avk safety valve testing factory

relief valve industry. This vast knowledge, coupled with continuous customer input, allows AVK to provide the first in-line pressure relief valve testing devices designed specifically with you in

with your specific application, and make the testing of pressure relief valves a cost effective way of ensuring plant safety with the utmost in flexibility.

A very critical aspect of inline testing is the accuracy of effective seat areas that are used in calculating set point, our products have been proven by comparative live testing and empirical

analysis through many years.  Our Nuclear software has passed V & V certification.  Our products have been independently verified for accuracy by major valve manufacturers and

Safety valves are used in a variety of industrial applications to include air/gas, vapor, steam, and liquid service, among many more. These pressure relief valves are critical to the safe operation of our customer’s equipment and provide—as their name implies—a safety measure that can reduce the number of risks that can threaten both your personnel and facilities.

Millennium Power Services’ safety valve technicians will get your valves tested, repaired, and quickly set to the exact specifications. We serve as your knowledge partner and will also evaluate the repair condition of every valve and make recommendations as needed to help you make the best decisions.

Using the data acquired through system transducers, the AVK consistently and accurately verifies valve set pressure. The portable device includes a small actuator assembly that is mounted to the valve. A custom-designed adapter with sensor applies force to the valve spindle to determine set pressure. The test results can then be printed or downloaded to other applications.

ABBEY ROGERS offers a lift assist device that allows for the testing of safety relief valves while still in line, and operational. The AVK is an electro-hydraulic computerized testing unit that when connected to the valve records the pressure at which the valve lifts. The AVK connects to the stem of the safety valve and measures the vertical forces exerted by the spring and load train of the valve. These tests are preformed while your system is under pressure, therefore no loss of production due to removing safety relief valves. The documentation provided will satisfy ASME & Insurance inspectors.

Valve requirements for the AVK are the following: pressure under the valve, must be flanged, must be at least a 21" clearance above the valve, service must be non-liquid, and non-hazardous vapors. The AVK is ideal for testing valves in place which will determine which valves need to be pulled out of service for repair, and which can remain inline through another cycle. The AVK will reduce manpower and downtime expenses.

Safety valves are used in a variety of applications, including air/gas, vapor, steam and liquid service.  Flotech has been approved by the National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors to perform safety and relief valve testing, repair and certification.

Our valve experts will focus on getting your valves tested, repaired and quickly set to the exact specifications.  We evaluate the repair condition of every valve and will recommend the right solution to manage your maintenance program.

We also provide in place testing at your facility or factory to minimize down time. Mec-Tric’s in place testing equipment allows for diagnosis of valves operating correctly and repair of valves not meeting specifications. This helps eliminate customer down time and limits the amount of valves customers must maintain in stock.

The A.V.K. UltraStar LFM is an in-line pressure relief valve testing device (also commonly referred to as an A.L.D., auxiliary lift device). Its primary function is to verify the set pressure of pressure-relief valves in-line. With the in-line testing of valves, the costly and time-consuming job of valve removal and reinstallation is eliminated. Only those valves failing the test need to be scheduled for repair during system scheduled shutdown. Using the data acquired through system transducers, the UltraStar LFM provides a consistent and accurate valve set pressure.

The UltraStar LFM design includes a hydraulic actuator assembly that is mounted to the valve. A custom-designed robotic gripper-arm applies force to the valve spindle to determine set pressure.

In the event of an over-pressure condition, the UltraStar LFM does not hamper the normal operation of the valve regardless of the testing phase currently in progress. An additional feature provides for the controlled re-closing of the valve, preventing disk collapse and damage to the valve spindle.

The Power-to-X technologies are still quite new, and still there are no standards regarding this. Most manufacturers of valves will follow the ASME B31.12 standard for hydrogen in distribution networks, but there are no standards for tests of valves used for hydrogen.

