July 10, 2013, Dixon dry disconnect coupler was presented
Dixon was presented with the facts to the left and asked to recommend a solution. The refinery was using a competitor’s dry disconnect coupler and having issues with the valve opening when not in service and causing spillage. Spillage of heavy crude is a huge concern for the customer, but a greater concern was the potential of bodily harm to employees. Aft er evaluating the coupler currently in service, it was determined that the heavy crude was not allowing the valve to lock in the shut position. When the workers disconnected the hose and moved it out of service, on occasion the locking arm would open. Dixon was asked to come on site with the industrial distributor to assess the application and propose a solution. In a meeting with 20 representatives from the refi nery, including the safety, environmental, operations and purchasing managers, Dixon displayed its dry disconnect. Th e meeting was very benefi cial because all departments from the refi nery were represented and everyone’s questions and concerns were answered. They were delighted to hear the flow rate would increase from 600 to 1000 GPM with the Dixon dry disconnect. Another key benefi t of the dry disconnect is its locking mechanism. Th e Dixon dry disconnect design has a twist to lock the connection which provides a 100 percent assurance that there will not be any valves popping open when not connected.
At the conclusion of the meeting,
Dixon joined the operation team and
took the coupling to the railcar where it
was installed and tested. The refinery
workers took turns connecting and
disconnecting the coupler. All were
highly impressed with its ease of use.
They preferred the two handle design
on the Dixon disconnect over the single
handle on the API coupler. Th e overall
consensus was the Dixon coupler was
much easier to handle, as well as to
connect and disconnect.
Aft er putting the Dixon dry
disconnect in service and allowing the
customer to test the unit, we off ered a
complete solution consisting of:
1. Supplying a dry disconnect that
would increase the fl ow rate and, in
turn, increase productivity.
2. A dry disconnect that would allow
only the heavy crude to fl ow when
coupled, preventing any spillage and
potential danger to employees.
3. A more ergonomic unit that reduces
the risk of potential bodily harm to
the operator.
The end result is that the distributor
placed a single order for $85,000 to
Dixon to outfit the railcars currently in
service. Th e customer will be placing an
identical order because the facility is
being expanded and the number of
railcars doubled