ARE YOU READY FOR THE UNEXPECTED?
VALVE TRIAGE AND REPAIR
It’s a fact of life: no matter how ell we plot and plan, something
can happen to upset those plans. Be
it small events such as pieces of equipment that fail, power that goes out,
small leaks and spills—or bigger
events such as hurricanes and other
strikes from Mother Nature or major
explosions—there is no way to predict.
However, there are many ways to
recover, and part of that recovery
process involves finding, evaluating
and either repairing or replacing
valves.
Preparing for fire, flood or other disasters is a
difficult task given the fact no one can foresee
what will happen. But companies with good
records will fare much better.
BY PETER CLEAVELAND
FLOODS
These block valves have been repaired and are now ready for shipment. Each valve component is cleaned to bare metal and refinished back to riginal dimensions.
PHOTO COURTESY OF CRANE VALVE GROUP
while you’re shut down,” he explains.
EXPLOSIONS AND FIRE
What happens to a valve during a fire depends on the alloy from which it’s made.
Many valves are designed to withstand high temperatures and pressures, so a lot
depends on how hot the fire is and how long the valve is exposed. But how can
you estimate that exposure? You can tell a lot from observing the area, says Bohannon.
For example, the perimeter areas may get hot enough to cause some stress relieving.
Also, “in a lot of cases you can tell from things like the aluminum data plates—are
they melted—because you know what temperature aluminum melts [1220°F or
660°C],” he explains. Even if those plates are not melted, you can determine what
temperature range they’re exposed to, from paint peeling and charring and other indications that can identify temperature ranges, he says.
Sometimes the damage to a valve is obvious, such as when the bodies are twisted or
where segment rings are twisted inside by heat, Scott McCoy, president and general
