VICOSOL AS
Øvre Eikervei 83
3048 Drammen, NORWAY
Our Engineering Capabilities
With our experienced engineering team we support the customer with studies, HW engineering, SW solutions and delivery of enhanced functions. Whether it is a minor SW modification or designing a complex customized solution, we support it with our SW and HW knowledge. As an innovative partner we always challenge existing solutions.
“Your problem is our challenge”.
Fabrication, Modification and Upgrades
As with any type of equipment with decades of operation, life obsolescence is always a challenge. Most of the installed base in the North Sea are now “legacy units”. For a large range of components and equipment, especially electronically controlled components, e.g. control systems, control valves/drivers and instrumentation has gone through immense change over the past 10 to 15 years. We regularly face components that are obsolete or discontinued, where the replacement product is not a 1:1 replacement. We believe that obsolescence cases will grow as the assets age, at the same time as the operation life is extended. One of our core strategies is providing all and any services to our clients where we believe our experience and background can be of great value for the operator and end-user, ensuring availability and reliability with the obsolescence challenges.
Examples
- The gas-shutoff valve for a Norwegian operator has discontinued 10 years ago, where the replacement valve was 36 mm shorter. We provided an engineered solution with custom-made spacers to adapt to the old pipe length.
- Turbines designed before 2010 were delivered with an EM fuel metering valve driver. The EM drivers are discontinued where the replacement is a DVP driver that requires a new valve actuator and CAN-bus communications. We have provided an update solution with a new CPU with Can-bus, updated code and new valve actuators.
- An operator with a legacy package required a new off engine fuel flex, where the original flex manufacturer was no longer in business. We provided a reverse-engineered solution with a new supplier.
- A Norwegian user had issues with his PX36 signal, where the root cause was a broken signal amplifier. The amplifier was discontinued. We, together with the OEM of the amplifier, delivered an updated solution with a different amplifier.
- 10-15 year old installations utilize DC power supply systems installed, where no spares or direct replacements are available. We have developed an updated solution with the leader of power supplies. Our solution secure spares availability, saves space (3U solution) as well as significantly reduce panel heat.
Fabrication, Modification and Upgrades
As with any type of equipment with decades of operation, life obsolescence is always a challenge. Most of the installed base in the North Sea are now “legacy units”. For a large range of components and equipment, especially electronically controlled components, e.g. control systems, control valves/drivers and instrumentation has gone through immense change over the past 10 to 15 years. We regularly face components that are obsolete or discontinued, where the replacement product is not a 1:1 replacement. We believe that obsolescence cases will grow as the assets age, at the same time as the operation life is extended. One of our core strategies is providing all and any services to our clients where we believe our experience and background can be of great value for the operator and end-user, ensuring availability and reliability with the obsolescence challenges.
Examples
- The gas-shutoff valve for a Norwegian operator has discontinued 10 years ago, where the replacement valve was 36 mm shorter. We provided an engineered solution with custom-made spacers to adapt to the old pipe length.
- Turbines designed before 2010 were delivered with an EM fuel metering valve driver. The EM drivers are discontinued where the replacement is a DVP driver that requires a new valve actuator and CAN-bus communications. We have provided an update solution with a new CPU with Can-bus, updated code and new valve actuators.
- An operator with a legacy package required a new off engine fuel flex, where the original flex manufacturer was no longer in business. We provided a reverse-engineered solution with a new supplier.
- A Norwegian user had issues with his PX36 signal, where the root cause was a broken signal amplifier. The amplifier was discontinued. We, together with the OEM of the amplifier, delivered an updated solution with a different amplifier.
- 10-15 year old installations utilize DC power supply systems installed, where no spares or direct replacements are available. We have developed an updated solution with the leader of power supplies. Our solution secure spares availability, saves space (3U solution) as well as significantly reduce panel heat.
Obsolescence Review
Managing obsolescence for your system involves assessing the risks and impacts of obsolescence and planning the strategies to reduce potential risk and hazards.
