Paradigm Flow Services has released its Dry-Flo testing technology as part of the company’s Deluge Integrity Management service.
Wet testing, where firewater is pumped through the deluge system to check flow through nozzles, can cause problems with corrosion under insulation, water ingress to electrical junction boxes, and flooding of the process module drains. Dry-Flo uses conditioned and dehumidified air to assess the functionality of deluge nozzles, with remote sensors strategically placed to pick up the air wave signatures throughout the deluge system.
“Operators are looking for a way to minimize exposure to the problems with current testing methods. With a 20% rise in hydrocarbon releases from April 2013 to March 2014 and a 50% initial test failure rate in UK deluge systems, the importance of effective fire safety systems cannot be underestimated. Now is the right time to introduce these new testing measures which will transform how the industry benchmarks deluge performance for the first time in fifty years," said Rob Bain, managing director of Paradigm Flow Services.
The Dry-Flo system dovetails with the Health and Safety Executive’s KP4 initiative, which aims to improve awareness and management of the risks associated with aging assets in the offshore oil and gas industry, and also the Asset Stewardship & Technology Strategies from the Wood Review, "UKCS Maximising Recovery Review.”
The Dry-Flo technology will be demonstrated to clients and industry stakeholders at Paradigm’s new office in Drumoak, Aberdeenshire over the next three days, 18-20 November. The site includes a full scale 50 nozzle deluge system which has been specifically designed to replicate an offshore environment.
Not only does it address the risks associated with wet testing and corrosion, it eliminates the need to cover and protect electrical equipment and it can be conducted while the deluge system is live. This means it is much less intrusive and there are no risks of accidental shutdown due to seawater ingress. There is also a reduction in personnel required when compared with conventional wet testing.
The data picked up from the air wave signatures is compared against hydraulic models developed by Paradigm engineers. Sensors can detect any deviations from optimum function. This can help to predict and pinpoint any issues with life-saving fire equipment and enables Paradigm to make recommendations on the best course of remediation.
Paradigm’s Deluge Integrity Management Service applies to the lifetime of safety critical firewater systems.
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