Are you downplaying the importance of this small yet critical valve seat component?
It has a small footprint, and is seldom noticed, but if it is ignored, the entire operation could fail.
Valve seat is the component against which the disc rests to effectively seal the valve. If the valve seat fails, it means leakage, and failure of the entire valve.
Durability and performance of the valve seat are critical for overall performance of the valve. Considering its vital role, the material and design of the valve seat needs to be given a serious consideration when selecting a seat for your valves.
Here’s how these parameters affect your valve
Material
Valves can be metal seated or soft-seated, where various plastic materials are used to design valve seats. A number of factors influence the choice of valve seat material, these include:
- Composition of the fluid
- Pressure
- Temperature
- Flow rate
Plastic materials
In case of soft-seated valves, various plastic materials are used, with PTFE and a range of its mixtures being the most common. Delrin, nylon and PEEK. PTFE has excellent sealing properties and wide range of temperature temperature applications. However, virgin PTFE’s lower resistance to cold flow entails deterioration in performance. This problem is resolved by using the right mix of re-enforcement in PTFE.
If the valve remain shut for a long time, the pressure can result in permeant deformation of the seat in soft-seated valves. Hence the seat material should be capable of overcoming this issue.
Metals
Metals are generally used for seats in valves that serve critical applications and severe conditions. While metal valves perform well under harsh circumstances and high pressure, the hard texture of metals means they might have problems in providing perfect leaking. Metal-seated valves also tend to be pricier than soft-seated valves.
How the seat material behaves under the temperature and pressure in your application is an important factor in choosing the valve seat.
Design
A number of soft-seated valves have valve seat insert pressed or moulded into an outer metallic seat carrier. It is important to get this design precisely correct. If the seat carrier design fails, it leads to failure of the valve seat. Many soft seats for ball valves now have grooves on the outside diameter. These grooves serve to balance the pressure around the valve seat and help significantly reduce deformation of soft seats, prolonging the lifespan of the seat.
Valve Seat Insertion
Valve seat inserts are cylindrical components crafted from super alloys, renowned for their exceptional heat and wear resistance. Available in two types, inlet and exhaust, these inserts boast superior mechanical properties and strength. They snugly fit into the cylinder head’s bore, providing a precise seat for the valves. The seat angle, a critical factor, is meticulously manufactured using high-precision machinery and tools.
valve seat inserts are tailored to diverse applications, engineered with precise tolerances and premium quality. They seamlessly integrate into the cylinder head guide bore without requiring additional adjustments. Utilizing centrifugal casting machines, all valve seat inserts undergo a rigorous casting process, ensuring integrity and passing radiographic examinations.
Choose the right, reliable and durable valves
The best way to ensure flawless performance from every component of the valve is to choose valves that are tested and certified in line with proper standards. IPC is focused on all the intricate aspects of design and functioning of valves. Its expertise is backed by a transparent Its expertise is backed by a transparent production and testing process which the customer can track at any time. Understanding the customer’s application thoroughly sets the foundation for design and deployment of the solution. Thus, we are all the more receptive to what the customer says and evolving to match their performance expectations.
To avail of high-performance durable and reliable valves in a short lead time, drop us an e-mail at evalve@ipcvalves.com