Saudi Aramco validates Severn Leeds’ emergency butterfly valve sealant

An emergency butterfly valve sealant system developed by Severn Glocon Group company Severn Leeds has been validated by Saudi Aramco.

The Sealant Pressure Injection Reserve Endurance System (SPIRES®, patent pending) is a progressive technology that overcomes the challenge of resealing damaged valves without a cavity. It mitigates risk of leakage following damage to a butterfly valve’s primary seal caused by abrasive particles. Saudi Aramco’s validation testing provides assurance of its effectiveness prior to wider adoption.

SPIRES® involves the incorporation of an emergency sealant system as a fundamental design feature of butterfly valves. Should the primary seal fail, a secondary sealant is injected into a runner behind the disc to compensate for any seat leakage when the valve is set to ‘closed’ position. Tests showed that bubble-tight shut-off can be achieved, even if the seat is badly damaged, avoiding the need for unplanned downtime.

Mark Breese, Group Product Development Manager – Butterfly Valves at Severn Glocon Group, explains: ‘This ground-breaking technology enables damaged butterfly valves to be resealed quickly and efficiently without removal from the line. Once the sealant is deployed, the valve can remain operational until the next period of scheduled maintenance.

A report on the validation testing of SPIRES®, authored by Saudi Aramco’s Omar Al Amri, appeared in the November issue of Hydrocarbon Engineering.

Technical innovation is a defining feature of Severn Glocon Group. The firm employs more than 800 people worldwide and was awarded the Queen’s Award for Enterprise in International Trade for the second time in 2014.

Severn Glocon
Tel: 0845 223 2040
Web: www.severnglocon.com

Published: 25th February 2015