Water Service Valve Used in an Air application
Water Service Valve Used in an Air application
(OP)
The contractor has installed a water service butterfly valve in a compressed air system application. The valve is in a bypass line around an air filter bank and will be normally closed during operation to force the air through the filters. Can I use this valve even though it is not rated for air service? What is the real issue? During operation the pressure drop will be inches around the valve and it is rated for 200psig. The vendor had no real answer other than it is not rated for air. Problem is we do not have the time to replace the valve. Thank-you





RE: Water Service Valve Used in an Air application
You could get away with this on ball valves as equally as a butterfly, but not a gate or globe type arrangement. My only worry is the seat arrangement when the valve is cracked, you may blow out the element due to the migration go gas behind the rubber and into the interstitial voids of the gland. Hence the different seat geometry for gas verses liquid applications.
Hope this helps. Good luck with it.
Regards,
Cockroach
RE: Water Service Valve Used in an Air application
RE: Water Service Valve Used in an Air application
Who gets hung out to dry - YOU DO!!..
Just keep that in mind...
RE: Water Service Valve Used in an Air application
The ones that failed in liquid service mostly "just" made a mess on the ground. The ones that failed in gas service were pretty scary and quite dangerous.
David Simpson, PE
MuleShoe Engineering
"Belief" is the acceptance of an hypotheses in the absence of data.
"Prejudice" is having an opinion not supported by the preponderance of the data.
"Knowledge" is only found through the accumulation and analysis of data.
RE: Water Service Valve Used in an Air application
RE: Water Service Valve Used in an Air application
It shouldn't, else it's not really EPDM. EPDM is listed as an elastomer of choice in the Parker O-ring handbook for air at 200F and below.
RE: Water Service Valve Used in an Air application
RE: Water Service Valve Used in an Air application
RE: Water Service Valve Used in an Air application