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