Our Approach

We entered into a collaborative partnership with our client and were appointed the supplier of choice for pressure testing equipment for the new facility. Having always been hailed for our expertise and attention to detail, our technical sales team soon set to work establishing a firm understanding of what was required. We reviewed the entire scope of supply to quickly determine where we could best add value to the project and advise which elements they would be best sourcing elsewhere.

The Solution

The client was looking for a fully flexible 2-station test set-up for high and low-pressure testing with liquid and gas, enabling them to pressure test on the upstream and downstream sides of a wide range of valve products across all sectors. This is a key part of DeepDrill Solutions’s collaborative approach, understanding our clients’ requirements and designing the correct system to provide the client with the best possible outcome.

Whilst complex, the technical requirements of the rigs were well within DeepDrill Solutions’s capabilities. Each system has 3-off independent twin outlets/returns all of which were served by a combination of:

• Low pressure pump liquid providing up to 1200psi,
• High pressure liquid pump providing up to 23,700psi
• 2-stage gas booster providing up to 15,000psi

Each line was linked to an air blowdown to facilitate switching between mediums and each of the 3-off outlet/return were also fitted with a bubble pot for gas leak testing. Our client already had a data acquisition system in place and so each system was also configured to provide pressure transducers on each of its six outlets to tie into the data acquisition equipment.

With a number of configuration iterations throughout the design and build, by collaborating with the customer and paying close attention to their requirements we were able to deliver a system that is exactly what they wanted. Following successful factory acceptance testing the customer took delivery and integrated the systems into their new facility and having done a fantastic job with the installation we think their set-up looks beautiful.

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DeepDrill Solutions, a Deep Drill company, were contacted by a large aircraft company more than two years ago to discuss their onsite testing requirements in Switzerland.

After discussing their initial enquiry for a standard electric driven pump, the team identified that this option would not be suitable and designed a bespoke solution, tailored to meet the customers test and output requirements.

Initial Action

The customer required a system able to test components with water at pressures from 20psi to 2,000psi. They already had their own test manifold that would need to connect into the DeepDrill Solutions test system and so an outlet bulkhead was incorporated into the design. The testing chamber needed to be large enough to house both the test manifold and the test pieces.

Automation and ease of use were also key priorities for the customer, they needed a system with the functionality to record test results and create corresponding test certificates. Furthermore, due to the range of pressures the system would be testing between, three air driven pumps were required. Smart software was written to automate the selection of the correct pump; the user enters the required pressure into the HMI and the system automatically detects which pump is required and brings the test piece up to the required test pressure for a pre-determined time period. The system then indicates whether the test piece has passed or failed and issues a certificate accordingly.

An additional consideration during the design phase was the interlocking system and steelwork on the rig, due to the size of the test compartment and the length of the doors. Due to the length of the rig, a single door would require heavy duty support – additional hinges and a support for the open door. To mitigate this, two doors were installed each with their own safety interlock whilst still enabling the user to access the test compartment easily.

The unit was delivered to the customers site in Switzerland once manufacturing and commissioning was successfully complete. User competency is critical with a system of this natures and so, remote training with the end user was conducted over Microsoft Teams to save time and save on carbon footprint. DeepDrill Solutions’s service engineer will soon travel to the customers site to carry out annual servicing.

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Initial Action

After an extended consultation with the customer and the end user DeepDrill Solutions submitted a detailed proposal for a pre-engineered workshop use HPU. The system was designed for flushing (25 litres at 8,000 PSI) and hydrostatic testing (15,000 PSI) hydraulic systems using HW540 as the control fluid.

Throughout the proposal process, DeepDrill Solutions were in constant communication with the customer clarifying any technical queries that the end user had. After numerous calls and email exchanges, DeepDrill Solutions were awarded the project. 

Solution

Following the contract award, DeepDrill Solutions submitted the P&ID drawing for approval by the end user where, upon review they requested several changes to be made to the HPU to enhance its performance.

The end user required a solution that not only offered high performance at all times but one that could also be used flexibly on a range of different applications. In order to enhance its performance, an additional flushing pump was installed along with a back pressure regulator in the flushing line so that the HPU could be used for valve actuation. An extra auxiliary port was also added to facilitate retrofit installation of a high-pressure accumulator.

The end user also wanted to combine the flushing and hydrotest line, resulting in the need for larger bore 1″ high pressure tubing, extra valves and fittings, a digital pressure gauge with data logging was also installed.

Following a collaborative design phase, DeepDrill Solutions were able to accommodate all of the additional technical and functional requirements with only a minor impact on the cost of the solution. Revision 5 of the design was met with approval and the HPU began manufacture.

The HPU has recently completed a successful trial onsite by the end user and our customer was delighted to share that the performance is ‘totally outstanding’ and is achieving the desired results.

