created in 1921. It would later spawn
other B16 committees of great importance to the valve industry. For example,
one of the issues tackled by this B16
group was the lack of valve end-to-end
standards. A 1927 charter to create
common end-to-end standards was beset
by many difficulties, not the least of
which was the economic downturn of the
1930s. In 1937, the group finally adopted a proposal MSS originally put forth in
1931. This document would later become
ASME/ANSI B16.10, Face-to-Face and
End-to-End Dimensions of Valves.
In 1936 API, in response to the huge
growth in the oil and gas business, published 5-G- 1, Pipeline Valves. Following
the turmoil of World War II, API 5-G- 1
would be expanded into the first edition
of API 6D, at the time titled Iron and
Steel Flanged Gate, Plug and Check
Valves for Pipeline Service.
Probably the most familiar standard
in the industrial valve business today is
API 600, which covers steel valves for
refinery service. When first published in
1939, the document was titled API Standard on Flanged Steel, Outside Screw
and Yoke, Wedge Gate Valves. The API
600 document exists today as Steel Gate
Valves, Flanged and Butt-welding Ends,
Bolted Bonnets.
Until the late 1950s and early
1960s, valve pressure/temperature ratings were based on flange ratings (i.e.,
This check valve and globe valve installed in a
1942-era warship have been built to recently
standardized end-to-end dimensions to ensure
interchangeability.
Power plants created the first need for valve
standardization.
ASME B16.5), but the limitations of
American Standard B16.5 and its
predecessor B16e, along with the popularity of the butt-welding end pressure
seal bonnet valve, warranted a new
method of rating valves. MSS created
SP-66, Pressure Temperature Ratings
for Steel Butt-welding End Valves in
1964 to address the limitations. The
standard used the mechanical properties of the different body materials to
determine the minimum wall thickness-es and ratings of the valves under its
scope. The SP-66 document would
later be expanded and form the basis of
ASME/ANSI B16.34 in 1974.
B16.34, Valves—Flanged, Threaded
and Welding End, is the most referenced valve design standard in the
world.
Flanges and bolt patterns have been
standardized since the mid-20th century;
however, there were two different flange
standards, MSS SP- 44 and API 605 for
valves over 24 inches in size. Even
though the flange designs and bolt patterns are totally different, the difference
has never been successfully addressed
and continues to plague manufacturers,
distributors and end-users.
TESTING AND MORE
RECENT STANDARDS
Valve testing standards are a relatively
new creation. When the API 600 document was first published (before World
War II), testing criteria was simple—
valves couldn’t leak during testing. Try
selling that concept today! In response to
the lack of realistic testing standards,
Coming
May 2012…
NORTH AMERICAN
CATALOG
VALVESof
10th Edition
NORTH AMERICAN
CATALOG
of
VALVES
10th
Edition
A SOURCEBOOK FOR
BUYERS OF VALVES,
ACTUATORS AND
CONTROLS
Featuring members
of the Valve
Manufacturers
Association
of America
To pre-order your copy,
send an email to
dekblad@vma.org,
and we’ll notify you when the
catalog arrives—plus give
you a special code for $5 off
the price of $29.95
($24.95 for members) +
shipping/handling.
