Fire Safe Ball Valves

 

Fire safe ball valves are designed minimize fugitive emissions and downstream leakage in the event of being exposed to high temperatures characteristic of fires.  Since most ball valves contain non-alloy components for sealing, its their ability to maintain functionality at an elevated temperature or at least fail in a predicable way which differentiates fire safe ball valves apart from other industrial ball valves.

 

When considering fire safe ball valves there are applicable design and testing standards which are typically specified; if there is no project specification for design or test standards, the following are the most common to our product offering.

 

Fire Safe Ball Valve Design Standards

API 608 includes design standards typically applicable to refineries and chemical plants whereas API 6D is applicable to the petroleum and natural gas industries. NACE MR-0175 is a design standard regarding the materials of construction with regards to exposure to hydrogen sulfide which occurs naturally in crude petroleum and natural gas.

 

Fire Safe Ball Valve Testing Standards

API 607 is the primary fire test standard and describes the test parameters as well as the performance evaluation.  API 6D is included as a testing standard as well because it encompasses both design and test standards, so you might see reference to API 6D under design or testing standards.

 

Our navigation menu lists which valves are considered fire safe, following is a list for easier navigation:

• FUSION, threaded connections up to 4" in size in carbon steel and 316SS.

 

Fire Safe Two Piece Ball Valves:

• FULL FLO and UNI-FLO, Flanged connections up to 12" in size in carbon steel, standard port design in both 150# and 300# pressure classes

• PETRO, Flanged connections up to 6" in size in carbon steel, low temperature carbon steel and 316SS, full port design.

 

Fire Safe Three Piece Ball Valves:

• CRYO, Especially applicable for liquefied natural gas (LNG) and propane due to the extreme low temperatures characteristic of such fluids.

• MULTI, Up to 4" in size in either carbon steel of 316SS, this design provides flexibility with both inlet and outlet connection types.

• TM, Highly engineered trunnion style ball valve for pipelines up to 56" and practically any alloy and pressure rating.

Control valves can also be rated fire safe:

• Fire Safe Two Piece Control Valves: EZ (flanged connections up to 14" size and made of carbon steel of 316SS)

• Fire Safe Three Piece Control Valves: TITAN, TRI-PRO, both standard port designs available with many different types of connections.

 

Multiport Fire Safe Ball Valves:

BOTTOM-ENTRY multiport valves are 3-way valves enabling the diversion of flow are also rated fire safe.