The Bürkert array of solutions for oxygen use
Do you know our solenoid valves, proportional valves and process valves with oxygen suitability? Get an overview and contact us for a personal consultation. For processes with oxygen as the medium, we recommend the following products:
Are you wondering why special solutions are necessary for oxygen applications? In the following, we shed light on the central facts of this topic.
What role do valves play?
A valve becomes fuel – e.g. through its diaphragm, a small spring or a filter – from the moment a self-sustaining fire ignites there. Particles in the gas stream, as well as heating under pressure on an elastomer seal or a dirty surface can be triggers for the ignition. Obstacles that cause heating under pressure are also dangerous. These include closed valves or pressure regulators on which the gas is compressed. Heating under pressure can also occur in the valve itself – e.g. due to a valve seat opening straight or at the output of a partially opened controller.
The production of oxygen valves as a safety factor
At Bürkert, when developing valves for oxygen applications, we pay attention to the selection of the right materials and manufacture them under very high standards of cleanliness. All components in contact with the media (non-metallic seal materials, plastics and adhesives) must be suitable for use with oxygen.
Certain cleaning processes and cleaning agents in production ensure that the end products are sufficiently cleaned and clean for operation with oxygen. Here you get a small insight into one of our “grey rooms” where oxygen valves are also manufactured:
In the production of valves suitable for operation with oxygen, we satisfy the following conditions:
- Cleaning of the individual parts: All individual parts in contact with the medium are subjected to plasma cleaning prior to installation.
- Internal transport and storage: The cleaned individual parts and complete devices are covered with foils and transported in separate boxes.
- Installation under grey space conditions: Components in contact with the medium are assembled without the aid of oils, greases or silicones. Only distilled water may be used as an aid installation.
- Testing under grey space conditions: The testing of the finished devices is carried out on a special test bench. The individual performing the testing confirms the due compliance with the specifications by signing or placing his/her personal stamp on the order.
- Quality assurance: The introduced quality management system according to ISO 9001 with the internal audits to be carried out is just as much a part of the quality assurance as the inspection of the testing and measuring equipment.
The valves receive a unique identification code for oxygen suitability and receive a special final packaging.
Approval documents (manufacturer’s declaration)
The “Safe handling of oxygen” working group of the BAM (Federal Institute for Materials Research and Testing) prepares a test report that is the basis for a Bürkert manufacturer’s declaration. The manufacturer’s declarations (HEE) contain the following information:
- Products designated with the variable code NL02 are delivered oil- and grease-free by Bürkert Werke GmbH and are suitable for use with oxygen.
- These properties are lost if oily or fatty media are used or the product is contaminated from the outside.
- Products with variable code NL02 can be identified by the marking on the type label indicating the maximum temperature – e.g. O2: Tmed max 60 °C.
The manufacturer declaration (i.e. the material approval regarding reactivity with oxygen for the non-metallic materials coming into contact with substances) is adequate. While it is fundamentally possible to have an entire device approved, this is usually only done from a maximum permissible pressure of 100 bar. Only at these high pressures are the non-metallic materials (seals) tested in the constructive environment.
