The Limitorque MX valve actuator, available from Acrodyne , was introduced to the flow control marketplace in 1997, which provided good reliability, performance and ease-of-use.
The Limitorque MX valve actuator has now undergone further innovative improvement.
The new Limitorque MX has been re-designed to provide users with a longer operational life in even the most rigorous and extreme applications.
Available for use on a wider variety and size of 360°, multi-turn valves, the globally certified device meets most world utilisation standards.
The important improvements to the MX include a patented absolute encoder with increased span, improved diagnostics capability, and built-in self-test (BIST).
The Limitorque MX is also double-sealed, allowing for containment of any leakage within the terminal compartment. The recent improvements make the Limitorque MX as a safe, predictable and reliable valve actuator.
These enhancements improve the speed, accuracy and simplicity of actuator operation in virtually any environment.
Advantages:
One of the significant operational advancements in the Limitorque MX has been enhancement to the special absolute encoder.
The smart and flexible encoder configuration helps simplify valve automation through configuration/setup, normal operations, diagnostics and troubleshooting.
Another enhancement to the new encoder model is that the drive sleeve turns have significantly increased. While the initial MX model had a span of 1,340, the Limitorque MX has now been improved to allow for a span of over 10,000 turn options.
The Limitorque MX has optional digital components and can operate on a number of networks with different protocols, which helps it more easily identify rapid component failure and reduce downtime. Diagnostic data is better retained, an important credential in processor meantime between failure analysis.
The Frequency Domain Analysis (FDA) features of the unit capture torque, position and speed values at regular time intervals. While monitoring these events, the resulting data set is automatically calculated to pinpoint the failure or failed components.
Failed or failing components can thus be easily targeted, and the data monitored, in any type of use in order to determine and report faults. And the MX can retain this positioning without the need for an auxiliary power backup.
Additional features:
The built-in, self-test (BIST) of the Limitorque MX is an ideal feature. The BIST feature is designed into an advanced controls platform that verifies and validates the integrity of its components, a design that aids companies in meeting the Safety Integrity Level (SIL) requirements of IEC 61508.
A series of parallel optical device transmitters are utilised in the absolute encoder of the Limitorque MX in order to supply redundant support.
This significant improvement now permits a fault tolerance of up to 50% before the position is incorrectly reported, allowing the device to continue to reliably function until a number of faults have been accumulated.
The Limitorque MX has a patented LimiGard circuit protection technology and Hall-effect devices to eliminate potentially troublesome reed switches. The enhanced MX improves on these features, adding new functionality for greater versatility.
This includes the addition of DeviceNet to its communication options to complement Modbus, Foundation Fieldbus H1, Profibus DP_V1, and Profibus PA. MX DeviceNet offers the user bit-strobe I/O messaging and a host of other benefits.
Limitorque MX actuators are available for torques up to 1700ft-lb (2307Nm) and thrust ratings up to 75,000lb (333kN). The units are also powder coated in a polyester resin to protect all components in even the most extreme and harsh environments.
Further upgrades to the MX include a graphical dot matrix display with improved visibility. The new easy-to-read 32-character LCD screen control panel supports all MX languages and diagnostic graphs for clear data analysis and collection. Display orientation can now be configured to rotate 180°.
The Limitorque MX also has easy-to-use menus in ten languages. It supports English, Spanish, French, Italian, German, Portuguese, Japanese (Katakana), Mandarin, Russian and Malay.
Bluetooth wireless connectivity is optional, offering a range up to 10m. When used with Limitorque DashboardT WindowsR based software, diagnostic information is easily transferred to a WindowsR Mobile equipped PDA, laptop computer or cell phone.