Pyroban® has recently supplied two Cat® C18 diesel powerpacks rated for continuous duty in Zone 2 hazardous area operations in Egypt. The engines feature Pyroban’s Ex-SCS™ control system which means the ATEX powerpacks do not need exhaust flame arrestors, eliminating daily cleaning requirements.
Installed at a crude oil pumping facility in Egypt, the two HazPak™ units are built in accordance with ATEX and all necessary standards including EN1834-1:2000.
Pyroban’s Service Technician Mr Martyn Ballinger visited the site location in November 2022 to complete the successful commissioning of the PLC’s.
In addition to the “explosion proof” Pyroban kit the two packages are fitted with Pyroban’s Ex-SCS engine control system which helps operators take an active approach to the overall safety system and combines ATEX safety shutdown with diesel engine control and monitoring. This Ex-SCS application also includes driven equipment parameters such as seal pressure, gearbox and pump vibration, gearbox oil temperature and pressure, diesel day tank level, suction and discharge pressure.
The ATEX engine control system features infrared gas detection and is a 100% stand-alone safety control system for ATEX 2014/34/EU compliance. A safety shutdown is triggered on detection of a flammable gas in the engine air inlet or in the atmosphere, diesel engine over speed, high exhaust gas and coolant temperatures, low oil pressure or if there is a manual emergency stop activation for example.
A colour 15” touchscreen HMI displays the current safety status and the diesel engine control and monitoring screens can also be integrated. For example equipment controls or sensors can all be fed into Ex-SCS. Viewable under direct sunlight the resistive touch screen is operable with a gloved hand. It’s ideal where there are few restrictions on control panel size and permits a clearer layout.
The explosion proof engine package from Pyroban includes an air intake shut-off valve, ATEX certified spark arrestor, water-cooled turbocharger, exhaust manifold as well as an exhaust gas heat exchanger and other components.
As seen in the image above, there is no plate type exhaust flame arrestor typically associated with daily cleaning to unclog the build up of soot from the exhaust system. This is an important feature for applications using Ex-SCS as it reduces maintenance costs and gives operators the assurance of ongoing safety through the life of equipment.
It means there is no reliance on an exhaust flame arrestor being fitted when in operation – which can sometimes be dangerously swapped out for a “dummy”. Manual handling issues also disappear.
Ex-SCS is available for ATEX engine packages and Pyroban kits for engine brands such as Caterpillar, Cummins, JCB, Volvo, DDC, MTU, Perkins and more. All Pyroban Kits and HazPak packages are designed and manufactured to be robust and reliable in harsh operating conditions and corrosive environments found in the oil and gas industry.
For more information contact our technical sales team on +44 (0) 1273 456800 or info@pyroban.com.
