Standards for Valves

List of Standards for Valves

Note1: These valves are acceptable even though not listed in Table 326.1 of ASME B31.3. They are listed in Table 126.1 of ASME B31.1. The additional requirements of ASME B31.3 must be met in that "only valves stem is retained by an assembly which functions independently of the stem seal retainer shall be used" (refer to paragraph 107.1(D) of ASME B31.3)

The Importance of Valve Standards

Standards for valves are essential for several reasons:

1. Safety: There are number of factors that affect valve such as high pressure, temperature and it is exposed to corrosive environment. This makes it possible to guarantee that valve can be able to withstand these conditions without failure, leading to minimal or eradication of incidences therefore enhancing safety in personnel and equipment.
2. Quality Assurance: From a few definitions it can be concluded that standards are necessary as they set up the parameters of the quality of the materials, designs, and production techniques to be used. It is important for the continuity and the performance of the valve throughout their service life to function well.
3. Interchangeability and Compatibility: Interchangeability can be defined as capability of using parts or components made by different manufacturers interchangeably thanks to standardization carried out on valve market. This compatibility will also make it easier to maintain, give less time for equipment to be down and consequently cut on costs.
4. Regulatory Compliance: In many cases there are regulatory requirements which define what components are acceptable to be utilized in an industry. It is necessary to conform to such valve standards since they fulfill various compliance to regulatory specifications.
5. Global Trade: It assists in international business since it provides an assurance that goods manufactured meet the universal set standard. This means that manufacturers can be able to penetrate the international market and at the same time, the buyers are assured of getting quality products.

Key Organizations Developing Valve Standards

Several international organizations and industry bodies are responsible for developing and maintaining valve standards. These organizations collaborate with industry experts, manufacturers, and regulatory authorities to establish comprehensive guidelines for valve design, manufacturing, and testing.

1. American Petroleum Institute (API)

API or the American Petroleum Institute is one of the most significant organizations in the oil and gas industry. The API establishes specifications for the different types of equipment used in the process of exploration, production, refining and transportation of oil and gas and valves inclusive.

• Key API Standards for Valves:
  • API 600 that is the specification for the steel gate valves commonly used to operate the oil and gas industries.
  • API 602: Specification for Small Bore Steel Gate Valves for use in the Upstream Petroleum, Gas, Natural Gas & Gas Processing Industries.
  • American Petroleum Institute: The fire test of quarters turn valves and others valves had nonmetallic seats of valves.
  • API 6D: Details consisted of focuses especially on the type of pipeline valves included the ball and check valves, gate valves, and plug valves.

2. American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME)

American Society of Mechanical Engineers is an international society who sets standards of mechanical engineering especially for pressure vessels, pipes, valves etc. Yet as you are aware ASME standards remain used in many industries as we have seen herein.

• Key ASME Standards for Valves:
  • ASME B16. 34: Valves—Flanged, threaded and welding end: Here you learn about pressure temperature ratings and dimensions of valves, other material and test for valves.
  • ASME B16. 5: Flanges and other fitting and pipe accessories that include flanges face and flanges and bolt-holes and also thickness of the pipe flanges.
  • ASME B31. 1; Power piping, that deals with the aspects of the piping systems and their components: In power piping design, materials, fabrication, assembly and construction, examination, inspection and testing of piping and related valves.

3. International Organization for Standardization (ISO)

This organisation is known as International Organization for Standardization, ISO which develops standards for use in international markets in most industries. ISO is short for international organization for standardization and this body has established some standards on the valves and they are applied universally.

• Key ISO Standards for Valves:
  • Quality assurance standard like for instance the ISO 9001.This is a guideline which give direction on how to ensure that the products being manufactured have consistent quality like in the manufacturing of valves.
  • ISO 5208; Industrial valves—Pressure testing of valves, which contained guidelines for performing pressure tests on high pressure valves.
  • ISO 5211 Industrial valves Part-turn actuator attachments that gives geometrical references to attach the actual actuator onto the valve.

4. European Committee for Standardization (CEN)

EN standards are developed by the European Committee for Standardization (CEN) and this group has the mandate of developing standards for many Industries including those of the valves. These are standards formulated by committees that are situated in Europe and therefore they conform to the international standards where it is required.

• Key EN Standards for Valves:
  • Specifications EN 558: Industrial valves—Face-to-face and center-to-face dimensions of metal valves for use in Flanged Pipe systems.
  • EN 12266: Industrial valves – This part of the standard prescribes the testing procedures of valve, such as the pressure testing, leakage, and strength testing.
  • EN 1092: When using flanges and their joints which flanges should meet specifying the flanges used for valves.

5. MSS (Manufacturers Standardization Society of the Valve and Fittings Industry)

The MSS is a professional institution based in USA that is in charge of formulating standards in valves, fittings, actuators and other related piping components. MSS standards are accepted mainly in North America and it is applied practically in every industry.

• Key MSS Standards for Valves:
  • MSS SP-61: Pressure testing of steel valves, containing allowable pressure tests when are used steel valves.
  • MSS SP-25: This is a standard which gives a code for the identification marking of valves for valves, fittings, flanges, and unions.
  • MSS SP-55: Specification for castings, carbon, low-alloy and alloy steel, for valves, flanges, fittings and other piping accessories — surface inspection by the visual method.

Key Valve Standards and Their Applications

Valve standards cover so many areas as the material that the valve is made of or the design of the valve, testing and certification among others. some of the most basic standards and their importance in various fields are given below.

