When an electric utility with a power plant in the southwestern U.S. prepared for a planned, major outage on its two Siemens 501D turbines, the plant’s manager requested a repair quote for two directional control valves and two gas valves attached to each turbine.

In responding to the request, Controlled Fluids (CFI), a distributor of motion control technology designed by Moog Inc., informed the plant managers that the Moog valves were an obsolete series and discussed replacing these as well as the Moog 025 and 026 Series actuators controlling them. The replacements would be newer Moog 094 Series hydraulic actuators.

“They were coming up on their cycle for outages,” said Nick Albarado, an integrator for Beaumont, Texas-based Controlled Fluids. “The plant managers were inquiring about servicing the turbine’s actuators, and we were able to bridge a gap between Moog and Siemens.”

According to Albarado, if a power plant or turbine operator has the obsolete Moog valves and actuators mentioned above, the plant managers need to replace them. This replacement involves planning to ensure the new equipment functions exactly like the old versions. Moog also requires time to accommodate any difference in fittings between the old and new valve sets.

Work Begins

Once the plant agreed to work with CFI, the Texas company performed a field survey of model numbers, physical limitations, and orientations. Next, CFI quoted the added value for its field service to remove and install new gas valves and run new hydraulic and electrical connections as well as actuators. By way of background, the inlet guide vane actuators and fuel gas control valves on the Siemens turbines regulate the ratio of air and fuel in varying loads for efficiency and minimal emissions. The purchase order for the work totaled $850,000, not including CFI’s field services.

“The turbine experts at CFI and Moog convinced us that a third-party repair might be less, but the Moog equipment would last up to 30 years, and the new valves and actuators are made to the OEM specifications,” recalls the plant’s reliability engineer.

According to Albarado, when you’re dealing with power generation, you need a guaranteed commitment that your actuators will be removed on a certain date, refurbished, returned, and replaced within the planned outage window. The plant manager also needs to know if the actuators will remain effective until their next planned repair date.

“The cycle at most plants is a major, planned outage every six years,” added Albarado, “and a minor one every three years where you’re not necessarily changing out the turbine’s actuators.”

Installing the new Moog actuators and valves took place late last year, so the components will next require service in 2030. Initially, the plant managers contracted CFI Field Service Manager Brad Little to install the first of the actuators and valves, while the plant’s personnel observed. However, the plant manager ultimately decided to have Little observe as the plant’s employees installed actuators and valves on both turbines.

“Moog supplied the valves and actuators along with the new hydraulic and electrical connections, CFI provided oversight,” said the reliability engineer for the plant. “We did the mechanical install, and CFI had an equipment trailer on site to make hoses based on the measurements they took, which helped; there’s a complex bit of hoses, four valves each with two hoses.”

The equipment and services CFI and Moog provided the plant included the Moog 094 Series rotary hydraulic actuators for Siemens turbines, supervision of the removal and installation of two sets of gas valves, and HPU maintenance.

The Moog 094 Series offers several improvements over the obsolete Series 025 and 026. For example, if power is lost, the Moog 094 Series actuator’s failsafe mechanism reverts to the closed position, unlike the obsolete designs. The 094 Series actuator holds the valve closed with a mechanical spring; normally, the actuator works against the spring to open the valve and hold a desired position. Hydraulic force acts in one direction, with the spring generating the opposing force. In the failsafe configuration, a three-way servo valve is applied with a single acting hydraulic cylinder.

When using the 094 Series actuator to replace the Moog 025 and 026 models, the failsafe feature is bypassed by removing the trip solenoid cartridge valve and replacing it with a simple cavity plug. This allows the actuator to function as designed in the fuel metering application. The 094 Series also incorporates: current; available control devices for the rotary viable differential transformer; and a filter differential pressure alarm, which runs on 24 volts direct current.

“The differential pressure gives you a good indication of when you’ve gone into bypass and whatever is downstream of that filtration,” said Albarado. “The alarm provides the turbine owner with a window into the oil health. If, for example, filters are failing at an accelerated rate, the turbine operator knows there is an issue. It could be a contamination issue or ingress somewhere along the line.”

The standard Moog 094 Series actuator operates on +/-30 milliamps control signal. For retrofit applications, Moog and its distributor will use a new servo valve that matches the original+/-40 mA signal. The Moog 094 Series actuators have the same hazardous location certifications as the original Moog 026 and 026 actuators.
If the plant hadn’t tapped CFI and Moog for this work, they might have picked an unauthorized repair house to replace the actuators and valves. But turning to an URH is risky. “Refurbished” actuators from any third-party pose a high probability of failure, say experts, triggering a forced outage for a power plant turbine.

—Bill Perry is managing partner with MARCH 24 Media.

Controlled Fluids oversaw the replacement of a power plant’s obsolete actuator assemblies with Moog 094 Series hydraulic actuator assemblies like the one in this diagram. The 094 series actuator is a modern design, utilizing a single acting piston operating against the spring force through a transfer case. The 3-way servo valve controls the flow of hydraulic fluid to the cylinder causing the valve to open, or to tank, relieving pressure from the cylinder allowing the spring to close the valve. A position transducer (RVDT – below left light silver) sends feedback to the control system to “close the loop” in the servo control scheme. The actuator positions a v-notch ball valve (below right blue) to precisely meter the flow of natural gas to the turbine. Source: Moog / MARCH 24 Media

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We’re excited to share a monumental achievement – 40 years in business!

