CASE STUDY – WATER
Monterrey’s Tank Challenge
Oxford Flow deployed its’ Inline Polymer (IP) Series valve to solve a tank level control problem for Monterrey’s Water Supply and Sewerage Company (SADM) in Mexico.
The client
Monterrey’s Water Supply and Sewerage Company (SADM) in Mexico supplies water in the Monterrey metro area (MMA). SADM is an autonomous public utility under the government of the state of Nuevo León and is the acting water authority in throughout the MMA.
The challenge
Monterrey’s engineers have been struggling with a tank filling application for over 25 years. They have over 200 storage tanks across their water distribution system to help supply constant water capacity and pressure to all their customers. Often the water supply filling the tank is at very low pressure (between 2M – 8M of head). Previous attempts to use automated globe style valves had proven expensive and had also fallen short of performance expectations due to low flow capacity, and failure to provide a drip tight shut off causing loss of water through tank overflow.
Monterrey’s Technical and Operations Director commented that in more than 25 years of working with PRVs, they have “never experienced a valve that can control the tanks low differential pressure / head loss.”
The solution: Oxford Flow’s IP series PRV valve
An Oxford Flow IP150 valve was installed on an 8″ tank inlet utilising the existing float valve and was observed over several days utilising data loggers. From day one the Oxford Flow IP Series valve performed exceptionally well in the challenging operating environment. Engineers form Monterrey were amazed at the ease with which the valve performed across flow conditions that were previously unmanageable. Oxford Flow’s product really shined when faced with the low upstream head conditions and was able to quickly and accurately respond to all commands from the existing float valve.
Performance through the trial was excellent and Oxford Flow exceeded all operational criteria set at the beginning of the trial. As a result, the Oxford Flow IP series is the only valve now qualified for all tank filling applications across the Monterrey Network. Michael Sutcliffe, Group Business Development Director at Oxford Flow, added: “The Oxford Flow IP Series PRV is currently winning over the water distribution industry whenever it is put to trial in difficult flow conditions. It’s manufactured using Acetyl Polymer Resin and approved for potable water use. The game changing design and light weight material make these valves about 1/10th of the weight and 1/5th of the size of traditional ductile iron pressure control valves. The valve’s enhanced performance is partially due to its industry leading minimum head loss. Equipped with additional ports, it is very easy to connect a data logger to see just how well this valve performs in any application where pressure and flow management is required.”
The results
After successful trials across Mexico, the Oxford Flow IP Series is pending further installations across the Monterrey network and has already been deployed in other municipalities throughout Mexico. Oxford Flow’s innovative pressure control technology is finding applications across water and gas distribution as well as oil & gas operations including Smart Valve technology for pressure management as a tool to reduce system losses across distribution networks.
Benefits
- Lightweight – manufactured using WRAS approved Acetyl resin and weighs a 1/10th of competitor PRVs
- Precision control – reduced hunting, flow turbulence and head-drop
- Flexible – suitable for installation with a range of customer equipment
- Cost-effective – minimal labour costs and set-up time
- Low Head-loss – can be deployed in previously unmanageable network zones