--------Blow Down Air & Signal Lines

Module 12315
Instrumentation Trainee Task Module 12315
BLOWDOWN AIR AND SIGNAL
LINES-
Ob|ectves
Upon completion of this module, the trainee will be able to:
1. Identfy systems whch requre perodc bowdown.
2. Propery bowdown an ar ne.
3. Propery bowdown a sgna ne.
Prerequstes
Successfu competon of the foowng Task Modue(s) s requred before
begnnng study of ths Task Modue: Instrumentaton Leve 3, Task
Modues 12307 and 12316.
Requred Tranee Matera
1. Tranee Modue
2. Requred Safety Equpment
Instrument Tranee Task Modue 12315 2
COURSE MAP
Ths course map shows a of the Wheels of Learning task modues n the
thrd eve of the Instrumentaton currcua. The suggested tranng order
begns at the bottom and proceeds up. Sk eves ncrease as a tranee
advances on the course map. The tranng order may be ad|usted by the
oca Tranng Program Sponsor.
LEVEL 3 COMPLETE
Bowdown Ar and Sgna Lnes - Modue 12315
3
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section Topic .
Page
1.0.0 Introducton
............................. 5
2.0.0 Systems Requrng Mosture Remova ...............
5
3.0.0 Bowng Down Ar Lnes .......................
6
4.0.0 Bowng Down Sgna Lnes ......................
7
4.1.0 Isoatng the Instrument ......................
7
Instrument Tranee Task Modue 12315 4
Trade Terms Introduced In Ths Modue
Actuating unit: Devce whch receves a sgna from a recevng unt and
uses that sgna to perform a functon (open a vave, sound an aarm, etc.).
Slowown !al!e": Vaves ocated on a system specfcay for the
purpose of removng mosture. Usuay ocated at system ow ponts.
Di##e$ential p$e""u$e t$an"%itte$": One type of nstrument used to
measure the dfference n pressure between two ponts n a system.
&ani#ol": A seres of vaves connected ether by ppng, or n a common
machned bock, whch are desgned to act together as a unt.
&oi"tu$e "epa$ato$: Devce whch mechancay removes mosture from
ar.
Rate p$e""u$e: The maxmum pressure to whch a ppng system shoud
be exposed.
Recei!ing unit: Devce that senses a pressure sgna and uses that
nformaton to deveop another sgna (usuay eectronc or pneumatc)
whch s sent to an actuatng unt.
Signal line": Lnes whch transmt a pressure sgna from the source to
the recevng unt or from a recevng unt to a actuatng unt.
1.0.0 INTRODUCTION-
Ar s used n ndustry as a means of transmttng pressure sgnas from a
receiving unit to an aarm or actuating unit. The ar that s used n these
nstruments s a ftered verson of the ar we breathe. The ar we breathe
s fed wth mosture and, athough great pans are taken to fter out the
foregn matter n sgna ar, mosture exsts n t as we. Ths mosture
eventuay condenses and coects n system ow spots causng operatng
dffcuty and damage to the system. In ths modue the methods and
procedures for removng ths mosture w be dscussed.
2.0.0 SYSTEMS REOUIRING MOISTURE REMOVAL-
The ar we breathe s approxmatey 1.5 percent water by voume. The
aws of physcs and chemstry te us that gasses are compressbe whe
quds are not. Knowng ths we can see that f a sampe of ar s forced
nto a smaer area (compressed), the percentage of mosture w
ncrease. Ths s why compressors aways have a moisture separator at ther
dscharge, to remove the arge amount of mosture that buds up when
the ar s compressed. Unfortunatey these mosture separators are not
Bowdown Ar and Sgna Lnes - Modue 12315
5
100 percent effcent, and some mosture buds up n compressed ar
systems.
The most common coecton pont for mosture n compressed ar systems
s n the fasks that store the compressed ar. Many of these storage fasks
are desgned wth blowdown valves on the owest pont to aow ths water to
be draned out. In systems wthout storage fasks, an externa ar source
may be needed to remove the mosture from system ow ponts.
Snce nstruments use compressed ar, and the nes eadng to these
nstruments are usuay qute sma, nes are very susceptbe to damage
from mosture bud-up. Mosture n a ne can corrode the nstruments,
gve a fase readng, or n cod weather freeze and bock the ne. Because
of the damage that coud occur, nes are commony bown-down to
remove any mosture whch mght bud-up.
3.0.0 BLOWING DOWN AIR LINES-
As stated earer, the most common coecton ponts for mosture n
compressed ar systems s n the bottom of the ar storage fasks. Most
arge voume fasks are equpped wth one or two bowdown vaves on the
undersde. In other system ow ponts, connectons are commony made
whch w aow the use of outsde ar sources to remove the mosture
from the system. Care must be taken when usng an outsde ar source to
ensure that a the approprate ceanness crtera are met. The procedure
to remove the mosture from the system ow ponts s reatvey smpe,
but a few mportant precautons shoud be observed.
