Rotork adds Drallim SVM partial stroke critical valve testing product

22/02/2008

Valve actuation specialist Rotork has announced the purchase from Drallim Industries Limited of the Drallim SVM (Smart Valve Monitoring) partial stroke valve testing product. The SVM system is used throughout the world to assist in the testing of hydraulically and pneumatically actuated block valves on duties including ESD (Emergency Shutdown), BDV (Blow Down), HIPPS (High Integrity Pressure Protection System) and SSIV (Sub Sea Isolation).

The patented SVM technology performs real time partial stroke testing of critical valve installations, enabling the user to assess not only whether the valve will close as required, but also the performance of all the final elements in the valve loop. By analysing this performance data over a number of tests the user can also predict any degradation in performance and schedule maintenance accordingly. In this way costly unplanned or extended shutdowns can be avoided and the possibility of failures on demand minimised.

The technology, which Rotork has sold through its Fluid Systems Division for a number of years, has proved to be of great benefit to the partial closure testing of valves in locations as disparate as Sakhalin Island and Saudi Arabia. Alex Busby, Rotork Fluid Systems Managing Director, explains: “The purchase of this innovative technology provides us with a platform to further develop our products for safety critical applications.”

As part of the agreement, SVM technology specialist Richard Harvey has transferred from Drallim to become