Controlling fugitive emissions from valves is fast becoming a hot topic. Increasingly, jurisdictions across North America are moving to enact legislation for limiting fugitive emissions which can have serious environmental impact.
What are fugitive emissions? Fugitive emissions are defined as any chemical in physical form that can leak unexpectedly from a facility or equipment. These emissions are important because they contribute significantly to greenhouse gases and global warming. In fact, the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) has estimated that valves may account for as much as 60 percent of all fugitive emissions.
Steps that can be taken to reduce fugitive emissions from valves include control strategies, and leak detection and monitoring. An integral part of any control strategy is minimizing the risk of leak through the use of certified low emission sealing solutions.
CRG Low Emission Sealing Solutions
Canada Rubber Group (CRG), working with its partner Teadit, now offers a range of low emission sealing solutions. These solutions include the following products:
Style 2235 valve stem packing. This certified Low E valve packing is self-lubricating, non-hardening, dimensionally stable and resistant to gases and fluids as well as heat, pressure and chemicals. The high temperature flexible graphite and Inconel® filament jacket in this packing provides mechanical stability, while the advanced construction provides leakage control and high integrity in steam service.
Teadit style 2236 satisfies both the requirements of EPA Enhanced LDAR directives and the European Union’s IPPC (Integrated Pollution Prevention and Control) directive. It is also TA-Luft approved and conforms to the API 607, 622, 624, and ISO 15848 standards.
Due to its physical properties and ability to minimize friction, Teadit style 2236 packing is ideal for valves and can be used within a broad range of applications. The packing will maintain low stem torque values even when high installation stresses are applied. This characteristic is important in allowing a valve to actuate effectively and makes style 2236 ideal for a broad range of applications.
Ecotape-LE. This zero-emissions thread seal tape is manufactured to provide an advanced structural matrix which incorporates graphite into structural PTFE. Due to the excellent properties of PTFE and graphite, Ecotape-LE has a wide degree of chemical resistance, low coefficient of friction, and excellent heat dissipation due to the high thermal conductivity and superior mechanical resistance of graphite.
Metalflex 913M-LE. This low emission spiral wound gasket is a major improvement on the traditional ASME B16.20 design. Where the traditional design is based primarily on dimensional criteria, the 913M-LE takes this and adds proven low emission performance. Teadit Research and Development has discovered that the density of the sealing element, a well-defined preformed metallic strip, and an enhanced soft filler material configuration, along with mandatory outer and inner rings, together play key roles in achieving sealing ability which can meet even the most stringent fugitive emission requirements. This design provides sealing performance at a level significantly below the minimum ASME seating stress rating for spiral wound gaskets.
If you have a low emission application, or are faced with having to meet low emission regulations, CRG is your preferred sealing partner.
To find out more about our low emission sealing solutions, please contact our sales department at crg@canadarubbergroup.com