Founded by Ewart Cox in 2009, Assentech is a premier provider of equipment, services, and technical expertise in the realms of Tank Storage, Process Safety and Fluid Transfer.
One of Assentech’s best-selling product ranges is the Vent-Less test bench range that has received much recognition winning gold position at the Global Tank Storage Awards in Rotterdam. We spoke to Debbie Pearce, Director at Assentech Sales Limited about how the Vent-Less test bench contributes towards the health & safety of a client’s facility.
“The Vent-Less test bench employs AI-driven software aligned with API2000 Section 5.4, assessing breather valves against set criteria for pass or fail. It ensures correct settings, intended performance, and leak rate within recommended limits.”
This requirement was written into the standards back in the 1960’s long before protecting the environment came into the public awareness. These valves are easily assembled incorrectly with vacuum and pressure settings reversed causing structural damage to the tank leading to loss of containment which is a highly dangerous situation for people, the business and the environment. Breather valves are also oft
en knocked in transit or packaging left in. To combat this, Vent-Less conducts a short test taking as little as 3 minutes prior to installation where both pressure and vacuum ports are tested and the results are detailed on an individual Test Report that is generated instantly.
Debbie continued, “Operators frequently unknowingly purchase breather valves untested by manufacturers, risking installation on valuable, hazardous and toxic storage tanks. Breather valves are vital safety critical devices safeguarding tanks, their contents, and surrounding communities, underscoring the importance of thorough testing and reliability. Understanding the API2000 test benchmark, the required test equipment, the operator competence and the certification detail will demonstrate your due diligence.”
As experts on Breather Valves, Assentech’s solutions are devised by Ewart Cox who sits on two international standards committees and who is currently writing an environmental annexe that provides technical support to the Environment Agency, championing the innovation of Vent-Less.
Assentech has become known as the expert in all things tank venting. Leak tightness is essential and they train technicians on how to get the best performance out of these devices. Cox explains that even a human hair sitting across the seat on a valve will cause a leak sufficient to fail the test. Furthermore, Assentech has also been called on by the EA to support a Biogas site that had an enforcement following local complaints of excessive odours. Assentech replaced the breather valve with a quality unit and conducted the test that evidenced reduced emissions equivalent to a cloud the size of 198 double decker buses filled with methane to just 0.2. The new breather valve now ensures safe operations and protects the tank.
With the Industrial Emissions Directive now in force Leak Detection and Repair (LDAR) planning is now a legal obligation in order to gain permission to operate. Initially rolled out in the waste to energy sectors recent news confirmed that this requirement has now been extended to the oil and gas industries.
The Vent-Less test bench produces irrefutable results in the shortest possible time by automatically selecting the most appropriate algorithm. Between 3-4 minutes is usual for both pressure and vacuum ports. Outputs are not influenced by the test technician skill set or integrity.
With the heightened focus on global emissions and endeavours to reduce climate change with many countries introducing mandatory reporting, the Vent-Less technology is the only method to quantify emissions from tank or digester breather valves to provide evidential data on emission reduction and duty of care.
Assentech’s commitment to protecting people and the environment extends to supply of their newly launched overfill and ground verification monitor. Otherwise known as the Rack Monitor this device protects the facility in the event of tanker overfill when loading petrol, diesel or oil. A busy loading terminal can load up to 600 tankers per day, with drivers coming in with a wide range of languages. The new SIL2 rack monitor automatically stops loading in the event of liquid overfill or loss of electrical grounding.
They also supply break-away couplings to protect against drive off during loading, bursting discs and flame arresters.
In closing, we asked Debbie what the company has in place to ensure it continues to shine brightly throughout 2024 and beyond.
“We’re dedicated to raising awareness about emissions from tank or digester breather valves. By empowering readers to conduct their own due diligence checks and develop written examination schemes, we aim to enhance facility safety and reduce emissions. Our goal is to educate and inform operators to follow best practice in breather valve sizing, selection, installation and testing. We want to leave this industry in a better place than it was when we began.”
For more information, please see below:
T 01726 844707
info@assentech.co.uk
www.assentech.co.uk