Oil and gas facilities can contain potentially explosive atmospheres, making explosion protection a fundamental consideration when specifying electrical equipment. Electric valve actuators installed in these areas must provide the required operational performance, while complying with the relevant explosion protection requirements.
AUMA’s range of explosion-protected electric actuators are suitable for applications including refineries, pipelines, tank farms and platforms. The company’s oil and gas actuator portfolio includes multi-turn and part-turn solutions for both open-close and modulating duties.
Explosion-protected equipment is designed so that it does not become an ignition source in potentially explosive atmospheres. AUMA's explosion-proof actuator ranges are available with international approvals including ATEX and IECEx, with individual product certification dependent on actuator type and configuration.
The PROFOX-X range is certified to ATEX and IECEx requirements for gas group IIC T4. Available in multi-turn, part-turn and linear configurations, the range combines explosion protection with adjustable motor speed, open-close and modulating operation, fieldbus and Industrial Ethernet communication and integrated data logging.
Environmental conditions are another important consideration. Oil and gas assets can operate in demanding climates, while outdoor installations require appropriate protection against environmental exposure. AUMA identifies international explosion protection certification, SIL capability and reliability under harsh climatic conditions as key requirements for oil and gas applications.
Actuator specification should consequently consider the complete operating environment rather than treating explosion protection as an isolated requirement. Valve type, required torque, operating duty, ambient conditions, communication requirements and the appropriate hazardous-area certification all influence equipment selection.
Correctly specified explosion-protected electric actuators provide a dependable interface between critical process valves and the automation systems controlling them for EPC contractors, consultants and asset owners.