COURSE OVERVIEW:

Emergency Shutdown Valves (ESDV) are the final line of defense in protecting industrial plants from catastrophic events such as fires, explosions, or environmental releases. This course focuses on the critical role these valves play in Safety Instrumented Systems (SIS), providing participants with the technical skills needed to ensure they operate flawlessly when called upon. We will explore the specialized mechanical and control requirements of ESDVs, emphasizing their unique "fail-safe" design principles and high-integrity requirements.

The scope of this training covers the entire spectrum of ESDV technology, including high-torque actuators, sophisticated control solenoids, and the valve bodies themselves (typically ball or butterfly designs). Participants will examine the strict regulatory standards, such as IEC 61508 and 61511, which govern the maintenance and testing intervals of these safety-critical elements. The course provides detailed instruction on "Partial Stroke Testing" (PST) and "Full Stroke Testing" (FST), explaining how to verify valve readiness without unnecessarily interrupting the process.

Furthermore, the course addresses the practical challenges of maintaining ESDV reliability in harsh industrial environments. Attendees will learn how to diagnose common failure modes such as seat leakage, actuator seal degradation, and solenoid sticking. By mastering the functional testing protocols and documentation requirements, maintenance personnel will be able to provide the necessary assurance that the plant’s emergency shutdown system is robust, compliant, and ready to perform its life-saving function at a moment’s notice.

COURSE OBJECTIVES:

After completion of this course, the participants will be able to:

1. Define the role of ESDVs within a Safety Instrumented System (SIS).
2. Understand the concept of Safety Integrity Levels (SIL) and PFD (Probability of Failure on Demand).
3. Identify the mechanical components of a typical ESDV assembly.
4. Explain the "Fail-Safe" logic for pneumatic, hydraulic, and electric actuators.
5. Perform Partial Stroke Testing (PST) and interpret the results.
6. Execute Full Stroke Functional Testing during plant shutdowns.
7. Inspect and troubleshoot high-speed solenoid valves and quick-exhaust valves.
8. Diagnose internal and external valve leakage using specialized testing tools.
9. Calibrate limit switches and position transmitters for accurate status feedback.
10. Evaluate the impact of fire-safe design and fireproofing on ESDV performance.
11. Develop a comprehensive maintenance and testing plan for safety valves.
12. Document testing results for regulatory compliance and audit readiness.
13. Analyze ESDV failures to determine root causes and prevent recurrence.

TARGET AUDIENCE:

Instrumentation and Control Engineers, Mechanical Maintenance Engineers, Safety Engineers, and Senior Technicians involved in the upkeep of safety-critical systems.

TRAINING COURSE METHODOLOGY:

A highly interactive combination of lectures, discussion sessions, and case studies will be employed to maximise the transfer of information, knowledge, and experience. The course will be intensive, practical, and highly interactive. The sessions will start by raising the most relevant questions and motivating everybody to find the right answers. The attendants will also be encouraged to raise more of their questions and to share in developing the right answers using their analysis and experience. There will also be some indoor experiential activities to enhance the learning experience. Course material will be provided in PowerPoint, with necessary animations, learning videos, and general discussions.

The course participants shall be evaluated before, during, and at the end of the course.

COURSE CERTIFICATE:

National Consultant Centre for Training LLC (NCC) will issue an Attendance Certificate to all participants completing a minimum of 80% of the total attendance time requirement.