The research team at OmSTU has developed a mobile system for offline diagnostics of shut-off and control valves, with the first production samples ready for delivery to customers, primarily targeting oil refining and petrochemical facilities.
Founded in 1942, OmSTU is a key engineering university in the Siberian region. The development was carried out in cooperation with the Omsk Shut-Off Valve Plant, led by Grigory Russkikh, Head of the Department of Fundamentals of Mechanics and Automatic Control Theory, and Dmitry Krepin, Senior Researcher at the Research Laboratory of Microprocessor Devices. The team's earlier prototype could only be used in laboratory settings, but the upgraded system now enables field operations and meets explosion-proof safety requirements. The Russian Federal Service for Intellectual Property has granted a patent, and the team has also obtained a registration certificate for the associated software. The system has been certified in compliance with the Eurasian Economic Union's technical regulations for explosion-proof equipment.
Compact enough to fit in a backpack, the system allows on-site valve condition inspection without disassembling the equipment. The entire process, from deployment to test completion, takes about 20 minutes. The system consists of a diagnostic unit, a set of sensors, and a tablet pre-installed with specialized software that automatically assesses the mechanical condition of the valve—including actuators, friction assemblies, and control systems—without the need for expert intervention. Through hardware upgrades and new software development, the system has been adapted for use in explosive atmospheres.
This system enables enterprises to perform rapid equipment diagnostics, support maintenance decision-making, reduce upkeep costs, and minimize the risk of unplanned downtime. In addition, it can be used for incoming and outgoing quality inspection during equipment procurement and repair. OmSTU is currently working with the Omsk Shut-Off Valve Plant to explore commercialization pathways, including operation and maintenance support for specific customers, direct equipment sales, and commercial diagnostic services for petrochemical enterprises.
