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Severn’s OCT TOV Butterfly Valve Goes Beyond Meeting Safety Accreditation

Posted: 15 July 2024

Exploring the innovative features and engineering principles of Severn’s OCT TOV Butterfly Valve that puts safety first in safety‑critical valve applications.

Severn OCT TOV triple offset butterfly valve undergoing fire safety testing to API 607, API 6FA and ISO 10497 standards.

At Severn, safety is paramount in the design of our products. With our background in safety‑critical industries such as oil & gas, petrochemical and process plants, Severn understands the importance of safety‑first valve design for both our customers and employees.

As well as adhering to the strictest international valve safety standards, Severn have identified that shaft blowout prevention was paramount to our end users and the wider industrial valve and process industries, for improved valve performance and reduced operational downtime.

Butterfly Valve shafts are designed to connect to the disc with either dowel pins, taper pins, or keyways. The separation of the shaft and disc in service can be catastrophically dangerous in high‑pressure and safety‑critical valve applications. If any of these parts fail, the shaft may be ejected from the valve body. Shaft blowouts can occur when a coupling mechanism fails, therefore, disconnecting the shaft from the disc. With the pressures in the system, it may eject the unrestrained drive shaft through either end of the valve.

Not only is this projectile a huge safety concern but has the potential to compromise the pressure envelope of the valve allowing hazardous process media to escape into the atmosphere.

Severn has designed all their Triple Offset Butterfly Valves as standard with dual anti‑blowout protection, incorporated at both ends of the valve. This negates any chance of the shaft blowing out if the pins were to fail. The reduced shaft diameter at the drive end ensures the shaft cannot blow out through the packing follower, significantly improving operator and plant safety.

On the blank end of the valve, Severn have multiple engineered anti‑blowout features, which prevent shaft blowout. The anti‑blowout ring on the threaded shaft end ensures positive engagement without the need for additional fasteners. The blank end plate is locked in place and is designed to withstand full rated test pressures in severe service conditions.

Dual anti‑blowout devices are standard on the OCT TOV Butterfly Valve, meaning that even if the gland is removed, the secondary internal anti‑blowout device will stop ejection of the shaft under pressure, further enhancing industrial valve safety and reliability.

Severn have designed their Triple Offset Butterfly Valves to exceed the minimum wall thicknesses stated in ASME B16.34 valve design standards. Instead of using only the minimum allowance, Severn have engineered additional material to ensure improved pressure containing integrity and long‑term safety performance in the field.

Within Severn’s Triple Offset OCT TOV Butterfly Valve, there is a corrosion allowance. This means that the valve can afford to concede material to corrosion over time without affecting the pressure‑containing integrity or safety of the valve. The amount of corrosion may vary depending on the environment the valve is operating in, but due to Severn’s engineering heritage and design excellence, the OCT TOV Butterfly Valve has been designed to withstand changes in process conditions and operating environments.

High MAST (Maximum Allowable Shaft Torque) figures and safety factors are key when designing quarter‑turn butterfly valves for severe service. MAST represents the Maximum Allowable Shaft Torque a valve shaft can withstand during operation without mechanical failure. By utilising higher MAST figures, Severn helps maintain the structural integrity and mechanical safety of the valve throughout its service life.

“Severn OCT triple offset butterfly valve design highlighting dual anti‑blowout shaft protection and safety‑critical engineering features.”

Sizing actuators correctly is a credit to Severn’s engineering‑driven valve design approach. Actuators, gearboxes, or other valve drives must be sized correctly using accurate input and output torque values. By torque testing physical valves prior to final inspection, Severn compares real operating torques against theoretical calculations, ensuring accuracy, consistency and reliable valve automation performance across the range.

Safety has always been at the forefront of Severn’s designs, and this commitment is paramount in the 8500 OCT Triple Offset Butterfly Valve range, delivering confidence, compliance and reliability for safety‑critical applications worldwide.


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