Therefore, in collaboration with FORCE Technology, we have developed special tests to simulate the long-term effects of hydrogen. FORCE Technology has specialized knowledge within this field, and they have access to test facilities established in cooperation with Danish Gas Technology Centre, DGC. It takes a lot of safety precautions to perform tests with hydrogen, as it is a very combustible gas, and furthermore, the valves need to be tested under pressure.

We have developed two comprehensive tests. A functionality test that simulates the full lifetime and a burst test that exposes the valves for increased pressure until they burst.

Test results show that AVK valves can withstand the effects of hydrogen. Thus, they can therefore be used as components in the gas networks used for transport of hydrogen.

AVK is the first company in Denmark to test valves for hydrogen. By being first-mover and contributing to development of tests within this field, we will have a great advantage when it comes to servicing our customers and their needs in their transition to green energy and the fast-growing Power-to-X technologies.

vpl has put you on the right track. The Trevitest Device is one brand of Lift Assist Device (others include KISS, EVT, PVT AVK, Hydroset, SPIVOT). SOme are manufactured by Pressure Relief Valve Companies, others by Valve Repair Shops and some are third party vendors with PRV background. A Pressure Relief Valve typically uses a spring (Force S) to hold a movable sealing member (disc) closed on a fixed sealing member (nozzle) until the system pressure (Force P) overcomes the Spring and opens the PRV to relieve an overpressure situation. The PRV works on the simple principle that IF Force S > Force P THEN the PRV remains closed (Static Force Balance Principle). However, IF Force P > Force S THEN the PRV is Open.

The problem is that most Steam Power Generating Stations, whether Fossil or Nuclear, are such high pressure and under so much demand for electricity that they do want to take the time or liability to overpressure their boilers to test Safety Valve Set Pressure. Use of the Lift Assist Device is permitted by ASME Code (both Sec. I, Power Boilers, & Sec. VIII, Pressure Vessels) to determine the Set Pressure of a PRV (Safety, Safety-Relief or Relief Valve).

The Equipment Required is a Calibrated System Pressure Gauge, a Lift Assist Device with an adapter to connect to the PRV Stem, a Calibrated Load Cell to measure the Force Applied to the PRV Stem, a calculator or PC with a program to determine the Set Pressure from the input data and most importantly, a Valve Technician who knows PRV Terminology, and is familiar with the Test Equipment.

At each of our 12 convenient locations, the Chalmers & Kubeck Valve and Actuation Technicians are factory trained and certified. Each expert Technician is required to meet stringent factory standards prior certification so you can be confident that we will provide the expert, efficient, and comprehensive service that you expect.

Our services include field trouble shooting, actuator refurbishment, control enhancement, electronic valve testing, torque verification, turnkey overhauls / repairs, retrofits, and valve testing / certification. We offer complete reconditioning of ball valves, butterfly valves, check valves, control valves, gate valves, globe valves, parallel slide valves, pilot operated valves, plug valves, pressure relief valves, pressure safety valves, vacuum break valves, and other specialty valves.

Baker Hughes manufactures the premier boiler safety valves and pressure relief valves in the industry, Consolidated®, and authorizes a very select group of companies to be their exclusive factory authorized repair and service centers, known as Green Tag Centers® (GTC). Ten of the 12 C&K Service Locations are GTCs, which means that you will receive best-in-class aftermarket product support. With our OEM trained and certified valve technicians, you know that your relief valves will be rebuilt correctly to exacting standards. Prior to certification, each of our valve technicians must go through Baker Hughes classroom training that includes applicable codes and standards, proprietary repair procedures, and practical hands-on instruction. The technician must prove their proficiency during both written and practical examinations covering relief valve repair, assembly, and testing. With our certified Green Tag Technicians, you can rest assured that your valves will be serviced in compliance with ASME and NBBI (National Board of Boiler and Pressure Vessel Inspectors) standards so they perform their critical safety function as intended.

