Know Why Gate Valve Manufacturer Insists On Safe Gate Valve Systems

In Indonesia, gate valve manufacturers are careful about the safety aspect of the valves from the design stage of the system. Valve failure in the process control industry may lead to catastrophic events that can compromise the safety of life, investments, environment and reputation. Safety and risk management has to be part and parcel of the system. Fail-safe systems require industrial control valves that interact well with process fluid and equipment. In a typical gate valve scenario, there are chances for three types of failures that include:

Failure to open to allow flow
Failure to close to prevent flow
Failure in the last position

The first two are active failure position, and the last one is passive failure position. You must predict the flow and behaviour of the process during failure, so you know whether the system requires pipeline isolation or pressure relief.

blue color valve installed in the outdoor of clients industrial unit by gate valve manufacturer Indonesia

Top Gate Valve Issues And Its Solution

Here, let us examine some of the common issues you would face with gate valves and their solutions.
Unable to open the gate valve – If the spindle end breaks, the gate valve will not open. The reason being the accumulation of dirt causing the issue in turning off the valve over which the plumber tries to tighten the spindle. You might have to drain the valve and replace it to avoid further issues.

Also Read : Overview On Gate Valve Installation, Operation And Maintenance

Unable to close the gate valve – If you cannot close the valve, you will have to drain down the valve.
Not able to turn off the valve – As the gate valve ages, scale or dirt build-up abrupt the shutting off process. You need to clean the valve regularly, and if the issue persists, you need to replace the valve.

Seizing up of gate valves: The valves seize up as the deposits get between the operation of the valve. It happens as the water that flows around the piping system has scales and iron deposits that tend to stick to the rough patches of the valve, causing the mechanism to jam.

Gate valve leakages: Building up deposits around the seal will cause displacement leading to leakages in the gland, nut and olive area and the connecting portion of the main valve and body. You need to tighten the gland nut to resolve the issue in the gland area. You can also unscrew and place the thread or use a new washer near the seating area.

Gate valve breakages: When you apply too much pressure to turn off the valve, it eventually becomes fragile and break away. The spindle thread will not go too deep, and hence too much pressure will cause breakages.

Different Options For Gate Valve Actuation Failure

Gate valves use the rising stem method of actuation that controls the gate to open and close. In an active failure position, the availability of pressurised air, electricity and pressurised hydraulic fluid will dictate the method of actuation. Engineers have presented different options for actuator solution that includes –

Multi-turn electric that has an auxiliary power source
Spring-loaded diaphragm and piston
Double-acting piston and diaphragm powered by a storage tank

The above-mentioned systems are capable of storing energy to help in an active failure position. You can use coiled springs, hydraulic accumulators, air receivers, backup generators, supercapacitors and lead-acid batteries as one of the methods to store potential energy.

Here at Oilway, one of Indonesia's top industrial valve suppliers, we ensure the best manufacturing process is integrated with top-notch equipment to manufacture high-quality industrial valves with great consistency. Contact us today for more details.