Process control company Bürkert Fluid Control Systems has partnered with biodiesel equipment manufacturer Green Fuels to offer a complete package of ATEX-rated valves, flow sensors, level switches, positioner systems and conductivity and flow meters for Green Fuels’ latest skid-mounted, automated Fuelmatic system.
UK-based Green Fuels designs and manufactures a range of affordable processing equipment that produces bio-diesel for small-scale, domestic usage - right up to commercial production levels. Advanced technology integrated into the Green Fuels systems enables users to produce their own high-quality biodiesel inexpensively and safely for use as a sustainable road transport fuel.
Green Fuels is constantly updating its systems to produce biodiesel more efficiently. The latest system to undergo this process is the Fuelmatic, a unit for medium scale commercial production of high quality biodiesel. Designed to produce up to 20,000 litres a day, the Fuelmatic claims key advantages in that, as a skid-mounted unit, it can easily be transported to the source of the feedstock material from which biodiesel is produced.
Single source of supply
This flexibility contrasts favourably with larger fixed biodiesel plants, where feedstock has to be transported to a central location, a process that is costly, and, in view of the emissions from the many trucks required to transport the feedstock, both non-ecological.
In its re-design of the Fuelmatic, Green Fuels stipulated working with a single source for the supply of all valves, sensors, flow meters and positioners, et al. All the products had to be ATEX- approved EeX lA devices, powered via safety barriers — and Green Fuels also required the supplier to provide technical support and expertise to assist in the integration of the ATEX equipment into the re-designed Fuelmatic.
Burkert, the chosen supplier, had worked with Green Fuels on a previous project, offers a wide range of ATEX products on the process market — and can point to a successful history of working with customers that need development input, from consultancy to system design and manufacture, through to installations and testing. Sales Manager Neil Saunders says: “At Burkert we like to develop a relationship with our customers that extends throughout the entire project, rather that simply acting as a component supplier."
Seamless integration
Now, the fully automated Fuelmatic is controlled by a PLC which interfaces seamlessly with Burkert’s 8640 pneumatic valve islands. These units are built to specific requirements, and save space by providing for the actuation of up to 24 valves on compact modular backplanes. The Type 8640 provides users with a combination of pilot valves I/O modules and Fieldbus communications for the control of the widest range of process valves.
On the Fuelmatic the 8640 system provides actuation of Burkert pneumatic angle seat, globe and diaphragm valves, all with Type 1062 electric feedback switches, and the Type 2712 modulating globe valve with ATEX electro-pneumatic positioner. In addition, completing the package are ATEX- approved flow and displacement sensors, vibrating level switch, positive displacement flow meters and a conductivity transmitter.
“Burkert has proved to be the ideal partner on this project," said Green Fuels ND James Hygate. "It has met all of our requirements in terms of a well-known supplier with global reach, allied to local service. Burkert was able to meet our demand for a single source supplier across a wide range of ATEX equipment, and at a cost that was in the realms of reality.”