Each of our GTC service locations has compete machining capabilities, calibrated measuring and testing equipment, specialized electronic valve testing equipment, and ValvKeep, a proprietary electronic data management system, so you can track and trend the repair history of your valves. We also carry significant inventory of Consolidated pressure relief valves and OEM certified replacement parts ensuring rapid response to your urgent repair needs. If for some reason we don’t have a part in stock locally, we have access to all parts stocked by GTCs throughout the entire United States and can have them overnight shipped to one of our service centers. We are your trusted local pressure relief valve service center whether your valves are Consolidated or another manufacturer’s brand.

Since the first installation of its Limitorque Machine (limit & torque capable) in 1929, Limitorque has been manufacturing some of the most innovative and dependable motor-operated valve actuators for demanding industrial applications.  Flowserve, the parent company of Limitorque, authorizes a select group of companies to be their “Limitorque Blue Ribbon” service and repair centers.  Chalmers & Kubeck is proud to be the largest Limitorque Distributor east of the Mississippi River and that all twelve (12) of our locations are Limitorque Blue Ribbon Service Centers.  With over 20 years  providing outstanding Blue Ribbon Service, C&K is your go-to solution for actuator sizing, selection, adaptation, installation / certification, maintenance, repair, and field service.

This team of valve and instrument specialists works closely together to provide customer assistance in technical sales, quotations and delivery. Chalmers & Kubeck maintains around-the -clock service, which includes the assembly and test of new CONSOLIDATED® pressure relief valves, plus full machining and repair operations for industrial valves of many types and manufacturers. Additionally, C&K provides comprehensive design and manufacturing services to adapt your existing manual valve or a new manual valve to a motor operated actuator for enhanced process control and operator safety.

AVK International A/S, a family-owned group of companies based near Aarhus, has been producing natural gas network valves for many years. As the transition to green energy becomes increasingly more important in supplying energy for the future, AVK is highly conscious of the significance of Power-to-X and green energy sources for its future portfolio of products.

"We want to be at the forefront of developments in transporting hydrogen through the natural gas network," explains Simon Slumstrup, a product manager at AVK International A/S. "That"s why we want to know if our valves can withstand long-term exposure to hydrogen."

One of the challenges with hydrogen is that it can diffuse into metals over time, such as the metal components of a valve. If this happens, it can cause the metal to become brittle and prone to developing cracks. Leaks and hydrogen-tightness are also focal points, given the small size of hydrogen molecules. In the worst-case scenario, an explosion could occur within a gas pipeline or in a Power-to-X system.

"We needed to have a test developed in order to determine whether our valves could withstand long-term exposure to hydrogen. We can"t conduct these kinds of tests ourselves because they require extensive safety measures. Hydrogen is extremely flammable, and our valves have to be tested under pressure," says Slumstrup.

AVK and FORCE Technology collaborated to develop specialised, comprehensive tests based on FORCE Technology"s knowledge of the field. These specialised tests fulfilled AVK"s needs for a way to test the long-term impact of hydrogen on its valves under simulated operating conditions.

Two tests were developed: a functional test, which simulates a valve"s entire lifetime; and a burst test, which exposes a valve to increasingly high (and eventually unrealistic) pressures until it fails. A tested valve can then be compared to a control valve that underwent a lifetime test in an inert gas to determine whether the hydrogen damaged the tested valve.

New Valve Automation – With our relationships with many factories, TVI can build automation packages to supply your needs. Packages can include supporting documentation and asset tracking.

New Relief Valve and VR Repair – With three National Board and ASME certified repair locations, we have the personnel and equipment to repair all of your relief valves in our facilities. All of our VR repairs follow our quality process that has been approved by the National Board.

Non-Code Relief Valve Repair – TVI has expertise in refurbishing conservation vents and, flame arrestors, and other equipment. Although not governed by the National Board, our repair process follows a stringent standard to bring valves back to a like-new condition.

