27/01/2011	<<Back to News
New 3" 30° Discharge Footvalves
New 30° Uniflow bottom discharge assembly
Fort Vale has been expanding its range of discharge solutions to offer its worldwide clients even more choice and flexibility. The component manufacturer is launching a 30° version of its established 3” Univalve and 3” Uniflow composite bottom discharge assemblies. Most commonly, these composite footvalve/butterfly valves are supplied as a 45° configuration to suit most tank designs. The 30° version caters for those builders who offer a slightly different tank design or capacity.
The new 30° Univalve complies with EN14433:2006 and EN14432:2006 (Tanks for the transport of dangerous goods - Tank equipment for the transport of liquid chemicals – Foot valves and Product discharge & air inlet valves respectively). The one-piece body casting and revised shear groove design of the valve results in a stiffer inlet flange. The cast “open cage” design of the valve inlet renders this part of the valve stronger and more robust in operation and less likely to be damaged in transit. A new style poppet incorporating a lift-stop prevents the spring becoming coil-bound – a significant risk when bottom-loading. The new 30° Uniflow primary closure valve has internal spring mechanism which enables an unimpeded flow of product, producing a 38% higher flow rate and 27% reduction in discharge time when compared with a traditional 3-closure bottom discharge arrangement. For added longevity and maximum protection against crevice corrosion, the 30° Univalve and 30° Uniflow footvalve are available with a Hastelloy seat area. In addition, the valves use common consumables for maximum user-convenience and the CFR49 fusible element may easily be retro-fit. Both discharge valve assemblies have a special “CLEAN” position for the butterfly valve closure plate which allows the rear of the plate to be steam-cleaned in-situ without the removal of the valve assembly from the tank, thereby reducing valuable down-time and the associated costs. In addition, butterfly valve main seal replacement may also be carried out without valve dismantling – taking only a matter of minutes. Compared with a conventional 3-valve bottom discharge assembly, the 30° Univalve and Uniflow offer a discharge solution that is lighter weight and shorter profile. Both come with a low cost of ownership since M & R costs have been vastly reduced by eliminating the intermediate gaskets and possible consequential leak path.