Power Generation
Valve & Automation have been supplying manual, on/off and control valves for power generation plants for more than 25 years. 15 years ago a Pump Protection Valve (also known as Automatic Re-circulation Valves or Leak Off Valves with more than 160 bar pump pressure was an exception. Today applications with more than 200 bar pump pressure are nothing special, more or less daily business. A liquid, particularly hot water with an inertial pressure of more than 200 bar has an enormous energy content and consequently a very high potential for wear and destruction in case of an uncontrolled pressure breakdown. The catchword here is cavitation as the most destructive kind of wear. Only a few hours under full cavitation conditions can seriously damage or even destroy effected parts like a valve trim a pump impeller or the ARC-valve bypass. It is with this in mind Schroeder designed the SHP series for modern operating conditions where high fluctuating loads and long periods of operation under extreme partial load conditions are required. Engineers need to ensure that critical pumps remain fully operational and are protected during minimum flow conditions. V&A regularly supply solutions to Eskom power generation plants as well as power plants within Sasol, Sappi and Mondi as well as Sulzer and KSB who manufacture critical pumps for these world class facilities.
For high pressure steam and condensate applications up to PN640 HP Valves in forged steel are the ideal solution. Chemical dosing and handling within the demin plant requires the Richter fully lined valve. Arca control valves are capable of addressing the needs of all pressure reduction, steam conditioning and steam temperature reduction within power plants. In applications where a Turbine ESD is required, the triple offset Tri-Con triple offset rotary process valve provides fast operation as well as zero leakage.
Fly Ash is another challenge engineers face in production as there is residue and waste. Fly ash is fine powder found in plant exhaust gases exiting the boiler and it is removed before the gas is discharged to atmosphere. It is difficult to handle and is harmful. The fly ash is generally collected in electrostatic precipitator hoppers and then fed into a conveying system. The isolating valve under a ash hopper is normally in open position and it have to close on a static column of ash, without using extreme force or any other unsafe practises. Stafsjö have designed the HG series knife gate valve is an ideal solution for Fly Ash management.
Valve Selection for Power in General
M = Manual O = On/Off C = Modulating Control