Most of the electric power generatedis generated in steam plants using fossil-fuel and high-speed turbines. Peeling back the cover of a modern power plant would yield a view of high-pressure, high-temperature piping systems. These main lines are the most critical in the steam power generation process.Gate valves remain a main choice for power plant on/off applications, although special purpose, Y-pattern globe valves are also found. High- performance, critical-service ball valves are gaining pop…

The flip side of fresh potable water going into a facility or structure is the waste water or sewer output. These lines collect all the waste fluid and solids and direct them to a sewage treatment plant. These treatment plants feature a lot of low pressure piping and valves to perform their “dirty work.” The requirements for waste water valves in many cases is much more lenient than the requirements for clean water service. Iron gate and check valves are the most popular choices for this type …

This use is an essential aspect of many industries, but there are hundreds of thousands of miles of crucial pipelines that transport media from its source to the place where it will be transformed into its final product. This media could include piping for crude oil and gas, both onshore and offshore. Valves are used to optimize the pipeline operating conditions, and can be found in the upstream, midstream and downstream section of the piping. Upstream starts at the bottom of the hole in …

The oil and gas industry is a subset of the pipelines category. Due to the high demand for oil and gas, deeper wells, longer pipelines, and lower production costs have become necessary. Along with the need for an inexpensive valve, the device must also be tougher, last longer, and perform better to meet the demands of the industry. Valve service environments and operating conditions are often extreme with high temperatures (greater than 1,500°F) and high pressure (greater than 25,000 psig…