Subsea Valve Actuator certified for Safety Integrity Level 3

DNV GL has certified the safety system of the Subsea Valve Actuator with field-proven springs for safety applications up to SIL 3. (Image source: Bosch Rexroth AG)

The new concept for Subsea Valve Actuators (SVA) from Bosch Rexroth has been certified by DNV GL for application in safety systems with up to Safety Integrity Level (SIL) 3 requirements. The SVA is a self-contained actuator for opening and closing process valves in the deep sea at depths down to 3000 meters and deeper. The system consists of an electrically controlled drive with a hydrostatic transmission, which saves up to 75% of the energy required compared to a conventional electro-mechanical axis.

The patent-protected SVA is design to open and close process valves for oil and gas production or in CO2 storage systems in deep sea applications. A redundant design, for example of the safety valves and field-proven springs, ensures that the actuator can close the process valve safely even in case of power failure and without external energy supply. In addition, the actuator can also be operated mechanically from the outside using an underwater robot via an independent override interface. All relevant components of the powertrain are designed with redundancy. DNV GL, the world’s leading classification company for the maritime industry, has now certified the SVA for application in systems with safety requirements up to SIL 3 according to IEC 61508 and IEC 61511. The design also complies with the ISO 13628-x and API 17x standards, which are important in the offshore industry for the protection of people and the environment as well as subsea installations or vessels.

“For the first time, users can now use electrical underwater actuators with the field-proven safety of mechanical springs without having to oversize the electro-mechanics as has been necessary in the past,” emphasizes Dr. Alexandre Orth, who is responsible for the Subsea Automation Systems at Bosch Rexroth. “The SVA is more compact, lighter and simpler in design and reduces energy consumption by up to three quarters.” Furthermore, Bosch Rexroth has integrated a continuous and automated monitoring of the system conditions, which significantly improves the diagnosis of the safety function.

At the beginning of the year, the innovative SVA was already being awarded with the “Spotlight On New Technology Award” of the Offshore Technology Conference (OTC 2020). The system is suitable for use in the deep sea down to 3000 meters and deeper and is designed for maintenance-free operation for 25 years. The SVA is a key component to promote the electrification of production systems in the deep sea.

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