WARNING Whenever workng wth hgh pressure ar, ensure proper
safety equpment such as eye and hearng protecton are
worn.
WARNING Pror to ventng mosture from the bottom of an ar fask,
ensure a personne n the area are aware of what you are
dong. Someone who s unfamar wth the procedure beng
performed mght mstake the nose for a hghpressure ar
eak.
WARNING If an outsde ar source s connected to bowdown the ppng,
ensure that the ar pressure does not exceed the rated
pressure of the system.
Bowdown procedure
1. Ensure bowdown ppng s cear and free of debrs. Connect externa
bowdown ar source f necessary.
2. Sowy open bowdown vave and aow mosture to dran out
NOTE: The bowdown vave shoud be opened sowy to prevent the
shock assocated wth a sudden pressure change. Addtonay
the vave shoud be mantaned n a throtted poston. If the
vave were fuy open the arge pressure drop woud cause a
arge temperature drop. Tryng to remove the mosture too
Instrument Tranee Task Modue 12315 6
qucky w cause freezng of the ne and subsequent
bockage of the ne.
3. Aow the ar/water mxture to escape from the bowdown ppng
unt a vsbe condensaton s dsspated. If you are unsure about
the mosture content, a sturdy gass botte may be paced under the
ne to coect a sampe. Water w eave a resdue whe pure ar w
not.
NOTE: If a gass botte s used, the beed rate shoud be reduced
suffcenty to prevent the danger of rupturng the botte.
4. When a of the mosture has been removed, shut the bowdown
vave.
4.0.0 BLOWING DOWN SIGNAL LINES-
The procedure for bowng down signal lines is essentay the same as that
for ar nes, except that the added danger of damagng an nstrument s
added. The foowng secton w dea wth the precautons and procedures
assocated wth mosture remova from sgna nes.
WARNING The frst consderaton n the bowdown of the sgna nes
surroundng an nstrument s determnng the purpose of the
nstrument tsef. Partcuar concern shoud be gven to any
emergency functons or protectve features assocated wth
the nstrument. Many nstruments are set to measure
pressures and fowrates n a system, and shutdown that
system when certan eves are reached. If the nstrument
contros one of these protectve features, speca care must
be taken when soatng the nstrument to ensure that the
system s not adversey affected. The crcutry assocated wth
the nstrument w have ether a "test" or "manua" mode
whch w remove the nstruments abty to actuate a
protectve functon. Specfc pant procedures for pacng the
nstrument n one of these modes shoud be adhered to
strcty pror to removng the nstrument from servce.
4.1.0 ISOLATING THE INSTRUMENT
The soaton procedure for a nstruments are bascay the same, the ony
dfference beng the number of vaves assocated wth the nstrument.
Instrument manifolds commony come n one, two, three, and fve vave
styes. Whenever possbe, specfc procedures speed out n pant
operatng procedures or manufacturers technca manuas shoud be
foowed verbatm. The foowng sectons w cover a basc procedure for
soatng a three and fve vave manfod.
NOTE: When operatng any vaves whe soatng an nstrument, the
vave shoud aways be operated sowy to prevent sudden
pressure changes whch coud damage the nstrument.
Figure 1 shows a typca three-vave manfod. Ths type of arrangement s
most commony used wth differential pressure transmitters. It conssts of two
Bowdown Ar and Sgna Lnes - Modue 12315
7
soaton vaves and one equazng vave. Extreme care shoud be taken
when soatng any nstrument wth ths type of manfod as one mstake
coud destroy the nstrument beyond repar. The procedure s:
Sowy open equazng vave.
Sowy shut the nstrument hgh pressure soaton vave.
Sowy shut the nstrument ow pressure soaton vave.
WARNING There s the possbty of the nes contanng hazardous
matera.
Fgure 1. Three-Vave Instrument Manfod
At ths pont the nstrument s competey soated. An externa ar source
may be connected to one of the test connectons and ar bown around the
nstrument and out of the opposte test connecton.
WARNING Ensure that the ar pressure used to bowdown the sgna
nes does not exceed the rated pressure of the nes or the
nstrument.
After the nstrument nes have been competey bown-down, and
mosture free ar exts the ne, the nstrument s paced back on servce n
the exact opposte order.
Sowy open the nstrument ow pressure soaton vave.
Sowy open the nstrument hgh pressure soaton vave.
Sowy shut the equazng vave.
