Newly developed electric trigger speed shut-off valve from Armaturen Wolff, Germany

The SOLAS Code and all International Classification Societies require that in the event of an emergency, such as a fire in the engine room, there must be a facility on the ship that can cut off the fuel supply quickly and remotely, pneumatically, manually hydraulically and ropes (for convenience) Therefore, it is widely used.

Armaturen Wolff, based in Hamburg, Germany, has been producing fast-closing valves for decades and is constantly introducing innovative solutions in this area. Now the company has developed a quick-closing valve with electric triggering.

The new electronic control method works in the same way as the mechanical quick-closing valve used in the conventional system, except that the ejector of its actuator is used to hold the valve in the open position against the force of the compression spring. When triggered, the valve's ram is retracted so that the retaining nut can pass, thereby closing the valve under the force of the spring. Only the design of the actuator is different from the normal mechanical system.

In the new electric system, the valve is connected to the control box, and the control box ensures an uninterruptible power supply, enabling remote triggering of the valve. Because these systems are designed for emergencies, they require self-sustainment regardless of the control scheme. Even without auxiliary power, the device will work perfectly. In addition, short and not serious power outages and other disturbances should not cause the valve to close uncontrollably.

With Armaturen Wolff's new equipment, the ship's 115-230V AC power can be converted to 24V DC through a battery-buffered DC power module. The secondary circuits of the power supply are respectively connected to a plurality of trigger switches with indicator lights, and each switch is connected to a group of valves. When the switch is turned on, a change in voltage issues a trigger command to the valve, and the opening of the valve is released, causing the valve to close immediately.

A feature of the electrical system is the integration of complex monitoring functions in a simpler way. In view of this, all control lines are permanently monitored in the control box with the integrated fault alarm module. In the event of a fault, such as a poor socket or a problem with the cable, a collective fault alarm can be generated, which can be used as a general mechanical alarm at the machine side or in the cabin control room and cab. On the integrated fault alarm display, the location where the problem occurred can be directly displayed, so that effective repair can be directly performed.