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Views: 44 Author: Amy Xiong Publish Time: 2024-09-12 Origin: www.wktipvf.com
Present throughout process facilities, valves are a fundamental necessity, and for good reason. And rightly so. For that reason, without valves, there's no way to guarantee safety, efficiency, or quality. They play a critical role in the everyday goal of maintaining a steady and efficient performance.Valve is an important component in the piping system of petrochemical plant.It is one of the main leakage sources in the plant with many kinds and large quantity.Therefore,the leakage requirement of valve is very important. Valve sealing performance refers to the ability of each sealing part of the valve to prevent medium leakage.
Apart from the valve body, the valve seal or gasket is also an important part of the industrial valve, these are some of the most commonly used sealing materials for valves:
| Material Type | Description | Typical valve temperature range* |
| PTFE | • Soft textured | -200°C up to 260°C |
| (Polytetrafluoroethylene) | • Qualifies as seat material and packing material. | |
| • Often combined with carbon (RPTFE) to increase stability | ||
| PEEK | • Strong plastic quality | -60°C up to 260°C |
| (Polyether Ether Ketone) | • Mainly used as a seat material | |
| • Often combined with PTFE (modified PEEK) to enhance elasticity and improve adaptability | ||
| HNBR | • Common O-ring material | -55°C up to 150°C |
| (Hydrogenated Nitrile Butadiene Rubber) | • Low temperature range | |
| FKM | • Used as an O-ring material | -50°C up to 232°C |
| (Fluorine Kautschuk Material) | • Great chemical properties | |
| • Large temperature range | ||
| FFKM | • Premium O-ring material | -15°C up to 325°C |
| (Perfluoroelastomeric Compound with High Fluorine Content) | • Very high temperature resistance | |
| • Depending on composition, it might offer excellent resistance to aggressive media | ||
| Graphite | • Common packing material | -200°C up to 538°C |
| • Temperature insensitive | ||
| • Well suited as a fire-safe seal |
To ensure the reliability, safety, and performance of your process plant, it is crucial to carefully select the sealing materials for your valves. Familiarizing yourself with various seal types, such as static, dynamic, and double seals, will enable you to make well-informed decisions. Additionally, considering the pressure impact and exploring mechanical sealing options like O-rings, packings, lip seals, and bellows can greatly improve the effectiveness of your sealing solution. It is also important to familiarize yourself with common sealing materials such as PTFE, PEEK, HNBR, FKM, FFKM, and graphite, as this will allow you to choose materials that are compatible with your specific application.
By prioritizing sealing materials in your valve specifications, you can enhance the durability and prevent any leakages in your process plant.
Once you've determined the suitable sealing type for your applications and assessed the pressure impact, the next step is to explore various mechanical sealing options.There are several types of mechanical seals designed to prevent leakage.Each with its own advantages and disadvantages depending on the application,operating conditions,and cost.
Among the leading options for mechanical seals for valves are:
| O-rings: | Made with HNBR, FKM, or FFKM, these mechanical gaskets are characterized by a circular cross-section used to seal two or more pieces together. O-rings are preloaded in your application, considering fitting tolerances. |
| Packing: | Another type of mechanical gasket that is typically fabricated with PTFE. When compressed between two or more parts, they create an effective seal at the interface. |
| Lip seals: | This pre-stressed mechanical accessory can also be called a rotary shaft seal or oil seal. Here are two valuable tips you should be aware of to enhance their performance: 1) Always consider that they compress better with increasing pressure. 2) Make sure they are applied to an appropriate surface to seal. |
| Bellows: | They are incredibly resistant to high temperatures up to 550°C, ensuring extreme tightness. Because of that, valve bonnets with bellows seals are often used in applications where the highest tightness class is required, e.g., for toxic substances, in vacuum technology, or in the nuclear sector. |
In below pictures,you can see how the mechanical seals (O-rings, packings, lip seals, and bellows) are placed in the hardware.
The effectiveness of your sealing solution is subject to the materials you choose. Thus, asking for compatible materials in your mechanical seal ensures success in avoiding the passage (or leakage) of fluids, gases, dust, or other contaminants through gaps or joints.
Proper sealing industrial valves
This sealing serves various purposes that have far-reaching consequences for fluid control systems:
Leak Prevention- The primary function of a seal in a gate valve is to prevent leakage. Proper sealing ensures that fluids do not escape through the valve when it is in the closed position. This is crucial in industries where even a minor leak can result in catastrophic consequences, such as in chemical or petrochemical plants.
Flow Control Precision- Effective sealing mechanisms allow gate valves to precisely control the flow of fluids. Without adequate sealing, the valve’s ability to maintain a steady, leak-free flow is compromised.
System Integrity- In industries like power generation, the failure of a gate valve can lead to severe operational disruptions. Proper sealing preserves the integrity of the system, ensuring that the valve performs its function reliably.
Safety- Safety is paramount in industries where industrial valves are prevalent. Inadequate sealing can lead to the release of hazardous substances, posing risks to both the environment and personnel. Proper sealing is an indispensable element of a safety-first approach.
When you select an industrial valve, whether it’s gate valve, butterfly valve or globe valve,etc, it’s important to choose the appropriate material that meets the requirements of different applications.
Whether you're looking for industrial steam water mixing valves or searching for a custom-made piece, we're here to help. We've made valves our business for years, and we're proud of our top-quality industrial valves. For any valve that you need — including the best industrial valve on the market.
Contact us now. We look forward to hearing from you!
