Covestro, a leading manufacturer of polymer materials, has recently decided to install FlexiDrive remote operators to safely operate manual gate valves in one of their production areas. The gate valves can now be comfortably operated from a safe distance, on a single service station.
Largest site in Germany
Covestro’s innovative material solutions are used in many industries like automotive, construction, electrical and electronics, wood, furniture, sports, and recreation. The Covestra site in Dormagen is the largest and one of the most modern Covestro sites in Germany. With the help of innovative technologies and processes, many raw materials for everyday objects can be manufactured at the site in a particularly resource-efficient and environmentally friendly way.
Valve actuation is not an option
Before using FlexiDrive, permanent scaffolding was used to reach the manual gate valves. Pneumatic valve actuation was not an option, as pressured air was not readily available near the gear-operated butterfly valves. Located in an ATEX area, the valves could, not be operated with electric actuators. On top of that, the valves were located in an area with limited access, so it was decided that remote operation of these manual valves was preferable.
Valve operation from a central operator station
When searching for a solution, Covestro management was approached by Sofis partner CEA in Germany, who serve the plant engineering, chemical, and petrochemical industries as well as power plants and other manufacturing industries. CEA proposed to install the FlexiDrive remote operator on all three gate valves, routing all cables to the same central spot at the outer wall of the building. This way, the manual valves can be operated from a single-operator station, from a safe distance. As force is transmitted via cables, valve operation can be done smoothly and safely, especially when compared with using chainwheel operated valves.
Significant impact on operator safety and convenience
The installation of FlexiDrives substantially enhanced operator convenience and safety. With FlexiDrive, operators no longer need to enter the building to access the valves. They also don’t need to get hold of access permissions, saving considerable time. As scaffold climbing is avoided, the risk of operator injuries is reduced significantly. In all, both access to the valves, as well as operating the valves has been made quicker and easier, saving valuable time and costs in the long run.