HOUSTON, Texas - ValvTechnologies received its SIL (Safety Integrity Level) Classification assessment certificate for the V1 series (including ERV’s and Xactrol’s) and NEXTECH product lines. The assessment confirms that the V1 series, ERV and Xactrol metal seated ball valves and the NEXTECH trunnion mounted metal-seated ball valves are capable to perform at SIL-3 level in a single valve configuration and at SIL-4 in dual configuration.
The capability certification which was carried out by an independent third party consulting agency, DIAC B.V. (Dependable Industrial Automation Consultancy), was issued on September 14th, 2009 by Lloyds Register, Rotterdam. This is based on conservative Severe Duty and Severe Service Media (Slurries) failure data at a half year Proof Test Interval Time for Unclean Severe Duty services (one year using selected components). Valve sizes range from ¼ inch up to and including 42 inch ANSI Class 150 to 4500 and API-6A 2,000 to 20,000.
Typical applications requiring SIL certification include Emergency Shut Down systems (ESD), High Integrity Pressure Protection Systems (HIPPS), Compressor Anti-Surge Systems and any Safety Instrument Systems (SIS). The SIL-3 rating in a single valve configuration and SIL-4 rating in a double valve configuration is a key benefit as it drastically reduces costs with less equipment, and savings in space and weight. SIL rated systems can typically be found in Offshore Platforms (topside and subsea), Onshore Oil & Gas installations, Pipelines, Petrochemical, Refining and Nuclear Power plants.
In 1998 the International Electrotechnical Commission’s (IEC) published the IEC 61508 titled, “Functional Safety of Electrical / Electronic / Programmable Electronic (E/E/EP) safety-related systems.” The standard provides the framework and core requirements for sector specific standards. The IEC 61508 defines four different safety levels that offer increased protection levels for personnel safety, environmental safety and production and equipment safety. SIL levels range from 1 (low risk) to 4 (high risk).
A SIL rating measures the ability of a system – comprised of a sensor(s), logic solver(s), and final element(s) – to reduce the overall level of process risk when the system is used as specified and in its intended applications. Individual products or components do not have SIL ratings. Rather, products are suitable for use within a specified risk reduction level. An entire system, not just an individual product, must reduce the risk to the specific level. The SIL suitability of the individual components is immaterial if the combined SIL rating of the entire system is not adequate.