Gate, Globe, Check Valves – TVI has the in house capabilities of repairing manual valves in excess of 72″. This includes repair, replacement of parts, and hydro-testing.

Automated Valve Repair – Do you have valves that need to be automated? Bring them to TVI. We have the in-house knowledge to properly size any valve and can build brackets and couplings. In addition, TVI can rebuild any control valve or automated valve package. TVI only uses factory parts in all repairs – ensuring your valves will be returned to you in the best condition possible.

Welded In Relief Valves – Valve repair trailers has expanded TVI’s support of customers to include many areas of on-site maintenance and repair. TVI has the tools to repair any relief valve that’s welded in place. We can come onsite and pre-test valves as well as repair in place.

On-Site Relief Valve Repair – TVI can bring a mobile repair facility to your location. This can reduce the turnaround time on valves by eliminating the drive time to a shop. Our team of valve technicians have years of experience working on all brands of relief valves.

Field Machining – TVI has the tools and expertise to field machine most parts within manufacturer’s recommended tolerances reducing the need to return to a shop to complete valve repairs. This capability greatly reduces repair time for customers.

Welded in Valve Repair – TVI’s team is trained to repair any type of valve welded in place or flanged valves where customers would prefer a repair in place rather than valve removal. This includes pressure seal valves, Orbit valves, as well as gate, globe and check valves.

On-Site Valve Repair – TVI’s mobile trailer contains fixed equipment as well as mobile equipment to inspect, repair, and test valves at a customer’s location.

High Pressure Repairs – TVI maintains AVK equipment for applications involving high pressure to ensure your valves are set properly without damaging valve components.

Farris – IPrism – Farris has worked with OSHA and a number of customers to develop an all-encompassing software package to manage the safety of all items within a plant.

Valve Automation – Are you looking to stock components for valve automation?  TVI can help raionalize the components you keep on the shelf to ensure you have the right products to automate all of your processes.  TVI’s secure extranet web application can catalog your valve automation packages by serial number, showing all the details of each package purchased, ensuring your replacement automation package is a duplicate of the last order.

Relief Valves – TVI’s valve tracking software can provide details on all of the repair process of each valve including repair history, parts replaced, and parts to replace at the next service.

Relief Valve Sizing – TVI uses Farris’ Sizemaster software to validate new valves in applications.  This software not only sizes valves based on volume or mass flow, and steam, but also can be used for two-phase flow. This software can be installed at customers’ locations either in a stand alone or network environment.  TVI and Farris provides factory and on-site training for the use of this software.  TVI provides sizing and validation sheets for all customers for all applications as requested at no charge.

Valve Automation Sizing – Manu suppliers offer actuator sizing software to ensure actuators are properly sized for each application.  TVI can either size actuators for applications and provide data sheets or provide access to to the software for customers.

TSV Service & Sales, a Division of TRIVACO, offers over 55 years of experience in the Industrial, Commercial and Institutional Industry as mechanical specialty sales engineers and application engineering.  As the “Factory Authorized Assembler” of Kunkle Relief Valves for the State of Indiana and western Kentucky. We provide Kunkle Safety Valves to Industrial Distributors and carry a local inventory of Kunkle Safety Valves that we can ship to you or drop ship to your customer.

Everyone is encouraged to call us and schedule a sales call to discuss our FREE survey of safety valves in your plant. This allows us to identify any relief valve installation problems and check to see if the valves are for the application and service. You will receive value from this service by addressing any potential safety issues proactively and not waiting until an unfortunate event occurs to act!

TSV also keeps record of manufacturer’s specifications for Kunkle Valve, Farris, Consolidated, Crosby and more to ensure the accuracy and quality of your valves.

We have certified our shop with The National Board and now hold the following code stamps; VR, UV, V and NB. This enables us to repair Kunkle Valve or ANY other manufacturer’s code stamped safety/relief valve, to new condition, right here in Indianapolis!

