Are close-coupled installations the secret ingredient for painless measuring and improved TCO?

Examples of close-coupled installations in front of a petrochemical plant.

Am I building the plant my client wants? What needs to be done to make it so? As a plant builder, you have probably asked yourself those questions too many times. Even more, you sure know the answers. They imply technical assurance under the project’s budget and schedule constraints.

Throughout my career as an instrumentation hardware specialist, I have observed a significant trend among EPC engineers, particularly in the chemical industry. When choosing accessories for a measurement system, they tend to prioritize investment savings over the total cost of ownership (TOC). Even when those savings don’t guarantee smooth upkeep for the facility.

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How to isolate a process line from process instrument with a DBB valve

Different methods to isolate process line from process instrument.

Block and Bleed and Double Block & Bleed isolation systems are used in process instrumentation to isolate your instrument from the main process line. The isolation valve(s) stop the flow from the upstream, while the bleed valve removes any pressure or residual product that remains in the downstream section or in the section between the two valves.

Use of block and bleed valves is mandatory in many industrial processes for isolating the measuring instrument from the process line. This allows maintenance work to be performed on the instrumentation without the need to shut down the entire operation. There are two approaches to the installation of a block and bleed or a double block and bleed setup.

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