Within the cryogenic valve industry there are two important considerations – quality and safety. Without one the valve may never effectively do what it was bought to do, but without the other the effect can be disastrous.
Looking first to quality, it is important to fully consider the application in which the valve is to be used. Products can be made from bronze, brass or steel or a combination of any of these, and are uniquely engineered to meet the demands of ultra low-temperature applications. Safety is just as important, and it is clear from experience that staff training is vital, as is investing in the right tool for the right job.
It is these issues that we are to focus on, as problems arising from negligence or cutting corners not only incur substantial costs for gas companies, it’s as serious as putting the lives of staff at stake. With the sage advice of our industry expert in hand we look at some major incidents of operator abuse, incorrect maintenance and the wrong selection of valves in recent years that have had major implications to our industry globally.
The first incident we look at occurred in Europe, the victim – a major industrial gas producer. A bulk vessel was over-pressurised causing an explosion that killed a member of staff and created major plant damage. The investigation into the incident found that the incorrect safety devices had been used, and during the filling process the low-pressure bulk vessels were not protected against the higher pressure pumping discharge from trailers.
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