By Peter Telle, Founder and CEO of Ultra Control Valves
Valves are fundamental to the safety, efficiency, and reliability of fluid handling in mining. Facing high pressures, abrasive materials, and challenging environments, selecting the right valve technology is paramount. Expertise rooted in practical application is crucial for addressing these unique demands.
Let’s examine three key valve applications where tailored solutions make a significant difference in mining:
Precision Pressure Control: Mining pipelines often operate under high and variable pressures. Accurately reducing and regulating pressure protects downstream equipment and processes, ensuring safety and stability. Pilot-operated control valves provide this essential precision. Built robustly, they maintain stable pressure despite fluctuating supply, vital for reliable operations up to high-pressure ranges common in mining.
Extreme Pressure Reduction: Mines frequently encounter extremely high pressures, for instance, when dewatering deep levels. Safely reducing pressure from potentially 150 bar requires specialised technology beyond conventional valves prone to cavitation and rapid wear under such severe differentials. The Ratio Reducing Valve principle offers a rugged, reliable solution designed to handle these extreme pressure step-downs, ensuring safe and stable lower pressures where needed.
Protecting Slurry Pumps: Slurry pump shaft seals rely on clean gland seal water to prevent abrasive ingress. Precise control of this water flow is critical: too little risks pump damage; too much wastes expensive treated water and dilutes process slurry. Simple, self-governing flow control valves, such as the Maric Flow Control valve applied for this purpose, automatically maintain the optimal flow rate regardless of pressure fluctuations. This protects vital pump assets while conserving resources and avoiding dilution penalties.
Valves in mining are more than just components; they are problem-solvers for specific operational challenges. From regulating high pressures to protecting critical equipment like slurry pumps, selecting technologies based on deep application knowledge ensures reliability, efficiency, and safety in demanding African mining environments. Consulting with experienced suppliers who understand these complexities is key to implementing robust valve solutions.