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valves and compressors

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Focus on Valves

| By Suzanne Shelley

Posiflate

Posiflate

This butterfly valve has an
inflatable seat for tight closure

The Posi-flate butterfly valve (photo) has a highly polished Type 316 stainless-steel housing and disk. Its surface finish helps to reduce buildup, making it appropriate for

many applications in the chemical, food and pharmaceutical sectors. It is available in sizes from 2–20 in. The inflatable seat design provides a better seal by using air pressure to expand the seat against the disk, providing more sealing area and an even pressure distribution against the disk. Because the disk only makes casual contact with the seat during opening and closing, torque requirements are said to be substantially lower. Its ease of movement allows the disk to come to a perfect 90-deg position every time, says the company. — Posiflate, St. Paul, Minn.

www.posiflate.com

 

Corrosion-resistant dosing valve
offers 2 million life cycles

The Type 604/605 pneumatically actuated dosing valve offers a more robust, corrosion-resistant alternative to typical chemical dosing applications that often rely on low-cost solenoid valves. While high-end, corrosion-resistant solenoid valves are available, they tend to be costly. This dosing valve solves both of these problems, says the company. It is available in a range of materials and sizes. The valve is pressure-rated at 90 psi unidirectional with operating temperatures from –4 to 284°F, depending on the body material. — GF Piping Systems, Irvine, Calif.

www.gfps.com

 

Spirax Sarco

Spirax Sarco

Piston valves isolate steam,
condensate and process media

The PV4 and PV6 piston valves (photo) are developed for isolation purposes. They are available in NPT and SW versions, in sizes from 1/2 to 2 in. Material choices include forged carbon steel and forged stainless steel. These valves are designed to Class 800 and provide tight shutoff, suitable for steam, condensate and other liquid purposes. — Spirax Sarco, Blythewood, S.C.

www.spiraxsarco.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

Viega

Viega

This ball valve is available
for copper tubing systems

The new line of Viega ProPress Hydronic Ball Valves (photo) are full port and designed for non-potable water applications. They are available in 1/2 and 3/4-in press sizes and 3/4-in. hose sizes. The ball valves feature NH threads and an ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM) sealing element. The Viega ProPress copper system (which joins copper tubing in seconds without flame or heavy equipment) is available in more than 600 fitting configurations, and benefits from a patented SmartConnect feature, which ensures high-integrity connections, says the manufacturer. — Viega LLC, Broomfield, Colo.

www.viega.us

 

Miniature solenoid valve
provides inert isolation

The Model WTA-2 two-way, normally closed, inert isolation valves and Model WTB-3 three-way valves are avilable with molded polyether ether ketone (PEEK) and polyphenylene sulfide (PPS) valve bodies. Both use polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) isolation diaphragms and a valve seat of soft, fluoroelastomer seals, which are said to be very tolerant of particulate matter in the media that would typically destroy conventional valve seals. — Clark Solutions, Hudson, Mass.

www.clarksol.com

 

 

Val-Matic

Val-Matic

Rugged valves are designed
for hydroelectricity operations

This company’s valves (photo; p. 24) are designed for use in the hydroelectric power industry, where the power of moving water is used to generate electricity. Its Quarter-Turn family of valves includes the QuadroSphere ball valves, EnerG ball valves and American-BFV butterfly valves. All are available in a wide range of sizes and pressures. The QuadroSphere was designed with additional flow paths and seat-contact minimized for reduced wear and operating torques. The company’s Surgebuster check valve, Tilted Disc check valve, and Swing check valve are designed to prevent slamming, reduce head loss and provide significant savings in pumping costs, says the company. — Val-Matic Valve & Manufacturing Corp., Elmhurst, Ill.

www.valmatic.com

 

 

