Eltorque Offers Failsafe Valve Control
Manufacturer of electric valve actuators Eltorque has unveiled its new ‘Safe Intelligence’ concept, a prototype line of battery-assisted failsafe valve actuators that will guarantee full functionality in the event of power or signal loss.
A robust solution to round out the intelligent control offered by all Eltorque actuators, the intelligent battery solutions keep valves under control, even in an emergency.
With four different failsafe commands and constant monitoring of battery status and capacity, ship owners can rest easy, knowing the valve can do its job when it is needed most. And as with all Eltorque equipment, it’s virtually maintenance free.
Eltorque CEO Arnstein Kjesbu has a clear idea of the added value for ship owners of failsafe systems: “Many of our customers operate in remote areas, under extreme conditions. They know that if something goes wrong out there, help is far off. They trust us to deliver flawless functionality for valve control, and now we can deliver that functionality even in the event of power loss.”
Besides being failsafe, Eltorque’s intelligent battery solutions go beyond standard pneumatic spring-return functionality. Compact and lightweight as well, they contribute to a lighter vessel with more efficient use of space. Add to that ease of installation due to the efficient hybrid cable, and it amounts to a vital component that delivers on every aspect of ship owner demands.
“Our company slogan is ‘Lifelong Intelligent Control,” Kjesbu said. “That describes not just what our actuators do, but what ship owners get with Eltorque equipment controlling the vital valve systems on their ships. They don’t have to worry about maintenance, they have real-time communication with the actuators and the batteries, and they have full and precise control over valve functions – for the life of the ship.”
Eltorque has honed and refined its mission-critical actuators to incorporate serial connections and a hybrid, CANbus connector cable that not only controls the actuator, but relays information to and from the unit, enabling operators to monitor in-situ status while exercising precision control over the valve. Now that information is supplemented with battery status and capacity.
Eltorque has been supplying all-electric valve control actuators to fishing and offshore support vessels for decades. From its North Sea base, Eltorque continues to bring new products for vital valve control to the global maritime market: “Failsafe capability is of particular importance in segments like cruise, one of the key markets for Eltorque going forward,” Kjesbu said. “We have always delivered functionality and reliability, which is crucial to meeting the high standards of the cruise industry. Now failsafe battery control takes that reliability to the ultimate level. This is the next step in contributing to smarter and more reliable ships, and to ship owners’ peace of mind.”