This Is Worth Knowing About Jacketed Valves

By Jessica Morgan


A process system is composed of several components that work together to achieve a particular goal. A typical process system is comprised of stainless steel tanks, valves, vessels, and pumps. These components are connected to each other using stainless steel piping. During production, the system usually undergoes temperature changes in the product stream. This happens as the product flows through the various components.

There are a number of resultant effects caused by temperature change. These include thermal damage or rapid change in thickness, partial crystallization and possible solidification. The above issues can however be avoided by using jackets on the valves and piping. Jacketing refers to the process of fitting another tube/pipe over the piping, this is done to allow fluids pass through the tube fitted over the inner one. The same procedure is done to make jacketed valves.

As the fluid passes through the outer tube, it transfers heat from or to the product stream. Thus, the fluid acts to take away or to introduce heat to the product stream so as to keep temperatures stable. The confectionery industry is one of the industries in which jacketing is used heavily. Other industries include breakfast cereal, dairy, and generally the food industries.

Jacketing is majorly done using stainless steel materials. Besides stainless steel, there are other materials that can be used for jacketing. For instance, in processes involving the use of elevated temperatures like in the manufacture of certain syrups, salty mixtures, and sauces, different materials may be used. The materials used in such cases must be able to offer more resistance to corrosion. Usually specialty alloys are used in such applications.

The roles played by valves in production lines in factories are very crucial, making it important to give them special treatment. For example, valves are most likely to be affected by raised temperatures. Therefore, protection by use of jackets is as important as it is in piping. Valves that are not protected are prone to failure, which leads to the shutting down of production lines they are in. Once a production line has been shut down, it can only become operational again after the broken valve has been replaced or repaired.

Valves need to be protected since acquiring them is very costly. When the cost of acquiring or repairing a valve and maintenance costs are compared, a new valve is quite expensive. For this reason, most companies prefer having the valves protected other than having them fail in order to be replaced or repaired.

Different configurations of jackets are available on the market. There are some jackets that are place around the valve to protect it. These kinds of jackets can be removed readily if there is need. Bolt-on jacketing is a good example of removable jacketing. It is usually made of a two-piece aluminum casting.

Jacketing such as the Bolton jacketing can be made into different sizes in order to fit various sizes of valve. Its shape may also be custom-made so that it fits on valves of different models. Heat is transferred to any direction of the valve courtesy of a thin layer of heat transfer mastic. There are also outlets and inlets used for transferring heating medium which may include glycol, vapor, water, steam and hot oil.




About the Author:



Keine Kommentare:

Kommentar veröffentlichen