Five major tests before valve leaves the factory

Do you know what tests butterfly valves need to go through before leaving the factory? This article will introduce you to some tests and válvula de borboleta testing standards.

Ⅰ. Valve fire resistance test  

1. General requirements

Generally, the valve stem of the valve to be tested is installed in a horizontal position on the test pipeline, and the valve to be tested is in a closed state. The pipeline and the cavity of the valve body to be tested are filled with water and the water pressure in the system reaches the standard value. The gas fuel is ignited and the valve to be tested is completely surrounded by fire. The flame temperature around the valve body and the temperature of each part of the valve body meet the standard requirements within a certain period of time. When the temperature meets the requirements, it continues to burn for 30 minutes, and the internal and external leakage of the valve during the fire and the internal and external leakage of the valve after the fire is over and cooled down are checked.

2. Test items

The main leakage indicators and operation requirements of the valve fire resistance test include internal leakage during the fire, external leakage during the fire, low pressure test after cooling, and operation test.

3. Test standards

AP|SPEC 6FA Specification for Fire Test for Valves

AP|SPEC 6FD Specification for Fire Test for Check Valves

APl STD 607 Fire test for quarter-turn valves and valves equipped with nonmetallic seats

BS EN IS0 10497 Testing of valves – Fire type-testing requirements

GBT 26482 Check valve – Fire test

II. Valve life test

Life test is a method to study the life characteristics of products. It is one of the most important items in reliability test. It is to put the product under specific test conditions to examine the law of its failure change over time. Valve life test is to test whether the valve body and valve seat of the valve type are good after a certain number of actions under the influence of factors such as water flow pressure and mechanical cycle.

Test standards

The test standards for valve life test mainly include:

GB/T 13927 “Industrial valve pressure test”

GB/T 26480 “Inspection and test of valves”

JB/T 8863 “Butterfly valve static pressure life test procedures”

III. Valve low temperature test

Low temperature valves usually refer to valves with working temperatures below -40℃.

Before the low temperature test, the valve should be degreased and dried. After the valve and the test device are connected, helium is used for the initial test at room temperature and maximum working pressure to ensure the tightness of the connection of each part.

During the cooling process of the valve, helium should always be circulated in the valve to remove the moisture that may be formed during the cooling process.

The entire test process should be completed in the low temperature test tank. The valve is immersed in liquid nitrogen as a whole, and the liquid level should reach the neck position of the valve cover. The content of the low temperature test is mainly to test the sealing and operating performance of the valve under low temperature conditions according to the relevant standards, and several switching operations should be performed during the period.

1. Test standard

GB/T 24925-2019 “Technical conditions for low temperature valves”

BS6364 low temperature valves

MESC SPE77:200 Specification for low temperature valves

IV. Valve micro leakage test

The test medium uses helium, and the micro leakage of the valve is measured with a helium mass spectrometer leak detector. Usually, a helium mass spectrometer leak detector is required in the low temperature test and fugitive test of the valve.

1. Test standards

IS0 15848-1 Industrial Valves-Measurement, test and qualification procedures for fugitive emissions Part 1: Classification system and qualification procedures for type testing of valves ISO 15848-2 Industrial Valves-Measurement, test and qualification procedures for fugitive emissions Part 2: Production acceptance test of valves

GB/T26481 Fugitive emissions test of valves

V. Electric actuator test

The electric actuator is a driving device that can provide linear or rotary motion. It uses a certain driving energy and works under the action of a certain control signal.

1. Test standards

G/T 24923 Technical conditions for common valve electric devices

GBT 28270 Intelligent valve electric devices

JB/T8219 Common and intelligent electric actuators for industrial process control systems NB/T20010.11 Pressurized water reactor nuclear power plant valves Part 11: Electric devices

BS EN 15714-2 Industrial valves. Actuators. Part 2: Industrial valve electric actuators. Basic requirements

JBT8862 Valve electric device life test procedures

DLT 641 Power station valve electric actuator