Agriculture & Urea Grade Valve Applications

In the chemical and manufacturing sectors, valves are commonly subjected to high pressures, extreme temperatures, and corrosive media. These conditions cause damage to components that are not designed and manufactured to handle them, which can lead to failure and, consequently, critical and costly effects on employee well-being, equipment operation, and plant productivity. Severe-service valves (SSVs) are engineered for use in harsh applications; they help plant owners and managers avoid the potential consequences of premature valve failure.

A common application for SSVs is in the production of urea, a compound used in nitrogen based fertilizer (within the agricultural industry) and for air pollution reduction (in diesel engines). However, industry professionals face a number of challenges when selecting and sourcing SSVs for urea service. For example:

Material availability. The valves should be made from specialized stainless steels or super duplex alloys, but these materials are highly unique and difficult to economically source. As a result, many valve manufacturers do not have ready access to them.
Supplier experience, qualification, reliability, etc. The critical role SSVs play in urea production operations necessitates high-quality production, but some manufacturers do not have the capabilities (e.g., design) and systems (e.g., quality assurance program) to make the valves to the necessary specifications and standards. Additionally, they may not have the capacity to deliver the components quickly or cost-effectively.
Product design. In replacement situations, it can be hard to find valves that are equal to or better than the original equipment obtained through the initial supplier. Sourcing urea specific valve designs at reasonable costs and required lead times can be a challenge

At Conval, we are a domestic source of severe-service valve solutions for urea production applications. Equipped with industry experience, technical expertise, and a vast inventory of metals/alloys, we have the knowledge, skills, and resources needed to respond to customers’ requests for assistance with the above challenges.

Benefits of Conval Urea Service Valves

Our urea service valves offer many advantages over other valves in the market, including:

Easier maintenance requirements. Our urea service valves are engineered for long service life. However, if they do require maintenance, they are easy to repair inline. Additionally, their design should include self-draining waterways, which inhibits the precipitation of solids in the flow path.
Better flow coefficient. Our urea service valves are designed to have an optimal flow coefficient.

We provide automation solutions for all valves. They can be integrated with electric, pneumatic, or hydraulic actuators.

Considerations for Valves Used in Urea Handling Applications

Regarding valves for urea service applications, some of the factors to consider to ensure proper selection and usage include:

Application challenges related to the valve capabilities, valve mode of operation, process flow conditions, and corrosive media
National, regional, and site-specific codes and standards
Plant/process installation location and material requirements
Importance of using replaceable/repairable components in severe-service conditions
Valve design flexibility
Material test results
Common characteristics, as well as differences, among urea operating facilities
Support services from the supplier
Best practices for SSVs

Applications of Urea-Grade Valves

At Conval, our Clampseal® Severe Service Urea Valves are specifically designed for use in high-pressure urea reactor piping, condensers, and strippers. They feature the industry’s lowest life cycle costs, pressure-actuated backseats, interchangeable modular body styles, and high-performance packing systems. They also come in a variety of configurations, including check, gate, globe, and top entry ball valves. In addition, they’re available in several materials, such as UNS S31050, Ferralium 255, F53, 316L Urea Grade and others as specified.
Our urea-grade valves find use in a wide range of applications, including:

Ammonia Pump to Reactor Valve
Carbamate Pump to Carbamate Condenser Valve
Carbamate Pump to Condenser Valve
Carbamate Pump to IP/LP Sections Valve
Carbamate Pump to LP Section Valve
Carbamate Pump to Scrubber Valve
CO2 Compressor to Reactor Valve (Angle)
CO2 Compressor to Reactor Valve (T or Y Pattern)
CO2 Compressor to Stripper Valve
Compressor to Stripper Valve
Condenser to Reactor Valve
Condenser to Scrubber Valve
Dissociation Heater and Separator to Flash Tank Valve
HP Scrubber Sphere Valve
HP Scrubber Valve
HP Scrubber to LP Absorber Valve
LP Absorber Valve
MP Absorber to LP Absorber Valve
Pool Reactor to MP Absorber Valve
Reactor to Stripper Valve (Angle)
Scrubber to LP Section Valve
Separator to Blow Down Valve
Separator to IP/LP Section Valve
Separator to Reactor Valve
Stripper Valve
Stripper to Dissociation Heater and Separator Valve
Stripper to IP/LP Sections Valve
Stripper to LP Section Valve
Stripper to MP Decomposition Valve
Stripper to Reactor Valve
VSCC Condenser to MP Absorption Valve
VSCC Condenser to Reactor Valve

Urea-Grade Valves From Conval

Need valves for your urea production operations? As a premier supplier of high-performance valves for some of the world’s most demanding applications, Conval is the ideal partner! We are an experienced and knowledgeable domestic source of valves for North American customers, providing quick and quality valve solutions for various severe-service applications. Our valves can help improve operations and reduce downtime in urea plants. Their enhanced performance, combined with their durability and inline renewability and repairability, results in the lowest valve life cycle costs in the industry.
For more information about our urea-grade valves and how they can benefit your facility, check out our brochure or contact us today