WHAT CAN YOU DO TO HELP YOUR COMPANY GET THROUGH THESE MOST-CHALLENGING TIMES? WE SPOKE TO NORTH AMERICAN VALVE AND ACTUATOR MANUFACTURERS, WHO PROVIDED TIPS ON HOW VALVE USERS CAN OPERATE THEIR FLOW CONTROL SYSTEMS TO ACHIEVE MAXIMUM EFFICIENCY-AND PROFITS.

TIP 1: Energy Savings Pay Off

One way to save money, often with a minimal investment, is to cut down on energy use. While most companies have already taken a few steps in this area, there are many ways to save on energy costs. Some are as simple as stem packing, but they can make a big difference, says Andrew Norman, president of growth and technology for Dresser Masoneilan and Dresser Consolidated. This is because poorly adjusted or aging packing can mean leaks and loss of plant media, and since there are gaskets and seals throughout a plant that can be sources for leaks, taking care of the potential problem can save considerable money.

"Customers with high-volume steam use should routinely check their steam traps for steam leaks, and repair or replace faulty traps," advises Rick Boylan, sales correspondent, Richards Industries. "A single leaking trap with a 3/16-inch orifice can waste up to 390,000 lbs. of steam per year (assuming a 50 psig differential and a plant operating 300 days per year)."

Boylan also suggests reducing recurrence of trap failure by "replacing cyclic bucket and disc traps (violent cyclic action causes metal wear) with longer-lasting modulating trap technology." Karl Lutkewitte, product manager, Richards Industries, adds that companies with process-critical, large-capacity heat exchangers need to note that "trap failures can directly affect the quality of temperature-sensitive products."

Another way to save steam is to use lift plug valves in certain slurry applications, says Dale Friemoth, vice president of technology & business development, Crane Fluid Handling. Such valves consume purge steam only while stroking the valve open or closed, he says, as opposed to ball valves, which in similar situations would continuously purge steam. "This results in a typical annual savings for one 10-inch valve of 8 million lbs. of steam or nearly $16,000 at $2.00/1,000 lbs.," he says. (See page 18, "Savings Are in the Air.")

TIP 2: Be Smart about Maintenance

When times are tough, cutting back on maintenance may seem logical, but not when production or safety might be affected. A valve failure costs much more than the maintenance that would have prevented it, and an accident or spill can be catastrophic. In fact, a slow time can be an opportunity to "send those maintenance people out there to perform the maintenance that we probably should have been performing when times were good," says Rich Oaks, marketing manager, AUMA Actuators.

Jim Knox, president, Allied Valve Inc., agrees and adds that this maintenance would include checking the packing and pressure seals on valves. Forgetting to do this, he continues, leads to leaks, which can mean paying someone to come in and stop those leaks or risking valve damage.