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Flexibility of the cells was a key priority, they customer needed to:

• Use each cell separately;
• Combine two whilst keeping the third separate;
• Open all three areas into one large cell.

Each test cell needed its own PC based control monitoring and data logging system.  

Initial Action

After attending various meetings with the client and working through the initial concept design stage, DeepDrill Solutions generated a technical specification detailing the logic for the functionality, safety and overall layout of the system.

Solution

The design included three remote PC based control units, located in a purpose-built control station. Each of these control units operate their own dedicated pumping and pressure control equipment, all of which are remotely located in one main central pressure generation skid. Pressure and flow are distributed from there into a pressure distribution box, one located in each cell.

The remote control consoles also interact with each other to achieve the logic of selecting test cells to pressurise into, along with offering the capability of opening up the individual test cells into each other for testing larger equipment. Flexibility was designed into the system so that equipment could be reconfigured and equipment operation diverted between cells to introduce redundancy and ensure testing would not get effected in the event of a failure.

The clients test items incorporate an internal clamping system which needs to be activated prior to any test pressure getting introduced, this is achieved within the main safety logic. This means that test pressure cannot be generated until the clamp pressure has reached the required level and in the event of clamp pressure loss during testing, all test pressure is dropped making the system safe.

Access into the test cells needed to be restricted and controlled, the system can detect if doors are open or closed, no test pressure or clamp pressure is generated if the relevant doors are open. With the correct doors closed, pressure can be generated and once the system gets to 5bar the doors lock. In the unlikely event of doors inadvertently getting opened during testing, all pressure drops and the system is left in a safe state 

All testing data is logged and the system produces a report in the form of both raw data and a custom designed client specific pfd report. DeepDrill Solutions completed the installation works including the  distribution piping network and all electrical wiring and successfully commissioned the system.

Since commissioning DeepDrill Solutions have been actively maintaining the system on an ongoing basis.

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In 2018, DeepDrill Solutions were contacted by a Global defence company to discuss their valve testing requirements in their UK facility. They were testing a large and diverse range of valves that were being used on various types of ship. The valves needed to be tested hydraulically using water with pressures ranging from 1.5bar to 100bar as well as with air up to 7 bar.

Initial Action

The customer originally contacted DeepDrill Solutions via telephone to discuss upgrading their current test equipment to enable testing to be carried out quicker and safer. Our Technical Sales Engineer travelled to visit the company to discuss how we could support their testing programme.

During the visit it was identified that the user was currently testing their valves using blank flanges and a hand pump which was very time consuming for the operator, not only in set up time but testing times also. It also meant that once the test was complete the valve was still filled with water which had to be removed during a secondary process. It was also identified that some of the valves being tested were fitted with large motors to actuate the valve which we would need to take into consideration when designing the new test rig.

Challenges

We based this unit on one of our “standard” UVTB’s, meaning the customer would save time as they would no longer have to blind flange their valves, they would also speed up their testing time by using a pre-fill pump and air driven pressure pumps.

To allow the unit to carry out low pressure testing we incorporated an isolation valve, low pressure regulator and bypass on the prefill pump being used within the system. This means that as well as this pump being used to prefill the valves with water prior to test it could also test the valves up to 7 bar. The high-pressure pump could then test from 7 bar up to the required maximum of 100 bar.

To allow for the testing of the valves with the larger motors we modified our drip tray surround on the unit so that a section could easily be removed if one of the valves with a larger motor was being tested. The “air blow down” in the unit meant that post-test the water in the valve was returned back to tank without any spillages.

Finally, there was also a requirement to test 14-16” valves, however, due to the quantity being tested we deemed it not cost effective to offer this functionality within the unit. We therefore offered them an off-bench testing facility and PLC override which means that the user could test these sizes of valve using the unit but blind flanging them off the test table itself. After a couple of discussions with the client to discuss the proposed solution in-depth, they placed their order.

After two weeks of design development a proposed general assembly drawing created and sent to the client for approval. This was done to ensure that they were 100% happy with what we would be offering before we began to order the parts required to manufacture the job.

Once we had received the approval for the GA drawing, we began procurement and soon started manufacturing the finished article. The unit was delivered to the client before an FAT and training was carried out at their facility.

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Customer Requirement

Whilst developing a new design of connection system, a major subsea connector manufacturer had a requirement for pressure and torsion test equipment. The equipment needed to be designed and installed to achieve their new testing requirements. Their priority was to engage with a company who would work with their design engineers to develop the complete system.

The initial top-level requirements were:

• To test with water and nitrogen to 10,000PSI
• To have the ability to test gas under water when required.
• To have the capability to detect internal chamber seal failure while gas testing and quantify the associated leak rate, this could not be linked or measured from the primary test pressure supply side.
• Hydraulic testing to 10,000PSI while subjecting the test piece to external mechanical tortional loading.
• To ensure operator safety whilst operating with Nitrogen Gas.
• Capability to both manually and automatically carry out all testing.
• Tight tolerances on the pressure ramp up and ramp down rates.
• Operators were to be separated and protected from the high-pressure test area while testing was being carried out.
• Facility to fill, drain and filter the water of the main test bat (for carrying out gas under water testing).
• Full data logging and reporting capability.

