Source: Valve World Magazine, November 2024 issue (Technical Story). Text and images by Automize Lab. Co., Ltd. Original: https://valve-world.net/a-retrofit-solution-for-manual-valve-automation/ — republished in English as-is; Chinese translation available in the Chinese version.

Valve Automizer retrofit automation device (image: Automize Lab.)

• Technical

Text and images by Automize Lab. Co., Ltd.

Valves are essential components used to control fluids in various settings, including buildings, agricultural equipment, factory equipment, ships and plants. While some valves are being replaced by electrically operated automated valves, many installed valves remain manually operated. The automation and networking of these valves offer significant advantages when operated as a cohesive valve system.

Key benefits of automated and networked valve systems include:

• Remote operation and monitoring: During normal operations, these systems can function as Internet of Things/Digital Transformation (IoT/DX) equipment, allowing for real-time monitoring of operational conditions and optimization of processes.
• Enhanced safety in abnormal situations: Remote operation from secure locations enables safe and reliable implementation of complex shutdown and recovery sequences during abnormalities or disasters.
• Improved control precision: Autonomous control of automated and networked valve groups facilitates more accurate adjustments, such as flow control, under normal operating conditions.
• Emergency response capabilities: In crisis scenarios, such as pipe breaks, the system can automatically shut off fluid flow from damaged sections and reroute it through alternative channels without human intervention or reliance on higher-level monitoring systems.

These applications are relevant across various sectors, including buildings, agricultural equipment, factory equipment, ships and plants.

The implementation of such valve systems offers multiple advantages:

• Advancement of IoT/DX initiatives
• Improved work efficiency
• Mitigation of labour shortages
• Enhanced operational safety
• Reduced potential for damage
• Rapid recovery in emergency situations

These benefits contribute to the development of robust Business Continuity Plans (BCP), addressing current societal challenges. Automize Lab. has developed the Valve Automizer to address these needs. This retrofit automation device enables the automation of installed manual valves without replacement or disposal. Additionally, the company has created autonomous control applications for valve systems. This report outlines the technical challenges encountered and the solutions developed during this process.

Various types of equipment in factories, buildings and ships are maintained and renewed daily. In situations where a reduction in maintenance and management costs (life cycle costs) is required, the aim is to use equipment as long as possible. Additionally, remote operation and automation are often required to save manpower, and these requirements are expected to increase in the future due to the decline in the productive population.

The majority of valves in factory equipment and ships already in operation are manual valves. The newly developed retrofit automation device, Valve Automizer, remotely operates and automates existing manual valves without the need to replace or dispose of them. The following effects can be achieved by applying ‘retrofit automation’ to manual valves:

• No disposal of existing equipment (manual valves) or fluid: In addition to being able to use existing equipment (manual valves) as they are, retrofit automation can be carried out without stopping the fluid flowing through the pipes or removing it from the pipes.
• Pursuit of new technological development, promotion of DX: The valve’s open/close history can be recorded, making it useful as an edge device for collecting various data, such as the usage status of equipment equipped with the valve. This contributes to DX promotion, such as optimizing maintenance intervals and future technological development and operation.
• Operation in hazardous areas and rapid response to emergencies: Valves in hazardous locations that are inaccessible to humans can be operated remotely to ensure safety. The system can also respond quickly to emergencies, enabling safe operation and preventing the spread of damage.
• Manpower-saving operation of the valve: Valves that were previously operated manually can now be remotely operated and automated, enabling multiple manual valves to be operated and monitored by a small number of people. Additionally, the system reduces the workload of operators, as it eliminates the need for specialized skills and can be easily operated by anyone. The Valve Automizer can be operated by pressing the open, close and stop buttons and does not require any training, thus accommodating a wide range of operator skill levels.
• Labor-saving installation work and reduced man-hours: The valve can be electrically operated without removing the manual valve, so it can be installed without needing to carry out incidental work such as removing and restoring pipework.
• Miniaturization: The volume is less than half that of a conventional motorized drive unit, which reduces layout restrictions associated with installation and minimizes interference with peripheral equipment, allowing the unit to be installed without major changes to the layout.

