New Emerson Knife Gate Valve Fills Market Gap for Mid-Service Mining Applications
New Clarkson SU10R knife gate valve for mid-service applications eliminates the compromise between light-service and heavy-duty valves with a high-performance, low-maintenance, bi-directional, abrasion-resistant design
Emerson has launched a new line of reliable, high-performance knife gate valves designed specifically to meet the needs of customers in challenging mid-service mining applications.
The new Clarkson SU10R polyurethane knife gate valve line is available in the United States and offers mining and mineral processing companies a solution to the abrasion and corrosion conditions that plague mid-service applications, while significantly increasing reliability and service life.
“Medium density slurry service has traditionally presented a challenge for the mineral processing industry. The choice is usually an economic light-service valve that will require frequent replacement or a heavy-duty valve that is expensive and over specified. The SU10R now fills that gap with a valve that offers superior service and easy servicing,” said Mike Gordon, global product manager for knife gate valves, Emerson Automation Solutions.
The two-piece body construction and field replaceable snap-in liner design provides more reliable sealing than competing products. An integral seat face seal eliminates the need for flange gaskets in many conventional flanged installations. This, along with an improved gland, will make the product particularly attractive to customers across the mining spectrum, from alumina to coal, copper, gold, silver and uranium.
The snap-in urethane liner design means that no special tools are required to replace the liner. “We have made every effort to make this design as maintenance friendly as possible, which speeds up the maintenance process and eliminates the potential for problems when the valve is installed or repaired,” said Gordon.
The Clarkson SU10R urethane valves offer a number of other advantages over conventional metal seated valves. In addition to delivering superior abrasion resistance, the inherent resilience of the polyurethane material ensures tight shut-off to MSS-SP-81 standards. The valves are also truly bi-directional.
The Clarkson SU10R valves will initially be available in sizes ranging from 50mm (2 inches) up to 600mm (24 inches) and operate at 10 bar (150 psi cwp) across the entire range at temperatures of up to 80°C (175°F).
Emerson is currently offering its new Clarkson SU10R valve for customers in the United States, with a rollout to other regions, including Latin America and Asia Pacific, at a later date.