Initial Action

Initially, we organised an onsite meeting with DeepDrill Solutions design engineers and the clients design team to fully understand the testing parameters and survey the location for the proposed test area.

Challenges

Initial challenges were identified as follows:

• The large size of the test piece coupled with the requirement for underwater gas testing:
  Parts could be up to approx. 3m long with diameters up to approx. 2m and could weigh up to approx. 3000kg.
• Pressure testing while applying external mechanical tortional loads to the test pieces:
  This required the design of a new type of work holding to be capable of applying very accurate and smooth mechanical loading and unloading of the test piece.
• The range of testing parameters:
  A large range of testing parameters needed to be incorporated into the control system. This was to cover the full range of products and give full flexibility to operators. They needed to either fully manually run various testing or allow the operator to set pre-programmed test parameters with various steps that could then be run fully automatically.
• Leak detection:
  The operator needed to be able to detect and quantify an internal gas leak on the test piece during gas testing separately to the primary test pressure supply system.

Solution

For the underwater gas testing, we explored the option of manufacturing a bathtub large enough to contain the test piece and designed to withstand a blast should the test piece fail under maximum test pressure conditions. in parallel to this, our client explored the option of constructing a concrete bath sunken into the floor of the test area with a specially designed cover.

Both options were considered and our client agreed to install a concrete sump, this proved to be the most suitable from both a safety and cost perspective.

Learn more about DeepDrill Solutions’s Custom Designed Test Systems

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Requirement

We were approached by our client to discuss an opportunity to design and manufacture a valve test rig to be installed at one of their sites. Historically, this branch have always subcontracted the annual pressure testing of their 100 relief valves and were looking for a way of reducing costs and streamlining their operation.

Their main requirement was that this test rig needed to be able to test a variety of relief valves ranging in size from 1” to 10” at pressures up to 3,000psi, with both water and gas.

Our Approach

When we undertook the initial survey, we discovered that they had a similar valve test rig on another one of their sites and required a similar set up. We assessed their current system and created a specification for the new unit based on the current system.

On analysis of the cost of the unit versus the cost of subcontracting this work, it would only take 1 year for our client to recover the cost of the unit, ultimately saving them a significant amount of money long-term.

Challenges 

We were able to adapt an existing product to meet our customers specification and successfully delivered the new system on time, in full and to specification.

Solution

Following delivery, we were delighted to conduct a customer training session at their site to ensure that the operators were equipped with the knowledge and skills to carry out valve testing correctly and to a high standard. As we delivered this unit during the COVID-19 pandemic, we were careful to abide by UK Government guidelines when carrying out the training, ensuring that the safety of our team and out customer was top priority.

Learn more about DeepDrill Solutions’s Test Benches

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Requirement

A North African client approached DeepDrill Solutions to design and manufacture a portable hydrotest / flushing hydraulic power unit (HPU). The HPU would need to achieve NAS class 6 fluid cleanliness and 15,000 PSI test pressure using TOTAL AZOLLA ZS 32 as the operating fluid.

Initial Action

DeepDrill Solutions system engineers took the clients overview specification of requirement, generated a detailed design and presented this solution to the customer. Following a prolonged commercial and technical bid process, they won the tender to supply the equipment to an end user based in Algeria.

Challenges

On completion of the design, DeepDrill Solutions provided the general assembly drawings to the customer for approval and it was at this juncture that we were informed of significant additional requirements and alterations to both the design and functionality of the rig.

We were informed that the end user needed the rig to fit the specific footprint of a pickup vehicle trailer for ease of transportation between sites. This change meant that DeepDrill Solutions’s team of specialist engineers had to go ‘back to the drawing board’ to redesign the product to fit the end users requirements, all without compromising on the performance or quality and ensuring that the equipment was still fit for their application.

Solution

After several meetings with the end user via video conference, DeepDrill Solutions’s design engineers were able to make a number of suggestions to mitigate the space issue and reduce the overall size of the HPU, all whilst keeping the main functionality of flushing and imperative components intact.

The following changes were made:

• Removal of the hydrostatic test line and pump; this was supplied as a standalone item.
• Reduced the tank capacity from 300 to 150 litres.
• Removal of the castors and re-design of the layout of some key components.

With these changes the general assembly drawing was submitted with the HPU measuring 1250mm wide, 1200mm front to back and 1510mm high. The new, portable and compact design was subsequently approved and supplied to the customer.

Learn more about DeepDrill Solutions’s HPU’s

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