All gas turbine control- and fuel systems consists of parts that have an expected lifecycle. Brand new systems are ideally designed with parts that have a “infinite” lifetime at the time of design, but the parts will either fail or reach the recommended overhaul interval given by the supplier. Eventually reproduction of the part becomes impossible due to component obsolescence, i.e. the part has reached the end of its life cycle.
This will result in one of the following situations:
- Spare parts are not available off-the-shelf from the supplier
- Only option is return and repair of the parts
- Spares are not available, and repair is not possible. I.e. the part is fully obsolete
Read more
- If any part in your gas turbine control- and fuel system reach or is near its end-of-life cycle, you have a significant risk of an unplanned and/or forced outage due to low or no availability of spare parts. Typical indications that your system is at risk:
- Increased unexpected shutdowns
- Increased maintenance cost (parts/manpower)
- Difficulty to get hold of spare part
- Lead time of spare parts increase
- Original equipment supplier does not exist
- Lack of support from part suppliers
What we can do for the customer
We can review the existing installed equipment with focus on the operational risks in respect to obsolescence of the turbine control- and fuel system.
The study will give you a summary of:
- Our overall concerns and identified risks with your system
- Short term solution and risk mitigation
- Potential long-term solutions
- Potential alternative parts with reduced spare part cost
- Optional improvement solutions
- Budgetary pricing of the various solutions and mitigations
Obsolescence Review
Managing obsolescence for your system involves assessing the risks and impacts of obsolescence and planning the strategies to reduce potential risk and hazards.
All gas turbine control- and fuel systems consists of parts that have an expected lifecycle. Brand new systems are ideally designed with parts that have a “infinite” lifetime at the time of design, but the parts will either fail or reach the recommended overhaul interval given by the supplier. Eventually reproduction of the part becomes impossible due to component obsolescence, i.e. the part has reached the end of its life cycle.
This will result in one of the following situations:
- Spare parts are not available off-the-shelf from the supplier
- Only option is return and repair of the parts
- Spares are not available, and repair is not possible. I.e. the part is fully obsolete
Read more
- If any part in your gas turbine control- and fuel system reach or is near its end-of-life cycle, you have a significant risk of an unplanned and/or forced outage due to low or no availability of spare parts. Typical indications that your system is at risk:
- Increased unexpected shutdowns
- Increased maintenance cost (parts/manpower)
- Difficulty to get hold of spare part
- Lead time of spare parts increase
- Original equipment supplier does not exist
- Lack of support from part suppliers
What we can do for the customer
We can review the existing installed equipment with focus on the operational risks in respect to obsolescence of the turbine control- and fuel system.
The study will give you a summary of:
- Our overall concerns and identified risks with your system
- Short term solution and risk mitigation
- Potential long-term solutions
- Potential alternative parts with reduced spare part cost
- Optional improvement solutions
- Budgetary pricing of the various solutions and mitigations
Root Cause
– Troubleshooting and Optimization
A Gas turbine control system is complex, with hundreds of I/O’s and thousands of embedded equations and functions. Operation disturbances, low efficiency and/or forced outages are often difficult to establish without in-depth analysis of the control systems.
With our extensive control system and application engineering background, our team are amongst the strongest within fault and root cause analysis.
We provide specialized troubleshooting and optimization diagnostics, to determine underlying issues and actual root causes to increase plant availability/reliability.
Root Cause
– Troubleshooting and Optimization
A Gas turbine control system is complex, with hundreds of I/O’s and thousands of embedded equations and functions. Operation disturbances, low efficiency and/or forced outages are often difficult to establish without in-depth analysis of the control systems.
With our extensive control system and application engineering background, our team are amongst the strongest within fault and root cause analysis.
We provide specialized troubleshooting and optimization diagnostics, to determine underlying issues and actual root causes to increase plant availability/reliability.