The Val-Matic Quadrosphere forged ball valve is a proven unique trunnion mounted ball valve design for long life in numerous industrial applications where fluids with sediment tends to clog and damage traditional ball valves. The ball is not spherical, as in a typical ball valve. Surfaces of the ball are contoured with recessed surfaces on four sides of the ball. The contoured recess surfaces provide for extra flow paths and also provide lift edges that wipe the body seat clean during opening and closing. The hard chrome plated stainless steel ball provides low friction and abrasion resistance. The recessed surfaces provide multiple flow paths for particulates to be flushed from the body during every operation, thereby providing a self-cleaning valve.
The valve is equipped with a seat on both ends to provide bi-directional seating. The seating is available in double block and bleed (DBB) or double isolation and bleed (DIB) depending on the application. As with all trunnion mounted ball valves, when line pressure is applied to the valve, fluid flows behind the seat ring and presses the seat ring and resilient seal insert against the ball to make a tight seal. The ball is directly anchored to the body by rigid trunnions. The ball will rotate 90 degrees during opening and closing but the trunnions prevent any axial motion of the ball during pressurization. The valve stem is equipped with a shoulder to prevent blowout during process operations. The stem is sealed with o-rings and graphite packing for low fugitive emissions and fire safe applications. An emergency injection fitting is provided for emergency sealing until maintenance can be performed.
For applications like geothermal fluid where scale and sediment are present in high concentrations, the optional ring master seat is used. The ring master uses an external pressure source such as grease or gas to press the seat to insert against the ball. Since the injection pressure is greater than the line pressure, the seat ring pocket is always isolated from the process fluid and cannot collect sediment over time. One method of applying external pressure to the seat is with a pressurized accumulator assembly. Grease or other compatible fluid is injected into the valve and the assembly until the seating pressures slightly higher than the process pressure is achieved. The pre-charged accumulator maintains the proper seating pressure over time.
The Quadrosphere is available in sizes 2 to 24 inches and ansi pressure classes to 2500. The valves are manufactured in accordance with industry ball valve standards API 6d and 608. The valves have also been certified to fire safe and fugitive emissions standards.
For more information, contact Automatic Controls of Virginia. Call them at (804) 752-1000 of visit their web site at https://acva.com.
