Cowan Dynamics
This article has been reviewed by Cowan Dynamics Application Engineering team. Contact Us and our application engineers will assist you with your application.
MONTREAL, QUEBEC – Sept 17, 2026 – Cowan Dynamics has successfully engineered and delivered a massive, custom SIL 3 Certified Scotch-Yoke Actuator System designed to meet the extreme operational demands of China’s $20 billion USD Yulong Island Refining and Chemical Project—one of the largest mega-petrochemical developments in global history.
Built to strict safety standards, this mega-sized fail-open system represents a significant mechanical engineering milestone in large-scale process loop control for the global petrochemical industry.
Meeting Unprecedented Scale and Mechanical Demands
The custom 90-degree rotational actuator was engineered specifically for a critical process loop requiring absolute precision under extraordinary physical loads. The sheer size of the system required Cowan Dynamics to navigate complex mechanical engineering challenges to ensure reliable, fail-safe operation:
Massive Physical Footprint: The complete actuator assembly dominates the installation space, measuring an astounding 44 feet (13.5 meters) in length, 8.5 feet (2.6 meters) in width, and 5.5 feet (1.69 meters) in height.
Low Pressure, High Torque Capabilities: To manage the strict operational requirements and mechanical fail-safe with the available air pressure restriction of only 50 PSI, the CSY for this application generates a spring-fail torque of 2.7 million in.lbs.
High-Volume, Fast-Response Stroke: The mechanical design accommodates a massive stroke volume of 164,800 cubic inches, requiring highly optimized pneumatic control systems to ensure stroke times remain under 31 seconds.
Integrated Safety and Testing: Delivering fail-safe integrity at this scale, the system features a robust spring return (Fail Open) mechanism and is integrated with Topworx technology for advanced Partial Stroke Testing (PST) and emergency shutdown (ESD) capabilities.
A Milestone in Heavy-Duty Engineering
“The mechanical requirements for this petrochemical facility pushed the boundaries of standard valve automation,” stated Aymen Ghorbal, President & CEO of Cowan Dynamics.
“Engineering a Scotch-Yoke actuator over 13.5 meters long that can safely and reliably manage over 2.7 million inch-pounds of break torque is an immense physical challenge. Achieving this while maintaining strict SIL 3 safety compliance and sub 31-second stroke times is a testament to our team’s mechanical expertise and our commitment to the global petrochemical market.”
About Cowan Dynamics
For nearly 70 years, Cowan Dynamics has led oil and gas, mining, power generation, & heavy industries in the design and manufacturing of innovative valve automation solutions.
Serving the world’s most demanding industries, Cowan Dynamics provides highly engineered pneumatic, hydraulic, and electro-hydraulic actuators for severe service applications.