Manufacturer and supplier of valves for the water industry in Southern Africa Premier Valves has increased its range of valves and has moved away from being a supplier only to the water industry, to supplying a range of valves for all industries, including the water, mining, petrochemicals, power generation, pulp and paper, slurry and general industry. The company has a range of new valve products in its portfolio. The products include a range of lined valves, called Premchem, which includes butterfly valves, plug valves, ball valves,
gate valves, globe valves and a large selection of check valves for the chemicals industry. A range of lined pumps and pipe fittings is also available, which makes the Premchem range distinct in its complete offering. The linings include polytetrafluoroethylene, paraformaldehyde, and fluorinated ethylene propylene, besides others. Further, the company has a new range of Titan metal seated butterfly valves. Premier Valves says this type of valve has become very popular in most industries as it provides a solution to most valve applications. Where users have traditionally been using gate valves, ball valves and globe valves in the past, this valve can fulfil all the applications where engineers would normally use these other types of valves. The Titan offers a more compact solution and is easier to operate than any of the traditional valves. Pressure ratings up to 150 bar and temperatures up to 700 °C are well within the scope of the Titan. “This valve is truly a valve for all seasons, and is gaining in popularity in the mining, petro- chemicals, power generation and other industries,” says Premier Valves marketing manager Peter Telle. Premier Valves provides a full service backup for this product and has the machinery and knowledge available to refurbish this valve. Also, the company has introduced a control valve, the Baker Elite, which, it says, offers a solution for the problems experienced with pressure-reducing valves in pressure management applications. “The traditional Baker diaphragm-operated control valve has become one of the industry standards and is known for its reliability and long life,” says Telle. However, Premier Valves acquired another product, the Baker Elite, to complement the Baker range a year ago. The valves have block-mounted pilots without external tubing, which makes the valve simpler and renders it tamperproof. The Baker Elite has a pressure drop capability up to a 12 to 1 ratio without cavitation. “This is unique in an industry where competitive products can handle only 3 to 1, and products that provide higher ratio capability only at exorbitant costs,” explains Telle. It also features a stable control capability down to zero flow rate. “This is another benefit, because with traditional control valves compli- cated bypass systems have to be installed,” states Telle. The company says the product has a compact light design with 20% more capacity than competitive products. Telle adds, “In the field of unaccounted for water loss management and the accompanying technology of pressure management, the Baker Elite solves the arduous control valve problems associated with this technology.” Further, he explains that where a customer has employed this technology with the Baker Elite pressure reducing valve, payback periods as low as six months have been experienced. Another control valve product range that has been newly acquired by Premier Valves is the Prempower control valve. The high-specification range of process control valves is used in power generation and other industries. The valves are used in high-pressure steam, boiler feed water control, pump minimum flow bypass valves, descaling valves for the steel industry, sophisticated orifice plate design and manufacture, and steam let-down valves. The valves are manufactured to handle up to 300 bar pressure and the associated high temperatures. “Premier Valves has already acquired a substantial order from Eskom for this product,” says Telle, while adding that the valves are designed with the use of finite element analysis and computational fluid dynamics software. Lastly, Premier Valves has acquired a range of nozzle check valves that are available in sizes up to 1 800 mm. “This type of valve has become very popular for its ability to reduce water hammer and surge problems on pump- stations,” says Telle. Premier Valves offers customers engineering support and design capabilities, which include field installation and the servicing of control and other valves; the design and supply of complete pressure reducing stations for the mining industry; pipeline and pumpstation design assistance; hydraulic and water hammer analysis; and data logging and pressure management improvement. The company’s factory continues to manufacture a range of large-bore valves and automatic control valves for the water industry. Premier Valves also provides backup in terms of repair and modifications to valves to suit a customer’s requirements and the fitting of actuators. This service also includes the testing and inspection of all Premier Valves products.