Westock Controls

Westock Controls

Valve-position transmitter
supports safety monitoring

The Digital EPIC-2 is an intelligent valve-position transmitter (photo) that offers discrete position control. Its reliable, non-contact position feedback with digital communications via HART 7 protocol and DTM technology. It allows for seamless integration into any control system, says the company. This allows for remote configuration, calibration and diagnostics. Equipped with advanced diagnostic capabilities, this product can be used to perform emergency shutdown monitoring and implement simple partial stroke testing (PST) and solenoid-operated valve testing, helping to preserve the integrity of critical safety systems. Its predictive diagnostics and intelligent alarms can pinpoint the root cause of problems to help users predict necessary valve maintenance ahead of valve valve failure, lowering the total cost of ownership and ensuring effective valve maintenance and operational integrity. — Westock Controls, Saddle Brook, N.J.

www.westlockcontrols.com

 

This back-pressure valve
also dampens pulsation

The patent-pending Hybrid Valve is said to be the world’s first combination pulsation dampener and back-pressure valve. It combines the steady flow control of a pulsation dampener and the regulation of a back-pressure valve in a single piece of equipment. Typically, pumping systems require two separate components to achieve this outcome, yet when installing pulsation dampeners and back-pressure valves in any pumping station, location and proximity are key. Combining both unit operations in a single component gives users greater control over key engineering decisions, says the company. — Blacoh Fluid Control, Riverside, Calif.

www.blacoh.com

 

Alfa Laval

Alfa Laval

This valve matrix offering
brings several advantages

Hygienic processes in the food-and- beverage, pharmaceutical and related sectors face particular challenges when it comes to managing process flows. A valve matrix (photo), also known as a valve cluster, provides one option to maximize process efficiency. It is designed to allow simultaneous circulation of liquids (including clean-in-place fluids) on several levels with the exact number of lines and rows to match the specific requirements of your process. The matrix provides flexibility to run multiple products to multiple destinations while others are being cleaned. These valve matrices can be supplied pre-assembled and pre-tested, as well as fully wired and with all the necessary pneumatic tubings, junction boxes and control panel pre-connected. This allows complex installations to be brought online quckly, says the company. — Alfa Laval AB, Lund Sweden

www.alfalaval.com

 

Sofis, Alphen aan den Rijn

Sofis, Alphen aan den Rijn

Two products improve
valve operation in the field

This company offers two solutions (photo) that are aimed at easing valve operation for workers and improving safety and confidence. The Power Wrench portable actuator allows any multi-turn valve to be opened or closed in minutes, protecting workers from back injury and reducing valve operating time by up to 80%, says the company. The company’s VPI Position Indicator uses a patented counting mechanism to provide a clear view of the position of manual, linear multi-turn valves (including gate and globe valves) in the field, increasing worker safety. — Sofis, Alphen aan den Rijn, the Netherlands

www.sofisglobal.com

 

Crane ChemPharma & Energy

Crane ChemPharma & Energy

These gate, globe and check
valves boast new features

Designed in accordance with the industry’s latest standards, specifically API-624, the Pacific CSV line of cast steel gate, globe and check valves (photo) provides the highest level of quality and performance in demanding applications. Each has undergone recent improvement to offer new features that enhance reliability, operations and maintenance. The gate valve’s fully-guided wedge ensures smooth operation in both horizontal and vertical orientations, delivering improved resistance to sticking. The globe valve is designed to enable both lower seating torque and faster setup compared to competing valve designs, says the company.— Crane ChemPharma & Energy, The Woodlands, Tex.

www.cranecpe.com

 

 

 

Conval

Conval

Inline serviceable globe valves are designed for severe service

Clampseal inline-serviceable Y, angle and T-pattern globe-stop, check and stop-check valves (photo) are ideal for severe-service applications. These forged valves are available in sizes of 1/2 to 4-in. through ASME #4500 Class, in a variety of materials and connectors. The available features include a pressure-seal bonnet for maintainability, quick-replacement packing chamber, single-piece gland with an internal gland wrench, solid Stellite seating features and a two-year warranty. — Conval, Somers, Conn.

