Jan-2023

What should you look for in a partner for valves in oxygen service?

Oxygen is a volatile gas that requires extra care and knowhow when dealing with it in a process environment. Valmet has the needed experience to help you select and maintain the best valve solutions for oxygen service.

Ville Kähkönen and Wolfgang Müller
Valmet Forward

Article Summary

When dealing with oxygen in industrial processes such as PtX (Power-to-X), it is not just important to select the right valves for ensured performance, safety and long-lasting reliability. It is also vital that the valve degreasing and cleaning process adheres to the tightest of regulation-based international standards.

Solutions based on experience and expertise
Processes that allow us to enjoy carbon-free energy, such as the electrolysis process behind green hydrogen, are vital solutions for the future. We want to help the world become a better place in the safest and most risk-free way possible. We want to be the responsible partner that provides the correct valve products, technologies and services needed to achieve optimal performance and reliability.

When we talk about the relevant experience and knowhow behind our valve solutions, we really mean it. We delivered our first valves for oxygen service all the way back in 1928. Valves for hydrogen service became a regular part of deliveries when ethylene production became more popular in the late 70s. Since then, and as recently as back in 2015, we have brought out new product solutions developed together with our industrial customers for deep temperature oxygen for example, benefiting the whole industry segment dealing with oxygen. Today, we have a recorded installed base of at least 30 000 valves in active oxygen service worldwide. We have the needed experience to help you select and maintain the best possible valve solutions for oxygen service.

Clean rooms and cleaning process compliant to the requirements
The cleaning and maintenance of valves in oxygen service is one of the most important factors that simply cannot be neglected.  Our special cleaning process is planned and implemented in accordance with our global procedures, which are in full compliance with the international oxygen cleaning standards EIGA Doc 33/18 and ASTM G93. Our operators performing special cleaning and assembly are trained and qualified in their specific tasks according to our internal training program. This way you can rest assured that things are taken care of to the highest standard.

The safe and effective cleaning and degreasing of oxygen valves sets very specific demands on the equipment, space and facilities used for this important maintenance work. These clean rooms must meet special requirements. We have dedicated clean rooms permanently constructed in five different countries. We also have controlled areas available for safe servicing of the oxygen valve where a permanent clean room facilities are not present.

All our manufacturing plants are equipped with similar ultrasonic cleaning devices specially designed and approved for use on valve parts for oxygen service. Annual validation of the cleaning process ensures a satisfactory cleaning result and the high quality of the end-product.

A dedicated partner creates peace of mind
For our customers, the care we take in helping select the right valves for the job and our attention to details when it comes to service and maintenance, all translates into added peace of mind regarding demanding oxygen service as a part of their industrial processes.