring diagnostic can identify problems such as plugging in the I/P primary or in the I/P nozzle, instrument diaphragm failures, I/P instrument O-ring failures, and I/P calibration shifts. This diagnostic is particularly useful in identifying problems from contaminants in the air supply and from temperature extremes. In-Service Friction and Friction Trending The in-service friction and deadband diagnostic determines friction in the valve assembly as it is controlled by the control system. Friction diagnostics data is collected and trended to
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detect valve changes that affect process control. Other Examples In-service custom diagnostics can be configured to collect and graph any measured variable of a smart valve. Custom diagnostics can locate and discriminate faults not detectable by other means. Often, these faults are complicated and require outside expertise. In such cases, data is collected by local maintenance personnel and is then sent to an expert for further analysis, thus avoiding the costs and delays associated with an on-site visit.

Continued Diagnostics Development

Overall, the process industries will continue to demand more and more efficiency in terms of quality, yield and reliability. Individually, producers will continue to lengthen time between turnarounds. These demands will lead to fewer and fewer maintenance man hours being available for instrumentation repair. The inevitable answer to this shortfall will be future diagnostic developments that focus on in-service, non-intrusive test and evaluation capabilities. The ability to evaluate valve performance via in-service diagnostics improves turnaround planning as the information gathered can be used to pinpoint valve maintenance that is necessary as well as valves that are healthy. An answer is to utilize micro-processor-based valve instrumentation that evaluates the operating health of the control valve assembly while the valve is in service. Data is collected without intruding on normal process operations. The instrumentation analyzes the information in real-time and provides maintenance recommendations for each valve operating problem that it identifies.
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Figure 8-4. Typical Spring-and-Diaphragm Actuator

Actuator Diaphragm
Most pneumatic spring-and-diaphragm actuators (figure 8-4) use a molded diaphragm. The molded diaphragm facilitates installation, provides a relatively uniform effective area throughout valve travel, and permits greater travel than could be possible with a flat-sheet diaphragm. If a flat-sheet diaphragm is used for emergency repair, replace it with a molded diaphragm as soon as possible.

Stem Packing
Packing (figure 8-5), which provides the pressure seal around the stem of a globe-style or angle-style valve body, should be replaced if leakage develops around the stem, or if the valve is completely disassembled for other maintenance or inspection. Before loosening packing nuts, make sure there is no pressure in the valve body. Removing the packing without removing the actuator is difficult and is not recommended. Also, do not try to

Chapter 8. Installation and Maintenance

Seat Rings
Severe service conditions can damage the seating surface of the seat ring(s) so that the valve does not shut off satisfactorily. Grinding or lapping the seating surfaces will improve shutoff if damage is not severe. For severe damage, replace the seat ring. Grinding Metal Seats The condition of the seating surfaces of the valve plug and seat ring can often be improved by grinding. Many grinding compounds are available commercially. For cage-style constructions, bolt the bonnet or bottom flange to the body with the gaskets in place to position the cage and seat ring properly and to help align the valve plug with the seat ring while grinding . A simple grinding tool can be made from a piece of strap iron locked to the valve plug stem with nuts. On double-port bodies, the top ring normally grinds faster than the bottom ring. Under these conditions, continue to use grinding compound on the bottom ring, but use only a polishing compound on the top ring. If either of the ports continues to leak, use more grinding compound on the seat ring that is not leaking and polishing compound on the other ring. This procedure grinds down the seat ring that is not leaking until both seats touch at the same time. Never leave one seat ring dry while grinding the other. After grinding, clean seating surfaces, and test for shutoff. Repeat grinding procedure if leakage is still excessive. Replacing Seat Rings Follow the manufacturers instructions. For threaded seat rings, use a seat ring puller (figure 8-6). Before trying to remove the seat ring(s), check to see if the ring has been tack-welded to the valve body. If so, cut away the weld. On double-port bodies, one of the seat rings is smaller than the other.
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Figure 8-5. Typical Valve Stem Packing Assemblies

blow out the old packing rings by applying pressure to the lubricator hole in the bonnet. This can be dangerous. Also, it frequently does not work very well as many packing arrangements have about half of the rings below the lubricator hole. A better method is to remove the actuator and valve bonnet and pull out the stem. Push or drive the old packing out the top of the bonnet. Do not use the valve plug stem because the threads could sustain damage. Clean the packing box. Inspect the stem for scratches or imperfections that could damage new packing. Check the trim and other parts as appropriate. After re-assembling, tighten body/bonnet bolting in a sequence similar to that described for flanges earlier in this chapter. Slide new packing parts over the stem in proper sequence, being careful that the stem threads do not damage the packing rings. Adjust packing by following the manufacturers instructions.

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Figure 8-7. Bench Set Seating Force Figure 8-6. Seat Ring Puller

On direct-acting valves (push-down-to-close action), install the smaller ring in the body port farther from the bonnet before installing the larger ring. On reverse-acting valves (push-down-to-open action), install the smaller ring in the body port closer to the bonnet before installing larger ring. Remove all excess pipe compound after tightening the threaded seat ring. Spot weld a threaded seat ring in place to ensure that it does not loosen.

Bench Set
Bench set is initial compression placed on the actuator spring with a

spring adjuster. For air-to-open valves, the lower bench set determines the amount of seat load force available and the pressure required to begin valve-opening travel. For air-to-close valves, the lower bench set determines the pressure required to begin valve-closing travel. Seating force is determined by pressure applied minus bench set minus spring compression due to travel (figure 8-7). Because of spring tolerances, there might be some variation in the spring angle. The bench set, when the valve is seated, requires the greatest accuracy. Refer to manufacturers instructions for adjusting the spring.

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