Case: JoPetrol, Jordan

Modern controller unit

The customer’s challenge

The CUC units on JoPetrol’s LPG filling system were of an obsolete model that we could no longer provide support and spare parts for.

Our solution

We proposed a complete replacement of all obsolete CUC units in 8 out of 13 filling lines.

The outcome

Aside from the continued service support, the updated CUC’s offer higher precision and speed which allows JoPetrol to reach their production targets easily.

New life to old equipment

During a visit to one of JoPetrol’s LPG filling stations, MAKEEN Energy’s representative noticed that the HMI controllers on the machines were outdated and no longer supported by our service department. He suggested to bring them up to date with the latest model. The result was a tangible increase to both output and precision.

MAKEEN Energy’s relationship with JoPetrol – also known as Jordan Petroleum Refinery Company – goes back a long way. Since the first project in the 1970’s, Kosan Crisplant (now a part of MAKEEN Energy’s Gas Solutions division) has kept working with them on many occasions. One such occasion was when JoPetrol purchased 2 filling carrousels at the end of the 1990s, around the same time as the first release of Kosan Crisplant’s new HMI controller, the Crisplant Universal Controller (CUC).

Time for a change

2 decades later, JoPetrol wanted to increase their efficiency and took a look at their filling equipment. They were struggling to meet their projected filling capacity. Maybe it was time to get some newer machines? However, when our technicians went to investigate, they found that although the equipment was not as shiny as it used to be, it still worked perfectly well. They did find some potential for improvement, however: JoPetrol’s CUC units were of an older model that was now obsolete, which meant that we could no longer provide spare parts for it. Switching to a newer model would provide added longevity to the filling system – as well as higher performance.

An image of hands holding a modern controller

A technology update that triples speed

Since its initial release, the CUC has gone through several stages of development and optimisation, and the newest version is significantly faster than the 20-year old ones that were on JoPetrol’s machines. As an example, with the old ones it took up to 6 or 7 seconds to process the tare weight of a single cylinder. The new CUC does it in less than 2 seconds. By simply bringing the CUCs up-to-date, the filling machines would continue to serve their purpose for many years.

A cheaper way to reach your goals

JoPetrol went ahead with the plan, and we replaced every CUC in 8 of their 13 filling lines: in total, around 230 CUC’s. At first glance, it looks like nothing has changed – the new interface looks virtually identical to the old. But for JoPetrol, the difference in their output is very real.

After upgrading, reaching their production goals of filling 1,200 cylinders per hour on a single filling line is no longer a problem. In addition, the precision of weighing and filling has risen. Now, they are planning to also upgrade the CUC’s in the remaining 5 filling lines.

A picture showing gas cylinders on chain conveyer next to a modern controller.
  • What is an HMI controller

    Human-Machine Interface (HMI) controllers are the devices that allow an operator to communicate with the machines by, for example, inputting tare weight for cylinders.