For the Australian mining, oil and gas industries, stainless steel flanged isolation valves are increasingly the preferred option due to their long-term performance in terms of corrosion resistance and reliability.
The transition away from cast and ductile iron valves and towards stainless steel valves has seen an increased range of valve options.
If you are looking for high quality valves for the oil, gas, or mining industries, consider Zetco’s flanged stainless steel isolation valves.
The Zetco range is designed to meet the specific needs of these critical sectors, offering:
• Certifications to meet resource industry requirements
• Ability to supply with short lead times (inventory in Australia)
• Wide range of types, sizes, and flange configurations
• Technical specifications
• Product customisation
What are flanged stainless steel isolation valves?
Flanged stainless steel isolation valves control the flow of fluids and gases in pipelines by opening or closing a ball, gate, or disc.
They have a stainless steel flange that connects to the pipeline with bolts, creating a secure and leak-proof joint.
The flange also allows for easy installation and removal of the valves when needed. These valves are suitable for harsh and demanding environments, such as those in the mining, oil & gas industries, where they need to withstand corrosion, high pressure, and high temperatures.
They also provide a manual control mechanism enabling operators to isolate parts of pipelines or equipment for maintenance, repairs, or emergencies, reducing downtime and ensuring uninterrupted industrial processes.
Ancillary valves that complement isolation valves such as check, foot valves and Y- strainers are also available.
Isolation valves are often installed in conjunction with these types of valves to allow for quick maintenance.
What are the advantages of stainless steel valves?
Stainless steel is an ideal material for flanged isolation valves because of its excellent properties.
Stainless steel has high corrosion resistance, which prevents valves from deteriorating and extends their lifespan in corrosive environments. Stainless steel also has high tensile strength and temperature resistance, enduring high stress and heat without deforming or breaking.
Furthermore, stainless steel has a smooth, non-porous surface to prevent the buildup of contaminants, making it easy to clean and maintain, improving efficiency and reducing downtime.
What are some common applications of flanged stainless steel isolation valves?
Flanged stainless steel isolation valves are widely used in the mining, oil and gas industries.
In the oil and gas industry, these valves are important components in wellheads, pipelines, and refining processes, controlling the flow of crude oil and refined products effectively.
These valves also play a key role in safety systems, allowing operators to isolate sections of pipelines or equipment during maintenance, emergency shutdowns, or repairs, preventing potential hazards and ensuring safe and continuous operations.
In the mining industry, these valves are essential for regulating the flow of water, chemicals, and slurries during extraction and processing operations.
What are the types of flanged stainless steel isolation valves?
Flanged stainless steel isolation valves can be classified into different types based on their design, function, and operation. Some of the common types are:
Gate valves: These valves use a gate or wedge that moves up and down to open or close the flow. They are suitable for on-off
applications where full flow is required and minimal pressure drop is desired.
The most common flange gate valves used are generally of a bolted bonnet design with an external screw, yoke, and rising stem. The body is most commonly cast with 316 stainless steel.
The design is generally to an API standard such as API 600 and ANSI B16.34 but other options are available such as API 605.
The face-to-face dimensions are also to an international standard such as ISO 5752, with other options available. The production process includes an API testing procedure such as API 598 and manufactured with the assistance of an ISO 9001 quality management system.
Flange gate valves are generally full bore and can be manufactured with a range of flange options such AS 2129 Table E, AS 4087 Table D, and ANSI 150. Other options can include DIN, JIS and ANSI 300.
As gate valves must be operated in the fully open or closed position, if throttling is required, globe valves will be used as an
alternative.
Globe valves: These valves use a disc that moves up and down to regulate the flow. They are suitable for throttling and flow control applications where precise adjustment and high-pressure drop are acceptable.
Globe Valves have different types of discs, seats, and bonnets, and can be operated by a handwheel or an actuator.
Like gate valves, the bolted bonnet design with an outside screw and yoke is the most common design and the same design standards are used such as ANSI B16.34.
Ball valves: These valves use a spherical ball with a hole that rotates to align or misalign with the flow. They are only suitable for on-off where tight shut-off and quick operation are required. Variants have reduced or full bore and can be operated by a lever or an actuator.
As the gate and globe valve is generally designed with metal-to-metal sealing, if a resilient sealing system is required, a ball valve might be the preferred option.
Flanged stainless steel ball valves are a popular choice for isolation as the use of Teflon and other materials such as TFM in the ball sealing system allows for long term durability and performance.
