Industrial valves
Industrial valves correctly specified and supplied
Industrial valves: the working principle in practice
Industrial valves are the isolation and control elements of a plant, and their reliability determines a large share of overall plant availability. Anyone looking into industrial valves quickly runs into a choice that goes beyond picking a catalogue number. We approach industrial valves from the question of what the plant has to do, not from the question of what happens to be in stock. Isolation valves separate sections so that work can be carried out safely, which makes the tightness requirement a safety requirement. In petrochemicals high temperature, high pressure, sour gas and strict emission requirements come together in the same plant. In chemicals the variety of media is greatest, and material selection is often reconsidered for each section of pipework. The balance between required tightness and available operating force is a recurring tension on industrial valves. In practice we find that most failures around industrial valves come not from the material but from a wrong assumption during selection. Operating conditions govern the service life of industrial valves far more strongly than the nominal figures on a datasheet. There is a clear difference between isolating and controlling, and many problems arise because an isolation valve is given a control duty it was never built for. The sector in which the valve runs additionally determines which standards, inspections and documentation have to be supplied. The subject of industrial valves touches both the construction of the valve and the way the plant is operated.
Material, seat and construction on industrial valves
Selection follows the order of medium, pressure, temperature, tightness requirement and actuation. A correct execution of industrial valves accounts for real operating conditions and not only for design values. How industrial valves behaves under varying load says more about the quality of the selection than behaviour under steady load. The sector determines which standards, inspections and documentation have to accompany the valve. Industrial valves together form the control and isolation system of a plant, and their reliability largely determines plant availability. A valve is selected on medium, pressure, temperature, tightness requirement and actuation, in that order. In a pipeline the issues are long distances, varying conditions and limited access, which puts reliability above everything else. A valve that meets the technical duty but lacks the required certification simply cannot be installed. For recurring supply we record the configuration, so follow up orders run without repeated engineering. We supply both individual valves and complete packages for a project scope, including actuation and documentation. What weighs heaviest on industrial valves in practice is the combination of temperature and differential pressure, not either one alone. That principle explains why industrial valves behaves differently from a standard execution under heavier duty.
Applications of industrial valves in industry
They are used in chemicals, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, power generation, offshore and hydrogen projects. Our customers work in chemicals, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, power generation, offshore and in hydrogen and ammonia projects. In process industry the emphasis is on reproducibility, which translates into tight selection and good documentation. In plants where industrial valves is applied, the emphasis is on reliability rather than lowest purchase price. We supply industrial valves both for new build and for replacement within existing installations. We see demand for industrial valves rising in hydrogen and ammonia projects, where tightness requirements are high. For industrial valves the sector determines which documentation and tests belong with the delivery. In pipelines and tank storage the drivers are isolation, safety and demonstrable tightness over long periods. Our market is project driven and international, and we deliver worldwide to installers, EPC contractors and end users. We work as a technical supplier rather than a catalogue reseller, which means we carry out the selection ourselves on the basis of medium, pressure, temperature and code requirements. On replacement we always check the existing installation dimensions for industrial valves, so the pipework can stay untouched. Our customers use industrial valves in positions where a failure has immediate consequences for production.
Selection criteria for industrial valves
If a simpler type will do the job, we say so on industrial valves, even when that means a smaller order. We start a sector project with the question of which standards are mandatory, because that defines the room available in the rest of the selection. A valve that is technically adequate but lacks the required certification simply cannot be bought by a chemical plant buyer. On replacement questions we check the installation dimensions of the existing valve, so no pipework modification is needed. We never recommend a heavier execution of industrial valves than needed, because over specification only raises price and lead time. The cleaning and flushing procedure counts too on industrial valves, because it can be more aggressive than the process itself. For industrial valves total cost of ownership weighs more than purchase price, certainly when replacement has to happen during a shutdown. The required leakage class often drives the choice around industrial valves more strongly than the budget does. We also advise when the conclusion is that a simpler or cheaper type is sufficient, because a satisfied customer comes back. Dutch Valve Vision deliberately works in the specials segment, because that is where technical knowledge makes the difference. If you have an existing tag plate or serial number, send it along, because that lets us work directly from the original configuration. For industrial valves we ask as standard for DN, pressure class, medium, temperature and required actuation. On industrial valves we also state what an execution cannot do, because that prevents more problems than a list of advantages.
Dutch Valve Vision as your supplier of industrial valves
Even when the specification for industrial valves is not yet finalised, you can bring the question to us. Dutch Valve Vision supplies special valves for special applications from its base in Monster, the Netherlands, with QUADAX and PRUSS as the core brands in the programme. On industrial valves we come back with a proposal that explains why we recommend a particular execution. We supply industrial valves as a loose product or as a fully assembled unit with actuator and accessories. We handle an enquiry for industrial valves on its technical merits rather than as a price request that only produces a number. Documentation such as material certificates, test reports and declarations is supplied as standard, matched to what the project requires. On repeat orders we record the configuration, so a follow up delivery is identical to the first and installation holds no surprises. Material certificates and test reports are supplied with industrial valves, matched to what the project requires. Tests around industrial valves are carried out by us or on our instruction according to the requirements in the specification. We keep the configuration data for industrial valves on file, which saves a great deal of searching if a fault occurs later. For repeat orders of industrial valves we record the configuration, so a follow up delivery is identical to the first. We are based at Vlotlaan 641, 2681 TZ Monster in the Netherlands and can be reached on +31 (0)70-2210560 and at sales@dutchvalvevision.com.
