StocExpo, Europe’s largest international tank storage and future fuels event returned to Rotterdam in March. The event which attracts hundreds of thought leaders from across the world to discuss the future of the bulk storage industry provided the perfect opportunity to unveil Contrec’s new one arm preset load controller to the tank storage and distribution market.
Accredited with full Exd and IECEx certification for hazardous areas LoadPro® provides a safe and accurate solution for fuel and chemical loading in smaller chemical distribution hubs and fuel depots.
As the world’s energy requirements change to more sustainable sources, the technology and control solutions must adapt to meet these demands. The ability to safely and accurately measure these varied products in the petrochemical industries, is becoming more critical. Alternative fuels are driving the industry forward, Contrec’s Sales Director Craig Naylor talks about how Contrec’s systems can adapt easily to these changing requirements.
“As the fuels and chemical industries adapt to sustainable production methods, cleaner more efficient processes and increased flexibility for storage and transportation, the role of loading and unloading products safely, accurately and with instant visibility has never been more important. Contrec have been manufacturing electronic preset controllers since the 1980’s when automation of legacy mechanical systems began gathering pace. In those 40 years we’ve learned and adapted our solutions to meet the constant shifting in technology and customer demands. The modern day preset controller doesn’t just need to count the flow, it needs to operate reliably in sites that rarely close or maybe unmanned, to be able to integrate with every aspect of the loading/unloading process including authorising competent users and monitoring safety systems, to then produce transport documents and transmit that data to remote supervisory software for report generation or invoicing.
LoadPro® covers all these requirements in a simple to operate, compact system. Our in-built RFID reader will authorise operators ensuring theft/misuse is minimised by only allowing approved users to load/unload products. For extra security, a second authorisation can be used or assigned to vehicles to help maintain audit trails.
New installation or upgrading an old mechanical system? No Problem. LoadPro® is as happy working with existing Positive Displacement or Turbine flowmeters as it is with new technologies such as Coriolis and Ultrasonic flowmeters.
What about control? The traditional method in petroleum applications of Digital Valve Control (DCV) is catered for, however we also handle simple On/Off valves and for some chemical applications 4-20mA modulating valves are catered for.
Can I compensate for temperature/pressure/density? The answer is yes, we have the API/ASTM tables for oil products built in, and for those with specialist fluids then a custom table can be entered into the device to correct against.
What safety features are included? Earth, Overfill and Vapour Return alarms are covered by our permissive inputs which can be configured to pause or abort the load if triggered. Emergency Stop circuits will instantly terminate the load. All alarms are reported as ‘exceptions’ on the loading dockets so that these incidents are highlighted to supervisors.
What else does can LoadPro do? Gantry isolation/pump control output. Deadman operation which ensures the operator remains near the loading point during operation. LoadPro® keeps a log of all transactions (up to 1500) so in the event of communications going down, no loads are lost, the loading can continue and historical transactions can be printed/downloaded to the supervisory system once comms are re-established.
The push towards alternative renewable fuels such as HVO (Hydrotreated Vegetable Oil), SAF (Sustainable Aviation Fuel), along with Bio-Diesel and Gasohol/Ethanol throws up the requirements to blend, add to this marking fuels to help prevent fraud or adding performance and efficiency improving chemicals requires additives, Contrec have a range of solutions to handle these tasks simply and accurately.
For Volumetric or Mass Frequency Flowmeters, the LoadPro™ Load Controller has a range of application packs tailored to the various requirements found in single arm loading systems. It is a simple to use numeric controller with the capabilities for Dual Stage Relay, Digital Valve Control or Analogue Valve/VSD drive for the reliable and accurate delivery of preset quantities of liquid products. The frequency flow input, from volumetric or mass flowmeters, can accept aquadrature signal for ISO 6551 level B pulse security along with pressure, temperature and/or density inputs can be used to provide volume correction to recognised national standards.
Easily integrated with Datamod™ Contrec’s simple to use reporting software or most commercial TAS systems.