Everyone is encouraged to call us and schedule a sales call to discuss our FREE survey of safety valves in your plant. This allows us to identify any relief valve installation problems and check to see if the valves are for the application and service. You will receive value from this service by addressing any potential safety issues proactively and not waiting until an unfortunate event occurs.

The Pressure Safety Valve Inspection article provides you information about inspection of pressure safety valve and pressure safety valve test in manufacturing shop as well as in operational plants.

Your pressure safety valve is a direct spring-loaded pressure-relief valve that is opened by the static pressure upstream of the valve and characterized by rapid opening or pop action.

Your construction code for pressure safety valve is API Standard 526 and covers the minimum requirements for design, materials, fabrication, inspection, testing, and commissioning.

These are:API Recommended Practice 520 for Sizing and SelectionAPI Recommended practice 521 Guideline for Pressure Relieving and Depressing SystemsAPI Recommended Practice 527 Seat Tightness of Pressure Relief Valves

For example if there is pressure vessel need to be installed in the state of Minnesota then the pressure vessel nameplate shall be U stamped and pressure vessel safety valve shall be UV stamped.

National Board Inspection Code (NBIC) have own certification scheme for pressure safety valves and using NB symbol. The NBIC code book for this certification is NB 18.

There are some other standards and codes which are used in pressure safety valve such as:ASME PTC 25 for pressure relief devices which majorly is used for assessment of testing facility and apparatus for safety valvesBS EN ISO 4126-1, 4126-2 and 4126-3 which is construction standard similar to API STD 526.

This API RP 527 might be used in conjunction of API RP 576 as testing procedure for seat tightness testing of pressure safety valve for periodical servicing and inspection.

These are only important points or summery of points for pressure safety valve in-service inspection and should not be assumed as pressure safety valve inspection procedure.

Pressure safety valve inspection procedure is comprehensive document which need to cover inspection methods to be employed, equipment and material to be used, qualification of inspection personnel involved and the sequence of the inspection activities as minimum.

You may use following content as summery of points for Pressure Safety Valve Inspection in operational plantDetermination pressure safety valve inspection interval based API STD 510 and API RP 576 requirementsInspection of inlet and outlet piping after pressure safety valve removal for any foulingInspection of pressure safety valve charge and discharge nozzles for possible deposit and corrosion productsTaking care for proper handling of pressure safety valves from unit to the valve shop. The detail of handling and transportation instruction is provided in API RP 576.Controlling of seals for being intact when the valves arrived to the valve shop.Making as received POP test and recording the relieving pressure.

If the POP pressure is higher than the set pressure the test need to be repeated and if in the second effort it was near to the set pressure it is because of deposit.If in the second effort it was not opened near to the set pressure either it was set wrongly or it was changed during the operationIf the pressure safety valve was not opened in 150% of set pressure it should be considered as stuck shut.If the pressure safety valve was opened below the set pressure the spring is weakenedMaking external visual inspection on pressure safety valve after POP test. The test need contain following item as minimum;the flanges for pitting and roughness

Making body wall thickness measurementDismantling of pressure safety valve if the result of as received POP test was not satisfactoryMaking detail and comprehensive visual and dimensional inspection on the dismantled valve parts (after cleaning)Making special attention to the dismantled valves seating surfaces inspection e.g. disk and seat for roughness, wear and damage which might cause valve leakage in serviceReplacing the damaged parts in dismantled valves based manufacture recommendation and API RP 576 requirementsMaking precise setting of the pressure safety valve after reassembly based manufacture recommendation or NB-18 requirements

Making at least two POP test after setting and making sure the deviation from set pressure is not more than 2 psi for valves with set pressure equal or less than 70 psi or 3% for valves with set pressure higher than 70 psiMaking valve tightness test for leakage purpose after approval of the setting pressure and POP tests. The test method and acceptance criteria must be according to the API RP 576.The API RP 527 also can be used for pressure safety valve tightness test.Recording and maintaining the inspection and testing results.