Weir Minerals Africa has stressed the importance of using quality original equipment manufacturer (OEM) products “engineered specifically for their application” when it comes to using valves in abrasive and corrosive slurry conditions.
Without such components, valves can be quickly worn out and costly downtime can occur, the company said.
Ronald Govender, General Manager – Process Equipment at Weir Minerals Africa, said: “With our comprehensive range of slurry valves, we can help customers select the right equipment to suit the pressure of their system, the chemical make-up of their slurries, and the physical nature of the solids they process.
“We can provide the right wear options, actuation mechanisms and control accessories that will ensure optimal plant uptime.”
Weir Minerals’ Isogate® range of slurry valves is proven to be reliable and versatile, according to Weir, operating under wide pressure and temperature ranges. “For longer life, valve sleeves come in a variety of materials including genuine Linatex® premium abrasion-resistant natural rubber. To reduce downtime and overall cost of ownership, all wear parts are easily replaced in the field,” the company said.
The range includes mechanical pinch valves, with open or closed body, and pneumatic pinch valves with one-piece sleeve or two-piece liner. Isogate knife gate valves are known for their heavy-duty performance, even in coarse slurries, with pressure ratings from 10 to 51 bar, Weir said. These are uniquely designed with both ease of maintenance and low overall cost of ownership in mind and are engineered to handle the harshest and most abrasive process flow conditions, according to the company.
Weir Minerals’ check valves are single, non-return units that benefit from 20 years of in-field experience in the most arduous slurry applications, Weir said. Within this range, Autoball® valves, which are actuated with differential pressures, enable quick changeover between duty and standby pumps.
“An exciting addition to our offering is the Delta Industrial™ range of knife gate valves, which set the standard for high performance in slurries,” Govender said. “These valves guarantee zero leakage, due to their unique transverse seal and shear gate design.”
The design protects the primary elastomer seal from the slurry flow to avoid wear, while a precision-machined metal seat provides a secondary seal. “The transverse seal features an upper and lower scraper, with an elastomer that is energised by a pliable compound – even while the valve is in service.”
Designed for the most demanding processes, Delta Industrial valves have been in use for over two decades in mill circuits, tailings transport, mineral separation and leaching applications for slurries up to 120 bar working pressure.
“We bring a full basket of valve solutions to customers,” Govender said. “Other valves in our liquid service range include butterfly, diaphragm, globe and trunnion-mounted ball valves.”