A reliable multi service valve?
A reliable multi service valve?
(OP)
Hi all, I'm in a facility where we have about 1400 actuated ball valves, all 3". Many of the duties (for example) are on service manifolds, Steam on one side (~ 160 deg c) when closed with Chilled Brine (-10 deg c) Cooling water (~0 deg c) or other fluids (air, nitrogen etc) on the other. There is a fair degree of scale and rust also floating around the piping. The ball valves are regular carbon steel bodies and stainless steel balls with filled PTFE seats. Many of the valves are changed regularly on a breakdown basis, upto 8 times a year. I'm looking for a robust ball valve that will seal when used about 40 operations per day for two years under such ardous conditions. A metal seat ball valve with a hard ball perhaps? I want to move to a planned regime of overhauling all the valves after two years operation. Services cross contamination is also a big problem right now.
Thanks.
Steve.
Thanks.
Steve.





RE: A reliable multi service valve?
It looks like you've got a tough service here. You've asked about finding a robust ball valve but will you consider the metal-seated triple-eccentric high performance butterfly valve? The metal seat will help if you've got scale and for high temperatures (steam). If your cross contamination is serious, I'd think about redundant valves, which will also allow you to keep the system running with fewer shutdowns. Finally, before you buy your valves, have the manufacturers meet a qualification test that simulates your actual conditions (on an accelerated basis of course).
RE: A reliable multi service valve?
I recommend them highly.
Valvetechnologies Metal Seated Ball Valves -
These are Top of the Line
http://www.valv.com
J. Alton Cox
President
DeLuca Test Equipment
www.delucatest.com
RE: A reliable multi service valve?
Regards
Steve.
RE: A reliable multi service valve?
Frequent cycling, none-Friction-seating, Tight Shut-off, metal seated\avaliable...
RE: A reliable multi service valve?
Ouch... This is a tough service. I would also recommend the triple offset metal seated BFV, as recommended by RXH above. However, 3" size is a bit small for this type of valve, and even though some manufacturers (Tomoe) make them all the way down to 2", 3" is probably the smallest you can buy and still hope to have a decent CV to keep the system flowing. Small ball valves have typically much more flow capacity than small butterfly valves, so you definitely have to a) compare the CVs of your current ball valve versus the CV of the triple offset BFV replacement, and b) get your supplier to provide a test valve (on delayed purchase bases) and try it before you make a commitment to switch.
Good Luck!
RE: A reliable multi service valve?
RE: A reliable multi service valve?
Regards
Steve.
RE: A reliable multi service valve?
I would suggest that you seriously take a look at a metal seated ball valve. The hardened trim will offer you the best life expectancy and truly help reduce your maintenance costs. Don't be scared away by the price increase. You will probably find that a quality metal seated valve will be 3 to 5 times the cost of a soft seated valve. However, when you factor in the reduced maintenance and downtime, the economics of a high performance ball valve, begin to make sense.
If you are looking for a quality product, contact GGOSCO Enginnering at,
1272 Speers Rd. unit 4
Oakville, ON, Canada
L6L 5T9
P:905-825-2627
F:905-825-4051
sales@ggosco.com
www.ggosco.com
Speak to Chris and I am sure that they will be able to offer you a practical solution for your process needs.