High integrity process ball valve features bolted construction for installation security

Barnstaple, UK, May 24, 2012 --- A high integrity ball valve for process applications that combines a forged body with a novel bolted construction to ensure installation security has been launched by the instrumentation products division of Parker Hannifin - the global leader in motion and control technologies. The new valve is available in a wide range of sizes and with a variety of connection schemes to help simplify installation. Designed for use with liquid or gas, the valve is suitable for diverse process isolation applications across a broad range of industries, including chemical, petrochemical, biotechnology and pharmaceutical manufacturing.

The process ball valve uses the same technology as Parker's renowned Hi-Pro range of ball valves to maximise performance and reliability. It is available with a wide range of bore sizes, from ½ to 2 inches, and a choice of tube connection schemes, including welded and NPT (National Pipe Thread) male and female fittings. The valve is manufactured from just three principal components - the body, end plate and insert - unlike conventional valves which require two inserts. This eliminates a potential leakage path.

Parker's valve employs a novel two-piece body construction, with the end plate secured by four bolts; this ensures that the body cannot be unscrewed accidentally in the field, when connecting or disconnecting threaded fittings on the valve or adjacent components. This preserves the valve's integrity following installation or maintenance operations. The design also simplifies installation by minimising the risk of damage being caused by over-tightening when fitting connections - some competitive products require a separate spanner to prevent movement of the valve insert.

The valve is fully bidirectional and is actuated by a 90 degree turn for fast on/off action. The operating handle features a spring-loaded detent mechanism to provide positive positioning with tactile operator feedback, and is fitted with an ergonomically-designed protective sleeve to facilitate operation. An integral locking nut enables a padlock to be fitted to prevent unauthorised operation. The valve mechanism utilises the floating ball principle and provides 100 percent bubble tight shut-off.

The valve is fabricated from duplex stainless steel as standard, with super-duplex available as an option, and is offered in NACE (corrosion) and HCT (heat code traceable) versions. Parker goes to considerable lengths to guarantee the quality of this valve. By employing material that has been forged, instead of the bar stock used by most competitive products on the market, the valve body has a highly oriented microstructure that is inherently stronger. Furthermore, the company sources its raw materials for the valve from mills and foundries in western Europe, ensuring that only very high quality steel is used for manufacture and providing a fully traceable record for quality audit purposes.

As standard, the valves feature PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) packing and a PTFE valve seat. PEEK (polyetherketone) valve seat material is available as an option, and allows operation over a very wide temperature range of -54 to 232 degrees Celsius (-65 to 386 degrees Fahrenheit).

Parker's process ball valve is additionally firesafe to API 607 and BS6755 Part 2, and is available in 800 and 2000 Class versions, suitable for operating pressures up to 6,000 psi (414 bar).

With annual sales exceeding $12 billion in fiscal year 2011, Parker Hannifin is the world's leading diversified manufacturer of motion and control technologies and systems, providing precision-engineered solutions for a wide variety of mobile, industrial and aerospace markets. The company employs approximately 58,000 people in 47 countries around the world. Parker has increased its annual dividends paid to shareholders for 55 consecutive years, among the top five longest-running dividend-increase records in the S&P 500 index. For more information, visit the company's web site at http://www.parker.com, or its investor information web site at http://www.phstock.com.