Over the past decade, the oil, gas and petrochemical industries have undergone significant changes in process safety systems and machine automation. Even so, Safety Integrity Level (SIL) remains a foreign concept among many clients of bespoke engineering systems.
Perhaps you’ve read about safety breakaway couplings achieving SIL2 certification but don’t understand how that could affect you as another end-user or integrator. Is a quick coupler manufacturer with SIL in their portfolio more reliable than one that does not? First, you need to learn the value of this certification for fluid transfer safety solutions and other systems.
What Is SIL Certification?
SIL certification is a classification of a relative risk reduction level and a performance measurement for a safety instrumented function (SIF). According to the International Electrotechnical Commission or IEC 61508 standard, there are two general categories for SIL certification, hardware safety integrity and systematic safety integrity.
There are four SILs: SIL 1, SIL 2, SIL 3, and SIL 4. Fundamentally, the higher the safety integrity level, the higher the associated safety level and the lower the risk of safety failure. There are different requirements for each SIL, but the classification is largely based on risk analysis.
SIL 2 Certification of Cryogenic Breakaway Couplings
Alpha Process Controls, a member of the GT Group, part of the Knorr-Bremse Group, has received a SIL 2 certification for its cryogenic small-scale safety breakaway couplings for the safe transfer of hazardous materials, including liquid natural gas (LNG) and liquid petroleum gas (LPG). Alpha’s small-scale safety breakaway couplings have been used for over four decades by the international industry.
This industry standard SIL 2 certification proves the safety breakaway couplings’ reliability in ensuring no product loss occurs during transfer. These passive devices are found in the middle of the terminal pipework and flexible loading hoses, which are commonly used in liquid transfer procedures between terminals and tankers and ships.
In the event of a tow away, the flexible loading hose comes into tension transferring the load to the breakaway coupling. As a consequence, the pre-determined break bolts snap and the coupling splits in half. The coupling parts are automatically secured shut, preventing product spillage.
The SIL 2 assessment and certification was facilitated and awarded by the UK consultancy Technis spearheaded by Dr David J Smith.
Alpha Process Controls, a member of the GT Group, part of the Knorr-Bremse Group, is an industry leader in the design, manufacturing and installation of custom engineering systems, including marine breakaway couplings, drybreak couplings and cryogenic breakaway couplings. For enquiries, please call +44 (0) 191 518 1555 or send us an email at [email protected]
