Cryogenic Valve

Cryogenic Valve


As its name suggests, cryogenic valves are designed to be used in very cold applications. They are thus most popularly used by companies that work with Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) or Compressed Natural Gas (CNG). For instance, the oil and gas industry frequently uses cryogenic temperature ranges starting at -238 degrees Fahrenheit (-150 degrees Celcius). Additionally, some gasses aren't labeled "cryogenic" because of their temperature, but rather because they require more than a simple pressure increase to compress their volume. Cryogenic valves are built to help transport and store such cryogenic gasses safely and efficiently. Topper supplies diverse cryogenic valves of top-notch quality and excellent performance including cryogenic ball valves, cryogenic gate valves, cryogenic globe valves, cryogenic check valves and cryogenic throttle valves. They are mainly used for ethylene, liquefied natural gas device, natural gas LPG LNG storage tank, air separation equipment, petroleum and chemical end gas separation equipment, liquid oxygen, liquid nitrogen, liquid argon, carbon dioxide cryogenic storage tank and tanker and other device. The output of low temperature liquid medium is not only flammable but also explosive, and it's gasified when heat up, which makes the volume expand hundreds times.

Working principle and application of low temperature valve


principle of operation

There are many differences between the design of cryogenic valve and ordinary valve to adapt to extremely low temperature conditions. Its working principle focuses on the influence of low temperature on materials and sealing performance in terms of basic opening and closing and adjusting functions.

Material characteristics: In order to prevent low-temperature embrittlement, low-temperature valves usually use low-temperature resistant metal materials, such as austenitic stainless steel and aluminum alloy. These materials can still maintain good toughness and mechanical properties at low temperature. For example, austenitic stainless steel can avoid the risk of valve rupture caused by brittle material at low temperature and ensure the integrity of valve structure.

Sealing structure: sealing performance is very important in low temperature environment. Low temperature valves generally use special sealing materials, such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) and its modified materials, which have good sealing performance and flexibility at low temperature. In the design of sealing structure, self-tightening seal is often used, and the seal and sealing surface are more closely attached by medium pressure. For example, the bellows seal structure can effectively compensate the displacement caused by temperature change at low temperature, and at the same time prevent the medium from leaking and ensure the sealing reliability of the valve.

Opening and closing principle: similar to ordinary valves, the valve core is driven by the valve stem to open and close. However, under the low temperature working condition, the influence of low temperature on the moving parts of the valve should be considered, such as preventing freezing and sticking caused by low temperature. Therefore, the transmission parts of the valve usually adopt special lubrication methods, such as using low-temperature grease, to ensure that the valve can operate normally and open and close smoothly at low temperature.

application area

Liquefaction and storage of natural gas: In natural gas liquefaction plants, cryogenic valves are used to control the transportation, storage and distribution of liquefied natural gas (LNG). In the import and export of LNG storage tank and pipeline transportation system, the cryogenic valve needs to operate reliably at the low temperature of-162¡æ to ensure the safe storage and efficient transportation of LNG. In the loading and unloading of LNG, the cryogenic valve controls the on-off of fluid to ensure the smooth loading and unloading process.

Air separation equipment: During air separation, air needs to be cooled to extremely low temperature to separate out gases such as oxygen and nitrogen. Low temperature valves are widely used in cooling pipes, distillation columns and other parts of air separation equipment. By accurately controlling the flow rate and direction of cryogenic fluid, air can be separated efficiently, and the requirements of industrial production for different gases can be met.

Cryogenic liquid transportation: In the transportation of cryogenic liquids (such as liquid oxygen, liquid nitrogen, liquid hydrogen, etc.) in tank trucks, cryogenic valves are installed at the entrance and exit of the tank and at the pipeline connections. In the process of transportation, the cryogenic valve is used to control the filling and discharge of cryogenic liquid to ensure the safety of transportation. At the same time, the cryogenic valve plays the role of fast cutting off and sealing at the connection part between the transport vehicle and the receiving device to prevent the leakage of cryogenic liquid.

Superconducting magnet cooling system: In the field of scientific research, such as the Large Hadron Collider (LHC) and other superconducting magnet equipment, it is necessary to use liquid helium and other low-temperature media for cooling. The cryogenic valve is used to control the flow and pressure of the coolant, to ensure that the superconducting magnet is always in a low-temperature superconducting state, and to ensure the normal operation of the equipment and the smooth progress of the experiment.

Aerospace field: In the propellant supply system of rocket engine, the transportation of cryogenic propellants such as liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen needs to be controlled by cryogenic valves. In the process of fuel filling before rocket launch and during flight, the cryogenic valve accurately controls the flow rate and injection timing of propellant, which provides stable power for the rocket and plays a key role in the success of space mission.


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