Safety Relief Valve                                     

A safety relief valve as the name implies is used to avoid a dangerous build-up of pressure within a system. To do this, the valve discharges fluid such as steam into the atmosphere. The noise from major safety valves is generated by high turbulence and can be expected to be in the region of 150 -170 dB. Although noise from a safety valve is quite rare (about once a year), it may be sustained for hours while the system is depressurizing. Continuous exposure to noise at this level is a health hazard and it is thus important to take the necessary safety measures.

Recommended silencers: Our EVO, BOS and HPS model silencers have been used extensively in conjunction with Safety Valves.

Control Valve

When a fluid is made to exit a control valve at high velocity, it can be a major source of noise and vibration. Noise can also be emitted within the pipes downstream of a valve when there is high pressure drop. In a lot of cases, the large difference between the upstream and downstream pressures of a control valve cannot be avoided. However with the right equipment, excessive noise and deterioration of valve components can.  

Recommended Silencers: Model GDS Diffusers used in-line with control valves help reduce valve generated noise in the piping system. Furthermore, unlike a regular valve trim, the GDS inline gas diffusers will share pressure drop with the valve to minimize destructive effects on the valve’s components!

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Blow-down Valve

When fluids are accelerated or made to flow rapidly within a conduit, they generate noise that could irritate the ear. Power plants sometimes have to ‘blow-down’ or rapidly vent fluids from high-pressure sources especially during start-up or routine maintenance. This process can be quite noisy and most often than not requires a silencer.

Recommended silencer: Our EVO and BOS silencers reduces unwanted noise from venting at high pressure and high mass flow rate to the environmentally acceptable noise level.

HRSG Stack/Bypass Stack

Many power plants use gas turbines to drive power generators. In an effort to minimize waste, the energy from combustion is recovered by heating water to produce steam. For operational flexibility, it is sometimes necessary to install bypass stacks that direct the hot gases away from boilers. Under normal operation, hot gas passes through HRSG and loses most of its energy after passing through the boiler tubes. This lower temperature gas exits through the HRSG stack. Silencers are needed within the HRSG stack as well as Bypass Stack to reduce noise pollution.

Recommended silencer: Our Model CTS silencer panels are custom designed to minimize pressure drop, maximize performance and make on-site installation easy. 

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Engines
The engine and compressor are the heart of a compressor station. The compressor is needed to force the gas along its path within inter-state pipelines while the engine is needed to power the entire operation. Compressor stations may use a gas turbine or a reciprocating engine. Both involve the burning of natural gas to produce energy. The process of supplying gas to the engine as well as the engine exhaust are the major sources of noise.
Recommended silencers: Our Model CTS silencer incorporates silencer panels into a custom designed stack that fits into the exhaust of the turbine. Model RCS silencer is perfectly suited for reciprocating engines. The EES silencer reduces unwanted noise within the IC engine exhaust system. 
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Compressor Station Blow-down
The blow-down or depressurization of station equipment and gas piping is a source of intermittent noise. Blow-downs are usually scheduled and controlled as part of routine maintenance or during emergencies but may last for several minutes. During this period, it is essential to take the necessary precautions against continued exposure to noise. Without attenuation, the noise level from such depressurization could be in excess of 100dB even at 100ft away!
Recommended silencers: Our EVO and BOS silencers are custom designed to handle variable inlet pressure for a timed station blow down. These models have the multiple inlet option  to manage gas from different sources especially during start-up.

Compressors

Compressors are used to force (by increasing the pressure) natural gas to flow more readily through a pipeline. Companies that transport natural gas are able to do so by installing compressor stations intermittently along their network of pipelines. Noise generated by a compressor could be continuous or pulsating. Continuous noise is usually emitted by centrifugal and turbine compressors whereas pulsation noise is emitted by reciprocal, rotary or screw type compressors. Compressor noise mostly emanates from the compressor suction and discharge. Installing a silencer at the inlet or suction is a simple but proven method of attenuating noise. Our solution will always put into consideration the effect on operation, the available space and the noise characteristics of the compressor.

Recommended silencers: Our Model CIS Compressor Silencer is an absorptive type silencer, designed for the short acoustic wave lengths produced by centrifugal and axial compressors. It offers low-pressure drop and can be used at an open inlet unit or in-line if low-pressure air is being piped from a remote source. The CIS Inline Silencer could also be used in conjunction with one of our pulsation dampeners to control pulsation in positive displacement compressors. Model RCS silencer provides high performance flow path pulsation and noise control for compressors or blowers running at constant RPM.

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Liquid Pulsation Dampener

Reciprocating pumps when used in liquid applications produce pulsation noises within the pump discharge causing significant vibration and pipe damage. The FK liquid pulsation dampener reduces discharge pressure pulsation by approximately 75%. Completely liquid filled with no moving parts, this dampener eliminates maintenance and gas charging requirements. They can be permanently welded into the line saving flange cost and potential flange leaks. Inline configuration eliminates special support needs. Also available in 90 degree angle configuration.

Recommended Solution: Fluid Kinetics’ patented “no maintenance” PDS offer a high degree of attenuation to temper pulsation noise.

Hydraulic Acoustic Filter

Positive displacement pumps such as gear, piston, screw pumps create pulsation at their discharge which is undesirable for piping and down stream components. Fluid Kinetic's hydraulic acoustic filter attenuates such pressure pulsations generated at pump discharge. This custom tuned device helps to reduce noise and pipe vibration. There are no moving parts and it does not require any gas charging. These devices can be supplied with customer's choice of materials and end connections.

Recommended Solution: Fluid Kinetics’ AFC provides a custom solution for attenuating noise and solving pipe vibration.

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Suction Separator/Stabilizer

In systems with marginal Net Positive Suction Head (NPSH) or a gas-rich fluid, cavitation problems are commonplace. Cavitation causes significant damage to suction side components of the pump. Not any more with our suction stabilizers!

Recommended Solution: Fluid Kinetics’ SSC provide a full charge of liquid when the pump valves open; eliminating cavitation problems. This device also eliminates entrained gas in the suction lines.