Ipiranga adopts a standard of skids for its bases

With a strategic vision of implementation, the Ipiranga Petroleum Products (IPP) defined by the modularization of the loading systems to modernize and increase the efficiency of its bases. And FLUXO was the company chosen to design and supply its new standard of loading skids.

The control and measurement of fuel loading is the most important process of a base. It is the heart of the terminal that pulsates, delivering fuel to tanker trucks, which in turn transport it to the retail point of sale. The efficiency of a terminal is directly linked to the performance of the charging system. This translates into a system designed in accordance with applicable metrological regulations, the selection of high-performance equipment, the integration of all system components, and engineering with a holistic view of the process.

Typically a charging system It comprises flow meters and control valves for the main and mixing lines, an automatic injection system for additives and markers, arms with position sensors, temperature transmitters, accessories and the flow pre-determiner. By integrating these equipment into a single module, completely mounted on a skid and factory tested, the following advantages arise:

• Risk reduction in implementation, by treating the supply as a single project, and not multiple suppliers, avoiding the gaps of responsability;
• The skid supplier remains focused on the design and assembly of the most complex and valuable elements;
• Higher quality in assembly details;
• Assurance of the performance of the set;
• Calibration and pre-commissioning of the complete system;
• Control in the execution schedule: all hot assembly is done in a factory.

Ipiranga also innovated by defining standard models for skids. In addition to the conventional TOP type and BOTTOM type, there are models with different configurations of measurement spans and mixtures. This allows to standardize the project with gains in assembly, spare parts inventory, interchangeability and facilitates future implementations. "Ipiranga adopted a strategy in which it becomes possible to acquire a new skid in the future, citing only the model code. In this code, the characteristics of the project that have already been approved by IPP Engineering will already be pre-defined." comments Fábio André, commercial director of FLUXO.

The use of turbine-type flow meters from Faure Herman stands out in this project, world-class equipment with a helical rotor, which makes it less sensitive to variations in viscosity and density, allowing better stability and linearity than conventional turbines with picks. Faure Herman turbines are already widely used on oil platforms in Brazil for fiscal measurement and FLUXO has successfully introduced this equipment for smaller scale application to terminals and bases. Also noteworthy is the application of Honeywell Enraf's injection blocks and OCV's digital control valves.

Ipiranga projects with new skid standard

In this first acquisition, there were 11 loading skids for 8 bases from North to South of Brazil. Additionally, FLUXO was also selected by IPP and NIPLAN to supply the complete measurement and control system for the new Fortaleza base. This supply includes, in addition to the standardized loading system, unloading skids and tank telemetry, with total handling inventory management (receiving, storage and dispatch) with a solution provided by FLUXO. For the tank telemetry system, Honeywell Enraf's modern Flexline radars were applied. In the unloading skids, the project includes coriolis flow meters, which, in addition to the mass totalization, measure the density and alcohol concentration online (in the case of ethanol) with interlock in case of deviation from the specifications. NIPLAN, a traditional Brazilian EPC, is responsible for building the terminal on a turn-key basis.

FLUXO was a pioneer in Brazil by adopting the business model of supplying systems on skids for bases and terminals. By having the technical domain of the complete solution and having as its base the main manufacturers of technology for terminals in the world, FLUXO delivers a robust solution, with quality assurance and after-sales technical assistance. By adopting the skid acquisition model, IPP improves its contracting efficiency, reduces the risk of cost and schedule increases in the implementation, and works to significantly increase the performance of its operations.