Only overspeed protection system certified to meet latest industry safety standards also detects rotational direction to help protect equipment and personnel during start-ups

Emerson Process Management’s new CSI 6300 SIS Digital Overspeed Protection System, gives process manufacturers another tool for meeting the challenges of maintaining safe operations. The system helps protect equipment and personnel from damage caused by overspeed conditions in critical rotating machinery – such as turbines, compressors, and pumps – and detects rotational direction to avoid potential problems during start-ups.

The CSI 6300 SIS builds on Emerson’s extensive experience in machinery health and process safety applications, as well as the expertise of machinery monitoring specialists who joined Emerson when the company acquired Germany-based epro in 2009.

TÜV-certified for Safety Integrity Level (SIL) 3 applications, the CSI 6300 SIS is currently the only overspeed protection system that complies with the latest version of industry safety standard DIN EN 61508:2010. It also complies with European Machine Directive 2006/42/EG and the American Petroleum Institute’s API 670 standard for machinery protection systems.

"Our users need confidence that their critical equipment and plant personnel are safe," said Björn Salomon, General Manager of Emerson’s Machinery Health Management business. "With the CSI 6300 SIS, they are also assured that their overspeed protection system complies with today’s safety standards, without the complexity of demonstrating that existing equipment meets the latest requirements."

Overspeed occurs when operating conditions force a machine to rotate beyond its design limit. Any overspeed condition is potentially damaging to the machine and anyone around it. To help avoid this safety threat, the CSI 6300 SIS uses three independent sensors to monitor rotational speed, compares the measurements to configured safety limits, and uses two-out-of-three (2oo3) voting logic to verify an overspeed condition. If an overspeed condition has occurred, the CSI 6300 SIS shuts down the machine to minimise damage and maintain a safe environment.

Unlike previous overspeed protection systems, the CSI 6300 SIS provides rotational direction detection as an additional, SIL 2-rated safety function. Often applied to pumps, this application uses the same sensors that measure overspeed to detect rotational direction on start-up. This capability enables users to confirm pumps are working correctly – or take corrective action to avoid equipment damage and process upsets.

These safety capabilities further extend Emerson’s broad portfolio of machinery health management technology and services. This portfolio includes the CSI 6500 Machinery Health Monitor for protection and prediction monitoring of critical equipment, the CSI 2130 Portable Vibration Analyser for route-based maintenance, and the CSI 9420 Wireless Vibration Transmitter that provides vibration diagnostics using IEC 62591 WirelessHART® communications.