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cpp INSTRUMENTATION, CONTROL, AUTOMATION regulations and the often stricter still, country-specific requirements of end customers. Apart from production acceptance tests, the focus is on numerous certificates and licenses. The challenge of short-track projects The Portovaya project is a so-called short-track project. “The entire plant is being built in an unusually short period”, explains Business Development Manager Sebastian Harbig, who is in charge of global projects at Vega. “Delivery time was therefore a major criterion when awarding the contract.” This is not the first time that Vega has supported the engineering, procurement & construction (EPC) specialist on medium- or large-scale projects. Vega is responsible for the complete, ready-to-install measuring point, the customer-specific documentation and all necessary certificates. Especially for international projects, delivery from a single source is an advantage that has multiplication potential because a project like the one in Portovaya involves Linde teams, locations and suppliers all over the world. The work across national borders has to function like a welloiled machine, with every gear wheel syncing perfectly with all the others. Any delay can cause multiple delays downstream. Two for all levels Machines in an LNG plant, particularly those used in the liquefaction process, are exposed to extreme operating conditions. Between start-up and full operation of the cryogenic processes, the temperature expansion of the equipment is immense. The components are subject to extreme loads and even small changes in the composition of the processed natural gas can significantly reduce the overall serv ice life of a machine. The mid-scale plant now being built in the Russian Baltic bay liquefies gas from a compressor station that has been operating there since 2010. The process for converting natural gas into LNG is based on three steps: pre-treatment, compression and cooling including liquefaction. Since natural gas contains impurities such as water, mercury or corrosive components that can freeze during the compression phase, it has to be pre-treated. Methane is only allowed to enter the liquefaction trains of the LNG plant in a highly concentrated form. In the various storage and process vessels, only two sensor types monitor the very diverse media – from dry natural gas, condensed hydrocarbons and cold flare gas to ethane, LNG, hydrocarbons, fuel gas and wastewater – during the entire production process. SENSORS: IN THE LNG/LPG PROCESS CHAIN Maximum performance, minimal loss Consistently high quality is essential for LNG processes. In today’s competitive environment, industry must strike a balance between cost pressure and environmental awareness. Yet when it comes to quality, no compromises are tolerated. Efficiency and plant availability, which are significantly improved through standardisation in all areas including instrumentation, guarantee high quality and a real cost advantage. Guided radar sensors are especially suitable here because they can reliably withstand extreme pressure and temperature conditions. Vibrating level switches, with their compact design and millimetre accuracy, are also ideal for many applications in an LNG plant. Vegaflex 86 (left) and Vegaswing 66 are ideal for LNG applications Liquefaction plants are relatively complex and extend over multiple process stages. In each stage, the level is an important variable playing a major role in protecting the compressor. Vegaflex 86 is a hard-wearing guided radar sensor which is ideal for this task, because it measures without being affected by media properties such as density or dielectric constant. Its rugged me - chanical design and second seal, the so-called second line of defence, protect the sensor effectively. The Vegaswing 66 vibrating level switch has a patented inductive drive that excites the tuning fork effortlessly even under extreme temperature conditions. Users benefit especially from the simple handling and operation of this device. Notwithstanding its simplicity, it has an extensive application range down to -196 °C (normal temperature in the LNG environment) and is rated for pressures from -1 to +160 bar. Since the sensor measures so reliably irrespective of density, even in widely different products, it is perfect for high and high-high alarms on cargo tanks. Communication that counts Vega’s global projects team, to which Sebastian Harbig belongs, has developed into an experienced partner for worldwide plant projects with extensive knowledge of critical interfaces. To be able to supply customers optimally, it is important to provide comprehensive so - lutions that are far removed from daily business. Mature technology, as the project in Portovaya shows, can merely be the basis on which to build. In practice, there is far more to it than that: working out the technical details, preparing quotations and communicating regularly with the client. The project does not end with setting up and commissioning but continues throughout the entire lifecycle of the instruments, ensuring the best possible availability and efficiency. www.cpp-net.com Online search: cpp0219vega AUTHOR: CLAUDIA HOMBURG Marketing, Vega 12 cpp 02-2019
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