Company Announcement - Valves form an integral part of Weir Minerals Africa’s total solutions package for the mining and minerals processing and general industrial sectors, Kobus Steyn, product manager for valves, says. Weir Minerals Africa offers two major valve brands, namely Isogate® valves and BDK™ valves.

Isogate® valves are ideal for abrasive applications in mining and minerals processing. “Isogate slurry valves operate in some of the harshest and most demanding environments globally,” Steyn says. Applications range from base metals (copper, nickel, iron) to precious metals and gems (gold, silver, platinum and diamonds) and industrial minerals (phosphates, talc, kaolin, silica and clays).

Isogate® slurry valves provide a cost-effective solution for on/off, throttling and reverse flow controlling of flowing media in industrial processes that involve abrasive or corrosive materials. These range from sand and gravel to dredging, water and waste water, food collection, preparation and processing, coal-fired power plants, pulp and paper mills and shot and sand blasting equipment manufacturers.

Steyn comments that Isogate® slurry valves are so successful in such diverse applications because they feature ease of maintenance and low total cost of ownership as the main design criteria. “Conventional valves are only designed for liquid service and therefore seldom produce satisfactory results when applied in abrasive and/or corrosive slurries,” he notes. Typical problems include rapid wear of valve seats and liners, sticking and leakage to the atmosphere during operation.

Isogate® slurry valves can operate under wide pressure and temperature ranges, while sleeves are available in a variety of materials, from natural rubber to EPDM, nitrile or neoprene. A unique feature of these valves is that Weir Minerals Africa can offer Weir Minerals’ proprietary abrasion resistant Linatex® premium natural rubber liners.

Isogate® MP (mechanical pinch) valves utilise a flexible rubber-lined pinch sleeve that is collapsed between two mechanical bars for accurate modulating control, positive closure and drip-tight shut-off. The inside diameter of the pinch sleeve is full-line size for maximum throughput and minimum pressure drop.

Isogate® PP (pneumatic pinch) valves are pneumatic or hydraulic actuated enclosed body pinch valves ideal for remote operation using typical plant air and not requiring auxiliary cylinder operators. These valves use flexible rubber lined pinch sleeves and pinch liners enclosed in robust cast metal bodies that collapse when plant air or hydraulic pressure is applied.

Isogate® heavy duty slurry knife gate valves combine a low maintenance design with a range of materials for diverse applications. The particular focus here is abrasion resistance, Steyn explains. For example, the WB Series features a robust design and rugged, heavy duty construction for increased reliability and wear life, together with ease of maintenance and cost effectiveness in a light weight, compact package.

Weir’s BDK™ valve range is ideal for general and specialised industrial applications. These range from power generation to oil and gas, petrochemical, steel, fertiliser, pharmaceuticals and water treatment. The BDK™ valve range encompasses ball, butterfly, gate, globe and check valves, as well as diaphragm, knife gate and plug valves.

“What is important to note is that we are the original equipment manufacturer, as opposed to being a distributor of other products. We manufacture and distribute our own products, which gives us a significant competitive advantage in the marketplace,” Steyn comments. “Globally, Weir has installed Isogate® and BDK™ valves across numerous industrial sectors.

“We have won a number of projects where we have supplied the valves, actuators and full hydraulic systems, designed by Weir Minerals’ engineers. We have also supplied complete packages to engineering procurement contractors (EPCs) and end users that include butterfly, ball and check valves, as well as control and safety relief valves,” Steyn concludes.