The CFT-Green Valve Packing System is expected to allow engineers in the oil and gas, chemical and power generation industries to increase safety across their facilities and pipeline networks.
Fugitive emissions occur when a valve leaks, and gases or liquids are released into the surrounding environment. It is critical to protect against fugitive emissions because they could have devastating consequences on the environment through the release of harmful pollutants, as well as posing a health and safety risk to people from the risk of explosion. Additionally, they could potentially cost an operator millions in lost product, fines and clean-up operations.
The new system is based on a stem spring loaded seal mechanism said to offer reliability with minimal maintenance. As a result, the solution enables users to minimise emissions, and thereby reduce the risk of environmental damage, while improving safety.
According to Celeros, stationary loading packing seal solutions have traditionally been used to control fugitive emissions, but this type of packing gradually wears and fatigues, requiring regular adjustment. However, CFT-Green needs no packing tightness intervention during the seal’s lifetime.
The spring in CFT-Green exerts pressure on the sealing element, ensuring a tight seal even under extreme conditions, and the force from the spring helps to maintain the correct levels of compression throughout the seal’s long lifetime. This is said to be an improvement compared with conventional packing, which suffers from loss of torque over time, resulting in process fluid leakage.
This next generation spring seal is claimed to provide exceptional reliability over a long time, as the packing materials have been carefully selected for their resistance to high temperatures and pressures as well as their ability to withstand harsh environments and corrosive fluids. A key advantage of the CFT-Green valve stem spring loaded seals is their ability to accommodate slight misalignments or deformations in the valve stem or the valve body. This can help to prevent leaks and further reduce the need for frequent maintenance or repair of the valve, ultimately improving uptime.
The system is suitable for critical or frequently cycled applications as well as for valves that are not used for extended periods of time in remote and inaccessible locations.
The CFT-Green is engineered to meet and exceed industry standards for fugitive emissions control and fire safety, enabling engineers to comply with regulations and reduce the risk of environmental contamination. The seals are certified to ISO 15848-1 Fugitive Emissions type tests and ISO 15848-2 Fugitive Emissions production tests, as well as the API 6FA and ISO 10497 standard for valve fire test.