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 "Pressure Dynamics Projects")
Pressure Dynamics have provided essential equipment, such as top-side and sub-sea Well Head control systems, for some of the world’s largest Oil and Gas projects. Our clients include companies such as Modec, Woodside, and BHP.
Please return soon for the more information on our latest projects.
 "Pressure Dynamics’ Systems")
Systems In Action
Pressure Dynamics’ Systems Department were presented with a unique challenge when asked to design an ore car restraint system for a major mining machinery manufacturer. The most challenging part of the project was to design a hydraulic control system that would fully clamp the ore car in the loaded position and allow controlled reassertion of the “locked in” car spring forces during the dumping operation.
On the surface this problem seems relatively easy to solve. However the rate at which the load is released had the PD engineers developing a innovative approach to the problem by designing custom made clamping cylinders.
This design involved developing a computer profiled internal relieving piston. This piston forms an integral part of the clamping function by allowing the cylinder to extend an additional 55mm when the ore car springs reassert during the dumping operation . This innovative solution minimises damage caused to the ore car walls from intensified forces created when the clamps reassert during the dumping operation.
The hydraulic power unit (HPU) is specially designed for ease of maintenance and to ensure contents of the reservoir do not spill when the car dumper, on which the HPU is mounted, rotates. Also from the above photograph you can see that most of the HPU components are manifold mounted to minimise oil leakage and pipe work.
The photograph opposite illustrated the compact design of the clamping cylinders. Each cylinder also incorporates an integral hydraulic valve manifold which ensures a compact and ease of maintenance clamp cylinder assembly with the minimum of pipe work.
Following extensive workshop testing, Pressure Dynamics Engineers are highly confident the integrated ore car restraint will exceed performance expectations when finally commissioned on site in early 2008.
For the Systems Department it’s another project successfully completed. Now, on to the next challenge.
 "Alcoa Pinjarra")
Alcoa Pinjarra
Pressure Dynamics designed and manufactured lubrication skids for Metso Minerals to suit the new Mill which was installed at Alcoa Pinjarra’s refinery. Pressure Dynamics were then asked by Alcoa if they could install the lubrication skids on site and manufacture all the pipe work as required. We initially expected to be onsite for approximately eight weeks with three technicians, two pipe fitters and one supervisor. After three weeks into the installation, the work began to expand at a rapid rate and we soon required two separate crews to take on the long list of additional projects that Pressure Dynamics were asked to complete. The projects included:
- Supply and install service lines on Mill 7. Install 25A and tank drive system pipe work.
- Additional work on Mill 7.
- Rework of damaged tube work to building 25.
- Supply and install 5 new control stands building 30.
- Remove old stands BLD 30 and rework pipe work.
- Install and plumb up coolers for condensate pumps building 30.
- Supply and install modifications to mill 7.
The initial eight weeks turned into eleven months of work with a crew of up to fourteen technicians. Pressure Dynamics worked closely with not only Metso and Alcoa, but with other construction companies such as Thiess and United Group Resources. Due to our strong capabilities the work was a great success and good working relationships were developed.
When asked what the most difficult part of this project was to coordinate, our Project Manager, Aaron Masterman responded “there were no difficulties. I found it personally satisfying to meet and develop sound working relationships with a diverse range of companies and people.”
Safe Cargo
ConocoPhillips is one the largest oil/gas producing companies in the world and the major partner in the Bayu-Undan field, located in Area A of the Timor Gap Zone of Co-operation. Field development includes two central processing platforms for the production and processing of gas to recover condensate and liquefied petroleum gas, which is stored on site in the moored FSO (Floating Storage and Offtake) vessel ‘Liberdade’.
‘Liberdade’ was launched in Korea in September 2002, and is installed at its mooring system at the Bayu-Undan gas-stripping project, 500km northwest of Darwin. The 150,000tonne ‘Liberdade’ is the world’s first combined condensate and liquefied petroleum gas FSO and the largest liquefied petroleum vessel in the world. Permanently moored in a water depth of 80 m. the vessel can store approximately 230,000 cubic metres of condensate and LPG. ‘Liberdade’ processes the condensate and LPG and stores them before shuttle tankers, mooring in tandem condensate) or side by side (LPG) with the FSO, removes the product for delivery to regional markets.
A vast cargo management system controls the movement of the various products between the different processes and storage holds onboard. Hydraulically actuated cargo valves control the flow of product between the vessel storage holds; a critical process when considering the ballasting effect of such large volumes.
Pressure Dynamics were asked to look at upgrading the existing hydraulic system to the nearly 300 cargo valves. The original system was a centralised system with all the hydraulic control valves and Hydraulic Power Unit (HPU) located at the bow. The nature of operation and the shear size of the FSO meant this was a less than ideal configuration, so in consultation with the client it was decided to implement a de-centralised system, placing the HPU below decks in a ‘safe’ area and placing sets of solenoid and other control valves at sixteen various locations around the deck – a nominated ‘hazardous’ area due to the potentially explosive atmosphere.
Not a complicated system by PD’s standards, but the inventory of stainless steel components is impressive, here’s just a few:
- Sixteen (16) fully enclosed valve cabinet’s 2mW x 2mH x 600mmD, manufactured from 316 stainless steel. Designed for cyclonic wind loading, carrying approximately 1500kg weight, certified for offshore lifting and fitted with filtered air ventilation system.
- Nineteen (19) 50litre piston accumulators, manufactured from super duplex stainless steel.
- Over seven hundred (700) 316 stainless steel ball valves.
- Nearly three hundred (300) 316 stainless steel solenoid valves, all fitted with EEx d solenoids.
- Nearly three hundred (300) NG6 sandwich blocks of various configurations, all 316 stainless steel.
- Thirty seven (37) major manifolds for mounting all of the sandwich blocks, solenoid & ball valves, manufactured from 316 stainless steel.
- Dozens of EEx d pressure switches All electrical devices were wired and terminated to hazardous-area-rated terminal boxes located inside the panels. Every single core of every cable was fully tested, documented and certified to meet the hazardous area regulations.
Every panel was connected to the in-house PLC controlled test system and all hydraulic and electrical components rigorously tested and certified before despatch, enabling the client to view the full system functionality first-hand, even before installation, and accept the critical-path system with confidence.
The Hydraulic Power Unit was definitely not one out of the box. The client had identified the location for the new HPU to be in a machinery room below decks. The challenge was to design an HPU that could fit through the existing hatches and doorways as part of the installation! Not easy for an HPU that was to be the sole power source for all sixteen valve panels. The answer was modularity – three major sections that could be easily separated, transported & handled, and reconfigured in a confined space.
Once more the engineering department at PD’s rose to the challenge and provided a neat solution that not only overcame the logistics issues, but performed better than the original system!
The requirements for the project included full documented compliance with a broad range of standards for electrical, structural and integrity monitoring, including ASME, Lloyds, CE, DNV & Australian Standards. A big job but the attention to detail by our engineering document control section saw every ‘I’ dotted and ‘T’ crossed. Last count was nearly nine hundred documents and some seven thousand pages!
At the end of the project the result was outstanding – especially when considering the range of ‘constraints’ faced by the engineering team at PD’s. The equipment was worth a picture if just to capture the majesty of tonnes of precisely manufactured 316 stainless steel!
Such an outcome is the result of teamwork, not only within Pressure Dynamics but also with our suppliers. Pressure Dynamics high standards are demanded of our suppliers and this is reflected in the quality and integrity of the systems we produce.