Installation of gate valve

Installation recommendations

The gate valve is bidirectional and can be installed with any flow direction.

It is not recommended to install the gate valve with the spindle downwards due to the high likelihood of sludge clogging the valve chamber.

Gate valves with electric or pneumatic actuators should be installed with the stem vertically upwards. If installed outdoors above an electric actuator, a shelter should be provided.

Protection of the body from bending stresses

The installation of the gate valve should avoid the application of bending, compressive, tensile, and torsional forces from the connected pipelines. Therefore, supports should be installed on both sides of the valve. This is particularly important for cast iron gate valves.

The flanges on the pipeline should be installed parallel to the flanges on the gate valve without any inclination. It is forbidden to eliminate the inclination by tightening bolts or installing additional gaskets between the flanges.

When installing gate valves on long straight sections of the pipeline that are subject to variable temperature of the working medium or the surrounding air, a fixed support or an axial compensator for thermal expansion with guides to prevent displacement of the pipeline relative to its axis should be installed.

Installation procedure

Prior to installation, the gate valve should be tested for operability by opening and closing it and visually verifying that the disc moves from the fully open to the fully closed position.

The gate valve disc should be partially open during installation.

For diameters larger than DN100, a support should be installed under the gate valve and pipeline.

When installing large-diameter gate valves using lifts, factory mounting brackets on the gate valve body should be used for suspension. It is prohibited to use a flywheel, reducer, or electric drive for suspension.

For underground installations without a channel, a filling tamped foundation with a thickness of at least 200 mm made of material with a particle size of no more than 10 mm and without sharp corners should be arranged under the gate valve.

After installation, the pipeline section on which the gate valve is installed should be tested for strength and tightness. During the tests, the gate valve disc should be either fully open or fully closed. Tests with an intermediate position of the disc are not recommended.

The material of the gaskets should be selected based on the maximum working temperature and pressure at the installation site of the gate valve.

Paronite gasket is used at working pressure up to 63 bar and temperature from -50 to 450°C.
PTFE (polytetrafluoroethylene) gasket is used at working pressure up to 70 bar and temperatures from -120 to +150°C. It does not age over time.
EPDM (ethylene propylene diene monomer) rubber gasket is used at working pressure up to 16 bar and temperatures from 0 to 60°C.