Our 40th anniversary goes beyond marking time; it stands as a testament to the dedication, hard work, and unwavering support from everyone who has played a role in our journey. To encapsulate the essence of these four decades, we’ve crafted a special celebratory video. It’s more than a glimpse into the past; it’s a narrative that unfolds the chapters of our evolution. From ambitious beginnings to overcoming challenges that tested our resilience, the video takes you on a visual journey of our growth.

In celebrating this significant milestone, we express our deepest gratitude to our loyal customers, partners, and every member of Controlled Fluids Your trust and support have been the pillars of our success. To mark this occasion, we invite you to join us in watching the celebratory video. Let’s reminisce, celebrate achievements, and look forward to the exciting chapters that lie ahead!

Here’s to 40 incredible years!

Cheers,

Controlled Fluids

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Check out our video to learn more about how CFI can make your life a little easier.

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For over 35 years, CFI has supported motion control and fluid power industry customers across the globe. Our new state-of-the-art complex allows us to expand our custom design solutions, repairs, fluid conditioning and filtration services, rentals, and products.

Additional Enhancements to Better Serve All Industries:

• Tripled our service center that is now designed for more efficient workflows.
• Implemented 5S in the shop with the added space available.
• Training room with all the IT upgrades we could find (accommodates 60).
• 2.5 times lifting capacity.
• Drive through for 18-wheelers allowing us to unload directly using our overhead crane.

As one of the largest value-added distributors in North America, CFI’s solid partnerships with premier manufacturers help provide high-quality and reliable products. We’re excited about our new location as we continue to provide your motion control and fluid power needs.

CFI Corporate Office & Service Center:

• New Address: 7725 S. Major Drive, Beaumont, Texas 77705
• Mailing Address: PO Box 22859, Beaumont, Texas 77720
• Hours of Operation: 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM M-F
• 24/7 On-Call Support: 800-722-2630
• Email Us: isales@confluids.com

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• Heightening the awareness of health and safety preventative measures.
• Responsibly practicing social distancing as most employees work remotely.
• Enhancing sanitation and Hygiene protocols throughout our facilities.
• Minimizing physical contact including shaking hands, passing or handing items back and forth, etc.
• Temporarily restricting onsite meetings and customer-facing events and encouraging phone/email communications instead.

Continuing to Serve You

As a service provider to customers who are considered an essential business to the industry, it is our responsibility to maintain regular operating hours to support you during this time. Although we may be unable to physically join you in the field, we are continuing to provide exceptional service and products as well as 24/7 on-call support to make sure your needs are taken care of during this time.

To make sure your operations remain successful during this time, your sales contact and our customer service teams are actively responding and available to discuss any questions or concerns you may have with regard to your orders and support.

Hours of Operation: 7:30 AM – 5:00 PM M-F

24/7 On-Call Support: (800) 722-2630

Email Us: isales@confluids.com

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Aventics is a leading manufacturer of pneumatic and hydraulic components. With over 150 years of expertise in pneumatics, Aventics employs around 2,000 people worldwide. The Aventics Group has received multiple certifications, including ISO 9001 and ISO/TS 16949 for quality, ISO 50001 for energy management, and ISO 14001 for environmental management.

Aventics is a leading manufacturer of pneumatic components, systems, and customer-specific applications. These pneumatic products and services are intended for industrial automation, additionally focusing on the sectors of commercial vehicles, food and beverage, railway technology, life sciences, energy, and marine technology. By integrating electronics and the use of innovative materials, Aventics is a pioneer in intelligent and easy-to-use solutions.

If you would like more information on Aventics lines of motion control products, or if would like to incorporate these products into your systems, please contact CFI.

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Not only is a broader range of products and services now available to you, but CFI also brings a host of new capabilities to expand upon the great service you’ve received from Source Automation. CFI is an ISO 9001:2008 registered industrial fluid power and lubrication systems distributor offering quality products, systems design, engineering support, fabrication, component repair capabilities, and 24 hour service. 

Founded in 1984, CFI has years of experience servicing a variety of industries including oil & gas, power generation, metals, and forest products. To better serve our customers we now have 4 locations to service customers in Texas, Louisiana, and Oklahoma.

Over the years we have found that the following core values have been the keys to our success:

• We are flexible.
• We are team players.
• We look out for the good of the company.
• We serve the customer above all else.
• We have a “can do” attitude.
• We take ownership.

In the past you have relied upon Source Automation to assist you with your fluid power needs and we are confident that CFI will exceed your expectations with the combination of our team, expertise, and offerings. We pride ourselves on being passionate problem solvers for industrial motion control applications and we look forward to working with you and earning your business.

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Over the past three years, we have hit some exciting milestones. This year not only marks thirty two years of providing innovative fluid power solutions, but also recent expansions into Louisiana and Oklahoma, our footprint has expanded to include four offices in three states. We look forward to continuing achieving our goals as we move forward with our new brand.

With our recent successes and the goals, we have for coming years, this is the perfect time to reevaluate our company’s brand and logo to ensure it is in line with who we are and where we are going. After reviewing multiple options, we chose a new logo that represents fluid in motion with a more modern and balanced look that captures the future direction. The spiral shape presents an abstract depiction of motion, whether it be a wind turbine, saw blade, drill bit, or whatever else we move through hydraulic power. We are proud to announce the launch of a new logo as part of the modernization of our company’s brand. 

Although we have updated our look, our commitment to customer service and finding the motion control solutions that others have missed remains unchanged. CFI is determined to be your knowledge center for fluid power issues, and we will continue to provide innovative solutions for your unique applications.

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Texas Business Radio is a business news and information talk show focused on the middle market and can be heard on KPRC AM 950 in Houston, TX.

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