Sweden: Upgraded Alfa Laval Control Systems Provide Reliability and Extend Service Lifetime

Alfa Laval presents its EPC 60 Retrofit, a new upgrade kit intended to enhance older control systems of previous generations of Alfa Laval centrifugal separators with the modern EPC 60 control unit. The retrofit kit provides a viable alternative for owners of 30-year-old Alfa Laval centrifuges to modernize the entire separation system with a marine-approved PLC system with modular I/O cards.

Upgrading an aging control system delivers significant financial gains in the form of improved system reliability, a secure spare parts supply and more uptime.

The Alfa Laval EPC 60 Retrofit kit offers a hardware and software upgrade that enhances the control systems, including the IPC 231, EPC 30, EPC 41 and EPC 400, of a wide array of older Alfa Laval separators. These robust separation systems, such as the Alfa Laval MAPX, WHPX, MOPX, FOPX, LOPX and MFPX, were developed in the 1970s and 1980s, and their aging control systems pose risk to reliable operation.

“Upgrading older Alfa Laval control systems secures the reliability and extends the service lifetime of the entire separation system. In addition, it raises product quality, increases production capacity and delivers more uptime,” says Magnus Nordin, General Manager, Parts & Service, Marine & Diesel Equipment, Alfa Laval. “This has a direct impact not only on return on investment but also on the bottom line.”

Introducing modern PLC functionality to older generations of Alfa Laval separators is cost-effective and hassle-free, since everything conveniently fits within the existing space. Simply mount the EPC 60 cabinet with its modular I/O cards into the space occupied by the old control cabinet. There is no need to replace the heater, steam control valve or power unit cabinet, starter cabinet, cabling and piping, and no welding is required.

“The EPC 60 Retrofit kit makes operation, troubleshooting and CIP (Cleaning in Place) easy much easier than before,” continues Nordin. ”The CIP process, for example, can take place without having to operate the separator in manual mode. This reduces wear, increases separation efficiency and makes maintenance and troubleshooting easier.”

In short, the combination of space-saving design, modular I/O cards and ease of operation and maintenance makes the EPC 60 Retrofit kit a solid choice for extending the life of older separation systems.

[mappress]

Shipbuilding Tribune Staff, May 14, 2012; Images: alfalaval