| The Intermodal exhibition is the ideal vehicle for Fort Vale to showcase its expertise and versatility. In addition to its core range of valves, manways and couplings for use on Road, Rail, ISO and Offshore vessels, the company is also able to offer bespoke products to cater for specialist applications. Such applications often involve hazardous, corrosive or volatile substances where the safety of the operator and the environment is of the utmost importance and equipment has to satisfy stringent industry recognised standards. |
One such project has recently come to fruition. Following testing at a facility in Germany, Fort Vale has now released a new 3” Vent valve with integral flame arrestor designed specifically to satisfy the requirements of RID 6.8.2.2.3 standards. The RID standard states that rail vessels that transport flammable cargoes should have a flame arrestor fitted in series with the vapour recovery pipework to prevent a fire or explosion should ignition of the flammable vapour accidentally occur. The flame arrestor allows the flow of gases or vapour under normal operating conditions but prevents the transmission of a flame should an ignition take place. The new valve/flame arrestor was subjected to a “confined deflagration test” where the exothermic flow is subsonic and then a “stable detonation test” where the exothermic flow is supersonic. Test conditions comprised of a vessel, connecting pipework with sensors to measure the velocity of the vapour/flame, the vent valve with flame arrestor and connecting pipework terminating in a ball valve. The system was purged with a flammable mixture, after which the gas in the vessel was ignited. The flame velocity was then measured and it was determined whether the flame had permeated the arrestor and ignited the flammable mix beyond. The 3” Vent valve with flame arrestor passed both tests and is approved for Gas Class IIB3. The 3” Vent valve is compliant with EN14432:2006 and the flame arrestor is compliant with EN16852:2010 and ATEX. Fort Vale’s complementary range of rail tank equipment includes a manway, emergency relief valves, EN14433 compliant 5” primary discharge valve, EN14432 compliant 4” ball valves and dry disconnect couplings.
Elsewhere in Europe, Fort Vale has received some very positive feedback from a customer trialling its improved PFA lined Ball valves with Hydrochloric acid and Sulphuric acid. PFA has physical and chemical properties similar to those of PTFE and is suitable for operating temperatures of -40°C to +200°C. Its excellent chemical resistance makes it a robust, high performance lining material which offers outstanding corrosion protection in most applications. Prior to fitting Fort Vale lined valves, the client was changing the secondary valve every few months due to corrosion problems. Since switching supplier, the operator has experienced no further corrosion issues, saving a considerable amount of money and tank down-time.
The full series of products for corrosive application includes PFA lined manway covers and prepared neckrings to be lined at the same time as the tank; 65mm and 80mm Super Maxi emergency relief valves with PFA lined bore and Halar® lined springs; RID/EN14433 compliant 3” 45° Halar® lined Highlift-style internal footvalve; RID/EN14432 compliant 25mm, 50mm and 80mm PFA lined Blacko ball valves with flanged connections. The secondary closure may be terminated with a lined threaded spigot and polycarbonate cap with full PTFE seal or with a lined bobbin flange.
To find out more about our range of equipment for intermodal tanks or to discuss your specific application, please visit our stand G32.
|