Figure 2 shows a typca fve-vave nstrument manfod. Ths type of
manfod s commony used n gas systems to connect dfferenta pressure
transmtters to fowmeters. The dfference between a three-vave and a
fve-vave manfod s that the fve-vave manfod has two equazng
vaves and a bowdown ne. The procedure for soatng a fve-vave
manfod s:
Instrument Tranee Task Modue 12315 8
Sowy open the hgh pressure equazng vave.
Sowy open the ow pressure equazng vave.
Sowy shut the hgh pressure soaton vave.
Sowy shut the ow pressure soaton vave.
WARNING There s the possbty of the nes contanng hazardous
matera.
Fgure 2. Fve-Vave Instrument Manfod
The bowdown vave may now be opened to dran the nstrument nes
competey. In ths partcuar vave ne-up, ar nes may be connected to
the nstrument test connectons and ar bown through the bowdown vave
n order to remove a of the mosture from the nstrument nes. Care
shoud be taken to prevent damage to the nstrument. If the ar beng use
to bowdown the nstrument coud possby damage t, the nstrument
shoud be removed whe the nes are bown-down. Once agan do not
exceed the rated pressure of the sgna nes.
Once the nstrument has been re-nstaed (f necessary) and competey
bown down t may be put back on servce usng the foowng procedure:
Sowy shut the bowdown vave.
Sowy open the ow pressure soaton vave.
Sowy open the hgh pressure soaton vave.
Sowy shut the ow pressure equazng vave.
Sowy shut the hgh pressure equazng vave.
One addtona varaton on the fve-vave manfod s the bowdown
manfod shown n Figure 3. Ths type of nstrument manfod has
connectons whch aow for bowdown of the nes eadng up to the
soaton vaves. In ths type of manfod, after the nstrument has been
equazed and soated wth the soaton vaves, the bowdown vaves may
be opened and system pressure used to remove a mosture from the
upstream nstrument nes.
Bowdown Ar and Sgna Lnes - Modue 12315
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WARNING There s the possbty of the nes contanng hazardous
matera.
Fgure 3. Fve-Vave Bowdown Manfod
NOTE: When bowng down nstrument nes, ensure a of the
mosture s removed. Any mosture eft present n the ne
may freeze and damage the nstrument ater on. Ths may
requre bowng down the nstrument ne, watng 10 to 15
mnutes and bowng down the nstrument nes agan.
Notce that on a of the above procedures, the hgh pressure soaton
vave s never open at the same tme that the ow pressure soaton vave
s shut. The procedures are desgned ths way to prevent the fu hgh
pressure from actng on the nstrument wth nothng to oppose t on the
ow pressure sde. Many cases of nstrument faure have been recorded
due to aowng the hgh pressure fud to act aganst the nstrument wth
the ow pressure sde soated.
After the nstrument has been bown-down and the vave ne up restored,
t s mportant to ensure that the aarm crcutry s taken out of the "test"
or "manua" mode.
Instrument Tranee Task Modue 12315 10
SUMMARY
The bowdown of ar and sgna nes s a cruca preventatve mantenance
procedure. Wthout perodc bowdowns, mosture w bud up n the nes
whch coud freeze and rupture the nes. Mosture coud aso corrode the
nes, or cause a fase readng.
Extra care shoud be taken when workng wth sgna nes for two reasons.
If the nstrument s desgned to actuate a protectve feature on the
system, ths protectve feature must be soated pror to manpuatng any
nstrument vaves. Secondy care must be taken durng the soaton of any
nstrument to prevent damage to t. The craftsman must ensure that the
nstrument s soated propery and that any crtca pressures are not
exceeded.
Bowng down nes can be extremey dangerous, so safety of personne
must be of the upmost concern. Aways ensure proper safety equpment s
worn when workng wth hgh pressure ar. Aso, pror to ventng mosture
from the bottom of an ar fask, ensure a personne n the area are aware
of what you are dong. If an outsde ar source s connected to bowdown
the ppng, ensure that the ar pressure does not exceed the rated
pressure of the system.
SELF CHECK REVIEW / PRACTICE OUESTIONS
1. Why must the bowdown vave be throtted from the fu open
poston when removng mosture from an ar system?
2. When soatng an nstrument whch vave s aways shut frst, the
hgh pressure soaton vave or the ow pressure soaton vave?
3. What can be done to check for mosture from the dscharge ppng
other than a vsbe nspecton?
PERFORMANCE/LABORATORY EXERCISES
1. Bowdown an ar ne.
2. Isoate an nstrument.
3. Bowdown a sgna ne.
Bowdown Ar and Sgna Lnes - Modue 12315
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ANSWERS TO SELF CHECK REVIEW / PRACTICE OUESTIONS
1. To prevent freezng of the ppng.
2. The hgh pressure soaton vave.
3. The dscharge ar can be trapped n a sturdy gass botte.
Instrument Tranee Task Modue 12315 12