Wednesday, October 12, 2016

Steam Jacketed Valves As The Most Common Type

By Lisa Green


Valves are devices that regulate, direct, or control the of fluids either by opening or closing fully or partially the obstructing passageways. Examples of fluids are liquids, slurries, gases, and fluidized solids. These are often considered as fittings technically, but is being discussed and categorized separately. Fittings are being used for pipe systems in connecting sections of pipe or tubing and for measuring the running of fluids.

For open valve types, the fluid will flow into a direction coming from a high pressure down to a low pressure. The most simple and ancient valves are just hinged flaps that will drop in order to obstruct flow of the fluid, either gas or liquid, in only one direction and it is propelled open by the flow in its opposite direction. Steam jacketed valves are the most commonly used types in Houston, TX.

These steam jackets are being made in order to keep the valve body in maintaining its average temperature. The steam is a hot fluid that is circulated to keep the fluids warm which are flowing inside and to maintain also the liquid state. The steam is circulated in between the jackets and the vessel walls. It also allows heat to transfer through the vessel walls.

Before jacketing and after jacketing, the valves must be leak tested and pressure tested. There many considerations in order to perform jacketing. This includes the materials, location and type of heated medium connection, full or partial coverage, flange size, and the bonnet jacket or additional heat coverage to specific areas.

Valves have eleven components and the usual parts are body and bonnet. The body is the outer part which contains all the internal parts or the trim. These are usually plastic or metallic. Bronze, cast iron, alloy steels, brass, gunmetal, steel, and stainless steel are the most common materials.

The function of the bonnet is to serve as a body covering. It is often semi permanently bolted or screwed to the body. In its process of manufacturing, internal components are positioned inside a body first before attaching the bonnet into it for holding all things inside. To maintain the components inside, this can be detached.

The ports are the passages from which the fluid flow will occur. Typically, valves have two ports. The handle controls the valve manually from outside the body and an actuator is the mechanism that automatically controls it. The disc is an obstruction which is movable and would restrict the flow.

The seat is a part that will contact the disc in forming the leak tight seal. This is classified into hard seats or soft seats. The stem will transmit the motion coming from the handle or will control the device into a disc. Gaskets are used to prevent any leakages of fluids.

A valve ball will be used in applications which have severe duty, high tolerance, or high pressure. It is usually made from hastelloy, stainless steel, brass, titanium, nickel, or stellite. A spring will shift a disc into its default position and will allow to control disc repositioning. Trims are internal components of valve.




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