Frequently asked questions about industrial valves
What exactly does industrial valves mean?
There is a clear difference between isolating and controlling, and many problems arise because an isolation valve is given a control duty it was never built for. A valve is selected on medium, pressure, temperature, tightness requirement and actuation, in that order. Industrial valves are the isolation and control elements of a plant, and their reliability determines a large share of overall plant availability. In petrochemicals high temperature, high pressure, sour gas and strict emission requirements come together in the same plant. The answer to this question on industrial valves changes as soon as the medium or the temperature changes. We always explain why we arrive at a particular recommendation on industrial valves, so you can follow the reasoning yourself. Once industrial valves is correctly specified it disappears from the fault list, and that is exactly the intention. We think along from the basic specification through to the tag plate, and supply documentation that a buyer or inspector accepts without discussion.
Which executions of industrial valves are available?
The sector in which the valve runs additionally determines which standards, inspections and documentation have to be supplied. A valve that meets the technical duty but lacks the required certification simply cannot be installed. For recurring supply we record the configuration, so follow up orders run without repeated engineering. The sector determines which standards, inspections and documentation have to accompany the valve. On industrial valves we include start up and shutdown, because that is where the heaviest loading occurs. On industrial valves we prefer a well founded answer to a fast one that turns out to be wrong later. For industrial valves this means that construction and operating conditions cannot be judged separately. What defines us is that we would rather spend an extra half hour on the specification than ship the wrong valve that comes back two months later.
Which materials are used for industrial valves?
In a pipeline the issues are long distances, varying conditions and limited access, which puts reliability above everything else. Isolation valves separate sections so that work can be carried out safely, which makes the tightness requirement a safety requirement. Selection follows the order of medium, pressure, temperature, tightness requirement and actuation. We also advise when the conclusion is that a simpler or cheaper type is sufficient, because a satisfied customer comes back. For industrial valves a good specification up front is cheaper than a correction afterwards. Our experience with industrial valves comes from projects in chemicals, power generation, technical gases and offshore. With industrial valves it pays to include phase changes in the medium, because those sharply increase the load on the seal. Dutch Valve Vision supplies special valves for special applications from its base in Monster, the Netherlands, with QUADAX and PRUSS as the core brands in the programme.
What should I watch technically on industrial valves?
What should I watch technically on industrial valves?
Which applications call for industrial valves?
In pipelines and tank storage the drivers are isolation, safety and demonstrable tightness over long periods. Our customers work in chemicals, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, power generation, offshore and in hydrogen and ammonia projects. In process industry the emphasis is on reproducibility, which translates into tight selection and good documentation. They are used in chemicals, petrochemicals, pharmaceuticals, power generation, offshore and hydrogen projects. This is one of the points on industrial valves where suppliers differ most clearly from one another. That makes industrial valves a subject where discussion up front pays for itself in operation. Demand for industrial valves reaches us mainly from projects where the standard range falls short. Our market is project driven and international, and we deliver worldwide to installers, EPC contractors and end users.
What determines the price and lead time of industrial valves?
We quote a realistic lead time rather than an optimistic one, because a missed delivery date costs more than an extra week in the planning. A P&ID, a datasheet or even a photograph of the existing installation often helps us faster than a long description. Documentation such as material certificates, test reports and declarations is supplied as standard, matched to what the project requires. If you have an existing tag plate or serial number, send it along, because that lets us work directly from the original configuration. In most projects industrial valves turns out to be less standard than it first appears. If you are unsure about this on industrial valves, we are glad to put the question alongside the actual process data. Dutch Valve Vision stays available after delivery of industrial valves for technical questions and for parts. Send us your DN, pressure class, medium and temperature at sales@dutchvalvevision.com, or call +31 (0)70-2210560 to speak to a specialist.
What about maintenance and spare parts on industrial valves?
We supply both individual valves and complete packages for a project scope, including actuation and documentation. On repeat orders we record the configuration, so a follow up delivery is identical to the first and installation holds no surprises. Lead times depend on the execution, because a standard size from a running series behaves very differently from a valve in an exotic alloy with NACE certification. For shutdowns and turnarounds we look at accelerated routes, and in those cases we are honest up front about what is and is not achievable. For industrial valves a good specification up front is cheaper than a correction afterwards. On industrial valves we include start up and shutdown, because that is where the heaviest loading occurs. We record which execution of industrial valves was delivered, so a follow up delivery or spare part matches exactly later on. Alongside QUADAX and PRUSS we represent Pibiviesse, Schroeder, Striko, Malbranque, Daume, FluoroSeal and Guichon, so we can select the right brand for each project.
How do I request a quotation for industrial valves?
For an accurate quotation we need the nominal diameter, the pressure class, the medium, the operating temperature and the required actuation. We keep spare parts and overhaul kits mapped per project, so that a breakdown does not start with a search from scratch. We come back with a proposal that explains why we recommend a particular execution, including the alternatives we considered. Please also state the connection standard, the required leakage class and any project requirements such as NACE, PED or ATEX. This is one of the points on industrial valves where suppliers differ most clearly from one another. On industrial valves we prefer a well founded answer to a fast one that turns out to be wrong later. We think along on the spare parts strategy for industrial valves, so critical positions stay covered. Requests can be submitted by phone on +31 (0)70-2210560, by e-mail at sales@dutchvalvevision.com or through the contact form on our website.