1. Material Standards

Every material used in the construction of the valves has to be fit for purpose to be used to serve its intended purpose. Some of the facets that these standards consider include; corrosion, temperatures, as well as mechanical properties.

• Common Material Standards:
  • ASTM / A216: standards of carbon steel which is suitable for high temperature use, particularly in application to manufacture valve body.
  • ASTM A351: Standard for Austenitic Steel Castings for Corrosive Service.
  • NACE MR0175/ISO 15156, that is: Materials for use in H2S containing environments in oil and gas

production gives guidance on the materials most suitable for use in sulfide stress cracking service Applications:

• Oil and Gas: Ordering to the requirement of the oil and gas industry, the valves must be constructed from materials that are resistant to high pressure, high temperatures and corrosive atmosphere.
• Chemical Processing: Application of valves in chemical processing involves exposure to different chemicals, and thus the valves must be made of stainless steel or other exotic materials.

2. Design and Dimensional Standards

Design and dimensional standards ensure that valves are compatible with other components in a piping system. These standards specify the dimensions, pressure ratings, and end connections of valves.

• Common Design Standards:
  • ASME B16. 34: This standard deals with size, characteristics as well as pressure standard of valves that are employed in various fields, to make them compatible for use.
  • ISO 5211: Defines the installation dimensions for part-turn actuators, so that currently on the market available part-turn actuators of different manufacturers can be used interchangeably on a valve.

Applications:

• Power Generation: Valves in power plants have to be designed to certain requirements that would enable them withstand high pressure steam build up and also minimize losses in the form of leaks.
• Water Treatment: The valves used in water treatment plants require valves that should meet the following design requirements; tight shut off and non – contamination.

3. Testing Standards

It becomes important to test valves to ensure that they perform as required set standards especially when they are deployed on use. These standards describe the practices of the pressure test, leakage test and operational test.

• Common Testing Standards:
  • Specification API 598 also known as Valve inspection and testing which establishes specification for the pressure tests and inspection of valves utilized in the oil industry.
  • The international standard is the ISO 5208 Industrial valves—Pressure testing of valves that describe the procedures for testing presumptive valves for pressures together with the necessary acceptance criteria for the different varieties of industrial valves.

Applications:

• Petrochemical Industry: Here one has to mention valves used in petrochemical plants where all the equipment and components, including valves, are researched and tested to operate under severe conditions.
• Marine Applications: The equipment on ships and offshore platforms are exposed to very challenging conditions; hence, valves used are tested rigorously.

4. Certification Standards

Certification standards makes sure that the valves in use have the capability to perform and to be safe enough as per the needed standards. Certified valves are those valves which are tested and verified by a third party on the basis of certain standards.

• Common Certification Standards:
  • API Q1: Requirements for quality management system for manufacturing organization in the industrial sector particularly in oil and gas industries together with manufacturers of valves.
  • CE Marking (European Union): Assures that a valve fulfills the EU’s minimum health, safety and/ or environmental standards.

Applications:

• Food and Beverage: Sanitation is a major consideration in the food and beverage industry and therefore valves used in this industry must be certified.
• Pharmaceutical Industry: Valves which are used in pharmaceutical industries have to meet high requirements as far as hygiene is concerned as well as preventing contamination.

Challenges in Implementing Valve Standards

Though valve standards provide specified quality, safety, and performance requirements, their application is challenging for manufacturers, engineers, and operators.

1. Complexity and Cost

Adherence to the valve standards may pose significant challenges on small manufacturers or valve manufacturers who produce specialized models. Special materials for production, testings, and certifications add up to costs and also result in long delivery times.

• Example: A small vending company may face challenges in dealing with the valves manufacturing and materials testing standards that are set for valves used in offshore oil and gas platforms which will lead to high cost and delay in delivery.

2. Keeping Up with Evolving Standards

Valve standard are dynamic because of; Technologies, materials, and safety challenges keep changing. To keep up with such changes, there is need to continue with research, development and training.

• Example: A manufacturer of valves for the nuclear industry must keep abreast with the current ASME standards so as to be able to create products that are safe and performant.

3. Global Compliance

On international projects, valves are to conform to standards of the different countries that may substantially differ. , it is pertinent to know that maneuvering through these disparate systems is not easy for manufacturers and operators.

• Example: A valve manufacturer that is selling product to the European Union, the United States, and China has to fulfill the test requirement, certification, and labeling requirement of the country in question.

Conclusion

Valve standards are crucial for valve specification as it provides for guidelines in quality, safety and performance of valves in industries. These standards give directions in materials for valves, the designing of these valves, testing and certification to guarantee that these valves perform optimally in critical conditions.

Through the application of these standards, manufacturers are well placed to manufacture valves to international standards for the purpose of enhancing inter country flow of products while at the same time developing safe and reliable fluid control systems. The engineers and operators can also depend on the standard valves to retain system integrity, lower the incidences of failure and respond to regulatory standards.

In summary, the successful implementation of valve standards requires:In summary, the successful implementation of valve standards requires:

• Proper knowledge of standards that are related to the specific industries and how these standards are used.
• Continuous flow of resources to fund the research, development and acquirement of knowledge on new standards.
• This involves commitment of adherence to regulatory bodies, industries and third party certifiers.

By adopting the principles mentioned above organizations will achieve excellent standards of valves quality, safety, and performance that will drive the organization’s operations through sustainability.