The retrofit automation device Valve Automizer has the following common features:

• Compatibility with various valves (four types have been developed, as shown in Figure 2, supporting both multi-turn and part-turn valves).
• Add-on: Automation by retrofitting existing valves.
• Easy installation: Easy to install, remove, and set up.
• Automation: Automation of operation and monitoring of status (remote monitoring, recording of operation history).
• Network: Intelligent remote and autonomous control, realizing new functions as a valve system.

The following additional functions have also been developed for environments where manual valves have been installed in the past:

• Submersible performance: The valve can remain usable for 72 hours under a 7-meter water head pressure due to flooding at the installation site.
• Impact resistance
• Explosion-proof construction

In the retrofit automation device Valve Automizer, various issues were identified to realize each function, and the following new developments were made to address these issues:

1. Automation through the use of servomotors and unique load and displacement control

Manual valves have individual differences, and the operating force varies depending on factors such as fluid type and pressure. For example, when closing a valve, the operator needs to make manual adjustments, such as determining the amount of force to apply and the stopping position, considering the closing state of each individual valve. Additionally, valves that have been installed and operated for a long time exhibit various differences due to manual operation, with changes in shaft resistance and closing position over time. The manual adjustments performed by humans when opening and closing valves are replaced by servomotors and independently developed load and displacement control, making it possible to accommodate individual differences and age-related changes in the valves.

2. Realization of add-on and easy installation by downsizing the system

The servomotor control circuit has been developed independently, achieving compactness, including the network function and an attached battery to cope with abnormalities, facilitating add-on and easy installation.

3. Swarm control technology

Swarm control technology can be applied to valve networks by integrating the control and sensors of each valve in a network. By developing original software, autonomous control through swarm control allows multiple valves to cooperate to meet the required values in response to changes in ambient conditions and demand, improving response capability in the event of an abnormality.

This report was prepared to examine the application of mechatronic systems across various fields and to explore the foundational knowledge and techniques for integrating these systems with IoT and AI technologies. The following findings were obtained from the study using the Valve Automizer, a retrofitting automation device developed by Automize Lab. Co., Ltd.

1. Increased flexibility

The Valve Automizer is a unique retrofit automation device for valves. Its ultra-compact and lightweight design enables retrofitting. The ‘retrofit automation’ of valves is a new function not available in conventional machines (valve actuators), providing increased flexibility.

2. Compactness, lightness and high reliability

The servomotor control circuit of the Valve Automizer was developed independently and is about one-tenth the volume of commercially available servomotor control circuits. This significant reduction in size and weight, along with a decrease in the number of parts, leads to higher reliability.

3. Higher precision and speed

Equipped with a CPU and an in-house developed servomotor control circuit, the Valve Automizer offers higher precision and speed.

4. New mechatronic benefits found in the promotion of retrofitting automation

The Valve Automizer uses the mechatronics technologies and benefits described above (1) to (3) to achieve retrofitting automation of valves. The ease of retrofitting allows numerous devices to be connected to the network. Autonomous and coordinated control of a large number of valves can be achieved using swarm control technology, a recent advancement in mechatronics. Retrofit automation is not limited to valves but can be applied to a wide range of applications, facilitating autonomous and coordinated control across various devices and fields. This means that retrofit automation creates new application fields for mechatronics and leads to discovering new benefits in autonomous and coordinated control. Figure 3 shows an example of a manual valve retrofitted automatically with a valve automizer to achieve autonomous and coordinated valve control through group control technology.

This report has examined the application of mechatronics control technology in the development of the Valve Automizer, a retrofitted automation device. The findings demonstrate the potential benefits of integrating mechatronics with IoT (Internet of Things) and AI technologies in valve automation. Future developments in this field may continue to refine mechatronics control technology and its applications, potentially addressing industry challenges and contributing to technological advancements in various sectors.

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