Tankflo, Girard Equipment USA’s newest bottom outlet valve for ISO tank containers, has received recognition and approval under the European directive EN 14433:2006 for Tank Equipment for the Transport of Liquid Chemicals-Foot Valves.
The analysis was conducted by Bureau Veritas UK Ltd at one of Girard’s service facilities in Linden NJ. The test consists of a rigorous performance review after the valve was subject to extreme pressures and mechanical stress procedures designed to replicate the sometimes intense environment of tank containers.
“Criteria like EN 14433:2006 demonstrate the tank container industry’s determination to produce the safest and most dependable packaging equipment available for transporting hazardous commodities safely and efficiently” said a company spokesperson.
The Tankflo bottom outlet valve has been in field trial service since 2008 with several operators in the United States and Europe with no reported service issues.
The Tankflo valve employs an integrally joined butterfly valve to a bottom outlet valve equipped with a poppet that lifts away from the valve’s internal flow paths. This creates a full, unobstructed flow path that will allow for fast unloading rates and help promote a superior ability to be adequately cleaned due to the limitation in liquid contact surfaces.
The foot valve uses a spring-cam mechanism with a limited number of moving parts. This spring-cam mechanism has also been tested to be actuated 10,000 times without any degradation to its performance. The device is virtually indestructible—so much so that the company has offered the valve with a “guaranteed for life” policy. If the spring cam ever needs replacement, Girard will provide a new device free of charge.
Access www.girardequip.com for more information.