Rotork Japan has supplied IQ3 intelligent valve actuators for the automation of what is said to be the world’s first seven-way control valve. The innovative valve, manufactured in Japan by the Aska Corporation, operates under high pressure to control and regulate the flow of chemicals such as polymers, reducing the load on instrumentation in the downstream manufacturing processes.
The unique radial design of the valve eliminates any dead space (no flow) areas which could erode the quality of the media. The design demands a compact actuation solution that is capable of delivering swift and precise valve movements with high operating torques. The high viscosity, temperature and pressure of the media being controlled are further factors that contribute to the challenging demands of the application.
The selection of Rotork IQ3 intelligent actuation for the automation of the valve has successfully fulfilled these challenges. The proven long-term reliability of the IQ3 in similar harsh and high temperature hazardous area environments made an important contribution to the valvemaker’s decision to specify Rotork for this application. Other significant considerations included the IQ3 actuator’s versatility, functionality and asset management capabilities, combined with swift and simple commissioning procedures, accessed via secure non-intrusive communication technology.