www.conval.com

 

This valve portfolio now has smart IO-link connectivity

This company recently added smart connectivity of its pneumatic valve islands to machine controllers by introducing new IO-Link modules that can be easily integrated with existing Parker valves. This new module offers plug-and-play valve compatibility for operators using Industrial Ethernet, meaning they can benefit from similar performance and reduced system complexity at a lower cost, says the company. This communication technology alows devices to be simply and easily integrated in the same way as all commonly used fieldbus and automation systems — users do not need to be trained in a new protocol. In addition, the network configuration can be stored or written into the code and downloaded to the device with no programming required. — Parker Hannifin Corp., Cleveland, Ohio

www.parker.com

 

AS-Schneider

AS-Schneider

Improve plant safety with these high-pressure valves

This company’s family of high-pressure valves (photo) can handle service to 15,000 psi, and provide leak-free shutoff even under extreme conditions. The steam seal packing consists of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE). The standard material is stainless steel Type 316, although other materials are also available. Users can choose between NPT threads or connections for cone fittings — AS-Schneider, Nordheim, Germany

www.as-schneider.com

 

 

 

Schenck Process

Schenck Process

This diverter valve benefits from recent upgrades

The second-generation PT45 Valve (photo) introduces new features, such as adjustable alignment stops located in the housing, position indication from the tunnel itself, additional actuation options, and external-tunnel position indication. A positive food-grade rubber-silicone seal at each port is designed to prevent contamination. Additional features include 45-deg port-to-port rotation, a two-way switching capability for either dilute-phase or dense-phase conveying applications, cast iron or aluminum housing and other features. A pneumatic actuator provides a 2–4-s actuation time between ports. — Schenck Process LLC, Whitewater, Wis.

www.schenckprocess.com/us

 

 

 

Rotork

Rotork

Keep DCS systems informed about manual valve positions

Distributed control systems (DCS) need to know if valves are open or closed, and this becomes more challenging when dealing with manually operated valves. When the SPI Smart Position Indicator (photo) is installed, the control center is able to monitor any of the valves in the facility, to ensure more accurate process control The SPI has a large dial display to show the valve position locally, and one or two internal switches or sensors for remote indication. The fully sealed aluminum enclosure provides an accurate and reliable valve-position signal. For larger valves that are operated with a gearbox, the SPI is mounted to the gearbox input flange. For smaller valves, it can be mounted directly on the valve and an optional thrust base is available for rising-stem applications. The SPI is available in two versions that are certified for use in hazardous areas. — Rotork PLC, Bath, U.K.

www.rotork.com

 

Diaphragm valve maintains a reliable seal, reducing leakage

The Pure-Flo EnviZion valve is designed to allow for more streamlined installation and maintenance, delivering less downtime, longer preventive maintenance cycles and greater production capacity for manufacturers. With a breakthrough mount-and-turn design that requires no tools or torquing, the EnviZion valve has reduced valve maintenance time from 23 minutes to just three, says the company. Tool-less installation ensures a properly installed bonnet and eases installation in tight spaces. The integrated thermal-compensation system provides a constant sealing force, eliminating the effects of thermal cycling, says the company. — ITT Engineered Valves, Lancaster, Pa.

www.engvalves.com

 

Pivoting chute diverter improves abrasives handling

The Pivoting Chute Diverter (a member of this company’s Titan Series of products) is designed to improve processing speeds and provide a valve with improved longevity when operating in particularly abrasive environments. In particular, it is developed for applications handling such materials as alumina, bauxite, cement, metal ores, coal, flyash, gravel, industrial sand and others. It has a body constructed from carbon steel, and an independent, internal pivoting chute whose material-contact parts are lined with a choice of abrasion-resistant metal. It is available in either a two-way or three-way configuration. — Vortex Global, Salina, Kan.

www.vortexglobal.com