Plattco supplies severe duty valves to Koniambo
US valve manufacturer, Plattco, which specializes in dry material handling applications, has supplied dozens of double flap airlock valves to Outotec Australasia for five areas of the giant New Caledonian nickel plant. The latter facility employs high temperatures and processes highly abrasive materials.
Plattco S8 pneumatic.
Plattco’s John O’Brien explained why the company’s valves were chosen for the demanding application. “Every one of our valves is customized to meet the unique needs of the application. In this project, there were many special features and requirements, CE certifications, as well as certified materials’ specs, inspection and QC documents,” he said.
“Superior sealing, quality construction, proven performance, compact design and ease of maintenance are the hallmarks of our designs. These features solve the common problems of valve leakage, pressure loss, jamming, warping, corrosion, excessive wear, system failure, and safety hazards.”
Plattco’s long history stretches back to the provision of white irons in the late 1800s. It invented the first double flap airlock valve in 1960 specifically for the mining industry in a bid to eliminate leakage with sintering and pelletizing.
Since then, the company’s valves have been used in the demanding environments of everything from cement to renewable energy plants. They are engineered to function as an integral part of process system design. Located at the borders, or interfaces between subsystems, they permit product or waste to be conveyed, processed, or isolated properly.
Like critical doors that must open to allow periodic and controlled system-to-system passage of material, Plattco valves are designed to seal tightly to isolate and contain intrinsic process temperatures, pressures, and vacuums.
According to the company’s literature, its valves feature:
• No rotary action meaning no need to build clearance (leakage) into the valve.
• Double flaps ensure that the seal is never broken throughout filling and emptying the valve.
• All-cast construction for consistency, proprietary alloys for durability and wear resistance, seat and flapper precision-machined to eliminate air leakage.
• Full-throat opening eliminates bridging, jamming and material build-up to maximize operating efficiency.
• In pressurized applications, Plattco’s patented mechanical seal eliminates the potential for shaft-seal leakage.
• Seats and flappers can be reground several times to bring them back to “like new” condition and performance. And, they can be replaced quickly without disassembling the valve, utilizing Plattco’s specialist maintenance technology.
• Housing is not part of the seal, allowing it to last for decades in the worst operational environments.
Plattco’s valves are distributed in Australia and New Zealand by Ammermann Partners of Somersby in NSW.
Contact: Richard Sagar, email richard.sagar@ammermann.com.au
