In International Shipping News 06/05/2015
Parker Kittiwake, the global provider of asset control and protection technology, has launched new water-glycol instruments, both online and offline, to detect contamination in critical assets where water-glycol based fluids are used. The icountBS Water Glycol bottle sampler allows laboratory grade testing of water-glycols on-board, whilst the Parker icountPD Water Glycol particle detector provides continuous real-time analysis of contaminants, using a sensor directly in the water flow. The instruments provide operators with a comprehensive overview of the condition of the fluid without the delay of transferring samples to an on shore laboratory, allowing immediate corrective action to be taken, and improving safety, reducing wear and increasing uptime.
In a market of low oil prices where competition is fierce, a proactive approach to maximising uptime and optimising maintenance scheduling becomes critical. Particularly key is safeguarding those systems associated with the safety of the vessel or platform, such as blowout preventers (BOPs), Crown Mounted Compensators (CMCs) and Riser Tensioner Systems, which cannot be compromised. BOPs, for example, can be damaged by the ingress of contaminated fluid into the umbilical, leading to potentially catastrophic results if the contaminants cause blockages in the system leading to safety components sticking.
The icountBS Water Glycol is a laboratory grade bottle sampler that can be used to test fluid sampled at any point in the system, particularly where potential contamination has been identified by online monitoring, providing accurate results in real time without the need to send samples to a laboratory for analysis. The icountPD Water Glycol monitors the fluid continuously and provides data online, immediately highlighting areas of concern as they occur. By employing a suite of both online and offline instruments to monitor the fluid for elements of corrosion and bacteria growth, operators can identify any areas of compromised functionality, before costly damage occurs.
Dr Steve Dye, business development and marketing manager, Parker Kittiwake explained: “The traditional method of offline laboratory testing does not provide adequate protection for many assets, particularly for those critical to the safety of the platform or vessel. The ability to obtain data as reliable and accurate as laboratory testing, on-board and in real time can offer operators real benefits in asset management and maintenance planning, whilst also reducing the risk of human error in obtaining the data.
Parker Kittiwakes water-glycol instruments allow operators to make confident, informed decisions on-board regarding maintenance and asset management, without the need to wait for on shore laboratory testing results. Armed with this information without delay, operators are better equipped to prevent damage and optimise the operational output of the vessel or platform to realise maximum profits.”
Parker Kittiwake is a world-leading expert in condition monitoring. The company has over 23 years experience in developing products for in-service oil analysis, allowing large plant operators to accurately monitor the condition of their critical assets. The company provides various online condition monitoring tools, including the ThrusterSCAN online condition monitoring test that predicts failure and enables preventative maintenance to insure against downtime, and an ATEX approved metallic wear debris sensor which meets the America Society for Testing Materials (ASTM) standard for testing metallic wear.
