Rugged, Safety-Tested Positioner for Use in Harsh Environments

The positioner portfolio of the Industry Automation Division of Siemens (Germany) has recently been supplemented by a rugged new device which is simple and easy to handle. The Sitrans VP300 positioner is especially designed for use in the oil and gas industries and was developed according to SIL (safety integrity level) guidelines. Sitrans VP300 is the first positioner on the market to feature SIL-certified partial stroke testing (PST).

Air exhausting in the single-acting device is SIL 2 rated. Both the single-acting and double-acting versions of the positioner feature aluminum housing with high protection IP66/NEMA 4x and are especially resistant to vibrations. The device can be used in applications down to minus 40 degrees Celsius and can even operate in damp air, which is contaminated with oil or particles.

A rugged mechanical Opos interface connection can be used for fast and simple installation of the Sitrans VP300. Only two screws are required on the front of the positioner to attach it to the drive. The “blocking function” enabled by the drive and installation set facilitates replacement of the positioner during operation. Another new feature is the contact-free position detection, which works according to the giant magnetoresistance (GMR) principle and makes the measurements particularly resistant to magnetic field and temperature fluctuations. Since only one magnet is required, installation is quick and easy, as the Sitrans VP300 has a travel distance of up to 150 millimeters and can be rotated by up to 120 degrees.