Ball valves also offer lockable handles as an additional built safety feature. Where shutdowns require isolation valves to be locked in the fully open or closed position the lockable handle can eliminate the need to fit additional lockout devices.
Check valves: These valves use a disc, ball, or flap that moves to allow or prevent the flow depending on the direction of pressure. They are suitable for preventing backflow and protecting pumps and equipment from damage. They do not have any external control mechanism and rely on the fluid pressure to operate.
Y strainers: These devices are used to remove impurities from pipeline systems. They are often used as a method of pre-filtration.
The strainer mesh is available in a variety of different opening sizes (measured in microns) to suit different mediums such as water, air, or gas.
The Y design allows easy removal of the filter for servicing or replacement.
What are the certifications of Zetco’s flanged stainless steel isolation valves?
Zetco Valves is a national valve distributor that specialises in high quality isolation valves for various applications.
Zetco offers a range of flanged stainless steel isolation valves that are certified to meet specific requirements relevant to mining, oil and gas industries. Zetco’s flanged stainless steel isolation valves meet the following standards and certifications:
- WaterMark: WaterMark is a mandatory certification scheme for plumbing products distributed in Australia. It ensures that products comply with the relevant Australian Standards.
Where valves are destined for installations that provide drinking water, it is possible to obtain valves with a WaterMark licence that complies with the National Construction Code and in particular the Plumbing Code of Australia.
Ball valves can be certified to Australian Standard 5830.1.
Gate and globe valves can be certified to Australian Standard 1628.
The WaterMark certification system is a mandatory certification system that mandates pactitioners install WaterMarked products in installations that fall under Australian Standard 3500.
WaterMark certified products are marked with the WaterMark logo and a licence number. Zetco has WaterMark certification for its stainless steel flanged gate valves, swing check valves, spring check valves, and globe valves.
- ISO 9001: ISO 9001 is an international standard for quality management systems. It demonstrates that an organisation can consistently provide products and services that meet customer and regulatory requirements. ISO 9001 certified organisations are audited regularly to ensure they maintain their quality standards. Zetco has ISO 9001 certification for its design, import, assembly, packaging, and distribution of flanged isolation valves specific to the mining, oil, and gas industries.
This certification reflects Zetco’s commitment to quality management throughout its operations.
- Australian Gas Association (AGA): AGA is a conformance assessment body (CAB) in the safety, energy efficiency and renewable energy sectors.
AGA provides certification and testing services for gas products, components, and systems in Australia. AGA certified products are marked with the AGA logo and a licence number. Zetco has AGA certification for its stainless steel ball valves (both flanged and threaded) and needle valves. These valves are suitable for gas applications in the oil and gas industry.
How can Zetco assist with product selection and availability.
Zetco Valves is more than just a valve distributor. Zetco provides the technical buyer with valve design technical specifications and availability.
- Product selection: Zetco provides detailed technical documentation to inform selecting valves for your specific application. Zetco can also adapt and develop products based on your project specification and technical requirements, using its extensive technical expertise and an array of components and body configurations.
- Availability: Zetco stocks a complete range of manual isolation valves in Australia, so you don’t have to wait for back ordered products to come from overseas.
Zetco has designed its product range and business operations around the concept of supplying isolation valves to meet industry expectations of:
- Industry standards and certifications
- Ability to supply with short lead times
- Wide range of types, sizes, and configurations
- Technical specifications
- Product customization
Zetco’s flanged stainless steel isolation valves are a considered choice for technical buyers looking for high quality isolation valves for the mining, oil and gas industries.
Zetco has been serving the Australian and global market for over 50 years, and it is understood how critical reliable quality is to any business operation.
Low quality valves and incorrect material selection increases the risk of impactful failures across systems and equipment, resulting in high business losses due to delays and costly replacements.
Zetco offers an extensive range of flanged ball, gate and globe valves designed to meet the specific requirements of its customers, considering all factors required to achieve optimal performance across a wide range of applications.
To ensure Zetco valves meet the most exacting standards we select only the highest quality materials and undertake rigorous quality testing at all stages of the manufacturing process.
With several global patents and ISO 9001 certification, you can depend and rely on Zetco’s quality and ingenuity, knowing we’ve worked hard to get all the details right.
If you are interested in Zetco’s flanged stainless steel isolation valves or any other products or services, please contact us today.
