STEAM APPLICATION TECHNICAL DATA
Steam is damaging to valve parts at the moment of opening and closing, or when throttling. The high velocity of the steam
erode the seat and metal parts. High speed steam may carry water droplets, dissolved gases and other suspended solids and
result in more severe erosion and corrosion. In addition, steam systems will often go through a thermal cycle of start-up and
ValveMan.com
shut down. This thermal cycle presents a special challenge to the sealing capability of the valves in steam service.
Ball valves are well suitable for steam service if careful with the material selection and valve design. However, like all other
Valve Seat & Seal Selection Guide
valves, ball valves are generally rated at a lower pressure for steam service than for liquid or dry gaseous service.
ValveMan’s Ball Valves are an excellent choice for a wide range of steam service. Graphite body seals are completely encap-
Choosing The Right Seat Material is the Most
sulatedand contained. Stem packings are live loaded for all sizes. Live loaded stem packing will compensate for thermal Challenging Decision in Ball Valve Selection
cycling andwell contained body seal will prevent extrusion into crevice during thermal cycle. Our standard design valves
are provided witha 1/8” hole drilled in the stem tang slot. This feature is critical for steam service since it prevents excessive
pressure build-up in the cavity from trapped liquid when the valve is in the open position. Flo-Tite ball valves are supplied
with stainless steel balland stem as standard. This is specially suitable for steam service since aggressive steam attacks
Valve Soft Parts
coated carbon steel trim. ValveMan’s standard design valves with stainless steel trim and Super-Tek TFM seats are good for
150 psig saturated steam. When equipped with S-Tek or Super-Tek III seats, ValveMan valves are good for 250 psig saturated
Flanged End 3PC Valves
steam. Other seat options
Corresponding Saturated Steam Valve Seat (2) Body Seal (2)
Service Pressure Seat Stem Seal Body Seal
Temperature
Pressure Steam up to 150 psi Maximum 366 °F PTFE or Super-Tek TFM Graphite
Pressure Steam up to 170 psi Maximum 375 °F RPTFE Graphite Graphite
Pressure Steam up to 250 psi Maximum 406 °F S-Tek or Super Tek III Graphite Graphite
Pressure Steam up to 300 psi Maximum 422 °F Peek Graphite Graphite Body Seal (1) Valve Seat (2)
Pressure Steam above 300 psi Higher than 422 °F Metal Graphite Graphite
Spiral Wound
316 / Graphite
ValveMan’s standard design valves with stainless steel trim and Super-Tek TFM seats are good for 150 psig saturated steam.
When equipped with S-Tek or Super-Tek III seats, ValveMan valves are good for 250 psig saturated steam. Other seat options Flanged End, 2 and 3 PC Valves share the same stem packing.
will bring ValveMan valves to higher steam pressure rating, see chart below. V-Ring Stem Seal (5) Thrust Washer (2)
VALVE REPAIR KIT INCLUDES ALL SOFT PARTS
Seats - Body Seals - Stem Packing - Thrust Washer
ValveMan’s ball valves are available with a variety of seat & seal options to allow use in a wide
Steam Rating (PTFE & SuperTek) Steam Rating (RPTFE) range of general as well as special services. These soft-seated ball valves are factory tested
for tight shutoff and will continue to perform so for extended period.
One of the most important factors affecting shutoff capability is the nature of media being
handled. Service life is affected by all of the following factors.
Pressure Type of Media
Temperature Cycling Frequency
Degree of Pressure Fluctuation Velocity of the Media
Degree of Thermal Fluctuation Speed of Valve Operation
All of these factors are interrelated in actual service. Maximum service life, therefore, can
be gained by reducing the severity of any of these factors.
Steam Rating (S-Tek & SuperTek III) Steam Rating (PEEK) Our listing of seat materials has been prepared to assist the specifying engineer & the end
ValveMan.com user in the proper seat and seal selection. This information should be used in conjunction
1-888-825-8800 with pressure temperature rating graph found in our catalogue for the applicable valve.
STANDARD SEAT SELECTIONS STANDARD SEAL SELECTIONS
Material Technical Description Color Approx. Torque Adder Material Technical Description Color
This seat is very rigid and does not undergo cold flow. They can withstand GRAPHOIL Useable from -70° to 1000°F on almost any mdeia. It is the standard seal on all fire rated valves Green
pressures of up to 6000 psi dependent on valve size and a temperature Reinforced This is produced by adding 15% fibrous glass to Virgin Teflon and has a greater pressure temperature Off-
DELRIN Green +50%
range of -70°F to 180°F. Delrin also withstands nuclear radiation at doses TFE rating than Teflon. They also have a better cycle life than Teflon. White
of up to 106 rads. Do not use on oxygen service, or steam.
Combined the strength of metal with the lubricity of TFE. 50% 316 powder combined with 50% TFE.
