How to ensure long-term reliability of medium and high pressure valves

Ensuring the long-term reliability of medium and high pressure valves is the key to ensuring the safe and efficient operation of pipeline systems. Medium and high pressure valves are often used in environments with high temperature, high pressure and corrosive media, so special attention should be paid to the design, selection, installation, operation and maintenance of valves. The following are some major measures to ensure the long-term reliability of medium and high pressure valves:

1. Reasonable selection of valve type and specifications
Adaptation to working conditions: The selection of medium and high pressure valves should be based on the working pressure, medium properties, temperature range and other working conditions of the system. For example, whether the medium is corrosive, has high viscosity or the temperature is too high, it is necessary to select the appropriate valve type (such as ball valve, gate valve, stop valve, etc.) and material.
Compliance with standards: Ensure that valves that meet relevant standards (such as ISO, ANSI, API, DIN, etc.) are selected to ensure that the valves can withstand the design pressure and temperature and will not fail due to unqualified materials or specifications.
High-quality sealing materials: Select appropriate sealing materials (such as metal seals, non-metallic seals or composite seals) according to the working environment and medium characteristics of the valve. High-quality sealing materials can effectively reduce leakage and extend the life of valves.

2. Precise design and manufacturing
Optimized design: The design of medium and high pressure valves should consider the rationality of valve body structure, sealing design, valve core moving parts, etc. The design should ensure that the valve can withstand the temperature and pressure fluctuations generated when the system is working.
High-quality manufacturing: The material selection, processing accuracy, heat treatment process, etc. should be strictly controlled during the manufacturing process of the valve to ensure that the valve is free of defects. Precision processing and strict quality control can ensure the sealing and durability of the valve.

3. Installation specifications
Pre-installation inspection: The quality of the valve and its accessories should be carefully checked before installation to ensure that there is no damage or defects. Check whether the pipeline system is clean to prevent impurities from entering the valve.
Correct installation direction: According to the flow direction arrow of the valve, ensure that the valve is installed in the correct direction to avoid the wrong flow direction causing the valve to fail to work properly.
Pipeline support: During the installation of medium and high pressure valves, ensure that the valve and pipeline system are properly supported and fixed. Avoid affecting the sealing and service life of the valve due to stress or vibration of the pipeline.
Pay attention to sealing: Use appropriate sealing gaskets and sealing materials during installation to ensure that there is no leakage in the sealing parts such as flange connections. When tightening the bolts, tighten them evenly to avoid uneven force on the sealing surface.

4. Maintenance and monitoring during operation
Regularly check the operating status of the valve: Regularly check the opening and closing status of the valve to ensure that the valve can respond quickly within the specified time and there is no jamming. Especially for valves with actuators, ensure that the air source, power supply and signal control system of the actuator are working properly.
Check the sealing performance: Regularly check the sealing performance of the valve, including the sealing of the valve flange, threaded joints, welding joints, etc. If leakage is found, it should be handled in time to avoid safety accidents caused by leakage.
Temperature and pressure monitoring: Real-time monitoring of the system's operating temperature and pressure to ensure that the valve operates within its rated working range. Avoid failure or damage to the valve due to excessive temperature or pressure.

5. Regular maintenance and care
Lubrication and cleaning: For valves with moving parts, such as valve stems, actuators, etc., lubrication should be carried out regularly, using suitable lubricants to avoid wear. At the same time, clean up impurities in the valve and pipeline to prevent them from affecting the normal operation of the valve.
Replace vulnerable parts: During the use of medium and high pressure valves, vulnerable parts such as seals, valve seats, and valve cores may be affected by friction, aging, or long-term use. Check the condition of these parts regularly and replace worn or aged parts in time.
Regularly replace sealing materials: Due to long-term pressure and temperature changes, sealing materials (such as O-rings, gaskets, sealing rings, etc.) may age or deform. Regular inspection and replacement of seals is the key to ensuring valve sealing performance and long-term reliability.

6. Dealing with corrosion and wear
Anti-corrosion measures: Medium and high pressure valves are often in corrosive media environments, so materials with good corrosion resistance (such as stainless steel, alloy steel, etc.) should be selected. In addition, external coatings or lining coatings (such as ceramic coatings, polytetrafluoroethylene coatings, etc.) can be used to further enhance the anti-corrosion ability of the valve.
Anti-wear design: The sealing surface and moving parts of the valve are often faced with strong friction. Use hardening, spraying, plating and other technologies to increase the wear resistance of the valve sealing surface and other easily worn parts, and reduce the impact of wear on valve performance.

7. Perform pressure and tightness tests regularly
Pressure test: Perform pressure tests on medium and high pressure valves regularly to ensure that the valves will not leak or fail under working pressure. Pressure testing helps to detect potential weaknesses or defects in a timely manner and repair or replace them.
Air and liquid tightness testing: Especially in application scenarios involving high-risk media, it is very important to perform regular air and liquid tightness testing. Methods such as gas leak detection and liquid immersion testing can be used to ensure that the valves do not leak under high pressure.

8. Avoid overload and operating errors
Avoid overload: Medium and high pressure valves should always operate within the designed working pressure and temperature range. Overload or long-term overload operation may cause valve damage or failure.
Reasonable operation: Ensure that operators have received professional training and mastered the correct operation methods of the valves. Avoid incorrect operation that causes premature damage to the valve or affects the normal operation of the system.

9. Use advanced intelligent monitoring technology
Online monitoring system: By introducing intelligent sensors, pressure sensors, temperature sensors, etc., the working status of valves and pipelines is monitored in real time. Through data collection and analysis, potential problems can be discovered in time to avoid failures.
Automatic alarm system: Combined with PLC system, SCADA system, etc., to realize remote monitoring and control of valves, respond to abnormal conditions in time, and prevent major failures of the system.

10. Systematic maintenance management plan
Develop a maintenance plan: According to the working conditions and usage of the valve, formulate a detailed maintenance plan, clarify the maintenance cycle, inspection items and maintenance content, and ensure that regular inspection and maintenance work are in place.
Recording and tracking: Each maintenance and inspection should be recorded in detail, track the use status of the valve, identify potential problems, and carry out repairs and maintenance in a targeted manner.

Summary
Ensuring the long-term reliability of medium and high pressure valves requires multiple aspects, involving valve selection, design, installation, operation, maintenance and monitoring. By reasonably selecting valves, regular inspection and maintenance, strengthening sealing performance, avoiding overload and corrosion, etc., the service life of the valve can be effectively extended and the safety and stability of the system can be improved. At the same time, the introduction of intelligent monitoring technology combined with systematic maintenance management can achieve efficient operation and maintenance of valves and avoid production interruptions and safety risks caused by equipment failures.