Hydrocarbon Processing - February 2022 - 76

Valves, Pumps and Turbomachinery
turn the handle, saving time as well as reducing
the risk of injury to the operator
gripping the handle. An added benefit is
safety and longevity of the equipment.
Opening and closing a valve manually
is not necessarily a daily occurrence
An instrument manifold designed with a wider bore channel
makes clogging less likely, as small sedimentary material
or viscous fluids can more easily flow through the manifold.
This makes it more suitable for applications that can have
sand, grit or even sludge in the process flow, such as
found in fracking, mining, or paper and pulp industries.
that a manually closable manifold creates
a mechanical barrier, keeping process
fluid where it should be.
Consider, too, that an instrument
manifold designed with a wider bore
channel makes clogging less likely, as
small sedimentary material or viscous
fluids can more easily flow through the
manifold. This makes it more suitable
for applications that can have sand, grit
or even sludge in the process flow, such
as found in fracking, mining, or paper
and pulp industries.
The manifold at work. In a plant environment
where dozens of manifolds
may be operating at one time, it is up to
the process engineer to control valves in
a pressure measurement application by
way of manifolds. The easier the manifold
is to use, the more efficient the
process engineer can be, and the lower
the risk of process upsets from delayed
valve opening or closing. Reducing the
risk of process fluid leaks using betterdesigned
equipment (FIG. 3) ensures the
in a plant, especially when pressure can
be read digitally; however, having a
user-friendly device is preferred when
it does need to be done. Being able to
stop the process fluid to conduct routine
scheduled transmitter maintenance
is one instance when manual operations
are required.
Applications with particularly challenging
material flow may benefit from
the wider bore channel. For example,
hot tar, maple syrup or even peanut butter
can all quickly build up and clog a
manifold, making it harder to get correct
measurements. In extreme cases, if the
buildup becomes too great, it can cause
a blowout or manifold failure. This can
mean that pressure behind the manifold
becomes too great because the material
cannot flow through at the appropriate
speed, plugging the line and causing
pressure to build. Avoiding these dangers
is a benefit of the wider bore channel.
Manifolds in the field. An example of
utilizing a pressure-lock design is found
in chemical plants with reactions that
can quickly spike in pressure. These
processes are monitored closely because
fast reactions or potentially
valuable or hazardous processes
must not, under any
circumstances, be allowed to
leak into the ambient environment.
Therefore, a valve must
be sealed tightly after maintenance-a
manifold that is easier
to manipulate ensures the
valve is sealed more securely.
In oil field applications, it
is imperative that manifolds operate correctly,
ensuring that operators can read
pressure spikes from a well. A missed,
delayed or inaccurate reading can mean
that abrasive process fluids can reach the
sensor, thereby damaging it. Undetected
spikes both in chemical and oil field applications
spell safety concerns with potentially
catastrophic consequences.
If a manifold requires special tools or
is difficult to operate, it makes the process
more difficult and can lead to repetitive
strain injuries for the operator who
must continually adjust the manifold. Especially
in the field, out in the elements
and where actions sometimes must be
made quickly, avoiding injury and keeping
operators safe are important considerations
when sourcing a manifold.
The evidence is clear. A better-designed
manifold can help processes run
more smoothly and make the life of the
operator easier. The two-piece stem design
with a non-rotating valve tip makes
operations run more smoothly, while the
adjustable packing nut simplifies maintenance
and allows for easier open and
close operations. The added benefit of
having the stem and bonnet threads isolated
from the process fluid minimizes the
potential for corrosion.
Meeting industry requirements and
providing a better device, especially for
highly corrosive, gritty or sludge-like materials
in the process flow, ensures greater
efficiency, reliability and longevity for
equipment that requires manifolds.
FIG. 3. Enhanced manifolds enable compatibility with a variety of pressure instrumentation.
76 FEBRUARY 2022 | HydrocarbonProcessing.com
BRANDON HASCHKE is a Product Manager focusing
on instrument manifolds for Emerson's Rosemount
instrumentation business. He now concentrates on
helping operators in a variety of industries get the
most out of their pressure measurement points.
Mr. Haschke holds degrees in chemistry and chemical
engineering from the University of Minnesota.

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Hydrocarbon Processing - February 2022

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