The original news update was done on 8th July 2020 when we won the 1st phase of the chemical plant upgrade. So much has happened since the 1st phase, with phases 2 and 3 now having been won covering the brine plant, electrolyser and recovery boiler.
As of May 2021 the following valves have been supplied
- Richter fully lined ball, butterfly, plug, check valves and sight glasses
- NAF ball and butterfly ball and butterfly control valves
- Arca globe control valves
Total pieces supplied = 964
Original News Update 8th July 2020
Our client a Global Leader with operations throughout the world chose Richter fully lined valves for the recent chemical plant upgrade based on the success they had with Richter and V&A over the last 30 years. The existing chemical plant which handles Chlorine Dioxide, Hydrochloric Acid and Brine needed to upgrade the Iron Exchange and Richter was the valve of choice for this project on isolation, on/off and control.
Prior to the chemical plant upgrade – Richter‘s increased reliability saved over R 1,400,000
This Global Leader, was having problems with unacceptable failure rates on lined butterfly control valves. The leaking valves resulted in ongoing losses due to their final product being inferior and rejected.
They were using a competitor’s fully lined butterfly valve to control Chlorine Dioxide flow. The valve had a Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF) of only 2 to 3 months. Each time they changed the valve it cost them R70,000 for the valve alone (excluding the costs of rigging, downtime, lost production and rejected product). When they replaced the valve, they required 2 riggers an instrument technician and a fire attendant. In the 2 ½ years we monitored this application they would have bought 10 competitor valves.
Instrument Technician : “We had ongoing leaks downstream and the valve never sealed. There is only so much Chlorine Dioxide that can go into the system before you have an inferior product that is rejected.”
Our technical specialist walked the plant looking at the installation and investigated the process
conditions. V&A then supplied a Richter NK series lined butterfly valve as the solution that has now been in use for more than 2 ½ years and has not been taken out or maintained yet.
Instrument Foreman : “We have not looked at the valve in 2 ½ years and it just does what it is supposed to allowing us to focus on other plant issues.”
Valves Supplied for Chemical Plant Upgrade
Total valves supplied so far = 237 pieces / sizes DN25 (1″) to DN200 (8″)
- Richter KN series lined ball valves & KNR lined ball control valves
- Richter NK series lined butterfly valves
- Richter CV series lined check valves
- Richter on/off and control valves were fitted with Actreg Rack & Pinion actuators with corrosion protection to EN ISO 12944-2 C3.
- Arca Ecotrol globe control valves and NAF-Setball SF control valves were also supplied.
- All rotary and linear control valves were fitted with the NAF-D30 positioners with Profibus.
Talk to one of our skilled technical specialists today to see how we can assist with your chemical plant.