Super-Tek, most popular seat material used by Flo-Tite. Stainless
Offers the abrasion resistance of metal with higher pressure and temperature ratings than RPTFE. Tem- Gray
Super-Tek (TFM) offers all of the properties of reinforced TFE with greater Filled TFE
perature rating -20°F to 550°F / Steam rating 250 SWP
Super-Tek strength, toughness, and improved thermo-mechanical properties offering Off- 10% Less Than
(TFM) lower coefficient of friction for lower torques and less permeability, reduced White RPTFE Teflon is excellent at pressure below 1500 psi & at temperatures from -20°F to 400°F. It will not
cold flow deformation and enhanced deformation recovery. Virgin TFE withstand temperature fluctuations in excess of 200°F & are not reusable. It has excellent resistance to White
Temperature Range -50°F to 500°F a wide range of chemicals.
This material is a fluorocarbon rubber. Kel F is a registered trademark of This is rated to 1500 psi at temperatures from -70° to 200°F. This can be used in low to medium level
Kel F UHMW Opaque
3M Corp. It can be used for cryogenic service at tempartures of -400°F up +45% radiation service and in applications where fluorocarbons can not be tolerated. Abrasion resistance is
(PCTFE) Polyethylene White
to 500°F at pressure up to 1500 psi quite good.
Recommended for service with severe flashing or hydraulic shock, abrasive These body seals are excellent at all rated pressures with a temperature range of -20° to 400°F. Viton is Off-
Viton
media or where possible trapped metal may exist. Flo-Tite’s metal seats are the best elastomer seal for higher temperature applications, but it should not be used on steam. White
hand lapped to the ball as individually matched sets, assuring line contact Manufactured by spirally winding a preformed V shape SS316 metal strip and a graphite sealing filler
Metal Metallic +50% Spiral
between valve ball and seats, resulting in smooth operation and tight shut off in combination. This gasket has adequate flexibility and recovery to maintain a seal under variable and
Wound Wire Black
class. Flo-Tite offers metal seats in different classes of Shut Off including uneven loading, pressure, and temperature fluctuation, bolt stress relaxation and creep. Temperature
Graphite
Class IV, V and VI. range from 320° to +1000°F.
Special Nylon seats are offered for higher pressure and lower temperature
Translucent
Nylon service. They can be used in high-pressure air, oil and other gas media but +35%
White
are not suited for strong oxidizing agents. Temperature rating -30°F to 200°F New seat & seal materials and sealing techniques continuously become available through our dedicated
This material offers a unique combination of chemical mechanical electrical research and development programs. For seat or seal application requirements not covered in this bul-
Peek
and thermal properties. The only know solvent of Peek is concentrated
Brown +50%
lein, please consult ValveMan.
sulfuric acid. It will withstand temperatures up to 600°F and pressures up to
4500 psi
All products that contact plastics and elastomers comply with USP Biological Reactivity Test #87 & #88
This is produced by adding 15% fibrous glass to Virgin Teflon and has a Class VI plastics and FDA CFR21 Part 177.
Reinforced Off- Standard as indicated
greater pressure temperature rating than Teflon. They also have a better cycle
TFE White in literature
life than Teflon.
50/50 seats are combined the strength of metal with the lubricity of TFE. Pressure Relieving &
50/50
50% 316
powder combined with 50% TFE. Offers the abrasion resistance of metal Gray +50% Equalizing Seat Design Pressure Temperature Chart
with higher pressure and temperature ratings than RPTFE. Temperature
rating -20° to 550° / Steam rating 250 SWP.
This is the most widely used seating material an dis excellent for most
Standard as indicated
Virgin TFE services. It has excellent chemical resistance throughout valve industries and White
in literature
a low coefficient of friction. Temperature Range -50°F to 450°F
UHMW polyethylene is used for highly radioactive materials where TFE is
not acceptable (> 104 rads ) and is rated 2 x 107 rads. These seats also meet
UHMW Opaque
the requirements of the tobacco industry whenever TFE is prohibited, and are +35%
Polyethylene White
especially well-suited for handling highly abrasive media.
Temperature Range -70°F to 200°F, not suitable for steam
Super-Tek II glass filled TFM-25% glass reinforced with 75% TFM, is good
Super-Tek for temperature ranging from -320°F to 572°F. This material offers a wide Off-
+25%
II temperature range with better cycle life than TFM. Ideal for Steam, hot White
gasses, thermal fluids and a variety of process chemicals.
This is a Teflon base filled with glass amorphour carbon powder and
Super-Tek
graphite. It has lower thermal contraction-expansion rate than PTFE and is Black +50%
III
ideal for steam or thermal fluid applications up to 575°F
Specially designed seats allow
equalization of pressure in the ball
cavity which reduces operating
ValveMan.com ValveMan.com
torque and increases seat life.
1-888-825-8800 1-888-825-8800
