Professional Documents
Culture Documents
The products and techniques presented have been developed by Sealweld Corporation over almost forty (40)
years of practicing on-line valve maintenance. We strive to make the valve technicians job more productive
through the development of effective products. We are constantly upgrading our sealant delivery systems by
improving our pumps and adapters. Just as fuels such as gasoline have evolved over the years, so must our
lubricant / sealants to remain insoluble. New products are constantly being developed to meet the demanding
needs of pipelines around the world. As valve seals erode, heavier sealants must be injected in order to
effect a seal. With the down-sizing of maintenance departments, valves are not topped-up as frequently;
hence lubricant / sealants are expected to last longer before washing out or breaking down.
ALWAYS consult the valve manufacturers owner’s manual prior to commencing work on any valve.
Keep injection pressures below 4,000 PSI on cast iron and semi-steel valves. NEVER EXCEED the
working pressure of the valve you are servicing when filling the body cavity with grease.
Use EXTREME CAUTION before opening a valve body vent fitting. Know what product is in the
valve. In cases of sour gas, wear emergency breathing apparatus and notify your fellow workers.
ALWAYS turn off your vehicle and work well down wind of all sources of spark or ignition.
When working around pressurized valves and pipelines, use extreme care and DO NOT take chances. Be
prepared for equipment failure and have contingency plans. ALWAYS have a properly sized stabbing valve
available in case of fitting failure. When working around valves containing sour gas, ALWAYS have your
emergency breathing apparatus within arms reach as high-pressure injection may cause a damaged fitting to
leak or break when you least expect it. Hydraulic pressure created inside the valve with a high-pressure
grease gun can stretch bolts on bolted plug valves and cause leakage. Should this occur, simply release the
pressure in the gun and hose assembly; the flange should sit back down and the leaking should stop.
High-Pressure Gauge
NOTICE how slowly the needle drops when pumping stops. This indicates how quickly sealant is
moving into the valve. When the needle stops dropping or begins to fall more slowly, this usually
indicates the seat sealant system is full.
Gauge readings while injecting valve cleaner are often considerably lower than when injecting the lubricant /
sealants because of its lighter viscosity. If the injection gauge climbs and does not drop off, this may indicate
a plugged or restricted passage. Watch the gauge closely to see if the needle is moving at all. In cases
where the sealant system is plugged, it is usually as a result of the drying and hardening of old sealant. Inject
valve cleaner and leave it to soak from a few hours, to overnight in severe cases. Leave the gun attached to
the valve and note the gauge pressure. Check the gauge periodically; a passage is cleared when the gauge
begins to drop off. Cycle the valve to ensure complete coverage of the cleaner; continued injection will wash
the residue downstream.
Air bubbles trapped inside the sealant hose or seat sealant system can cause the gauge to fluctuate wildly.
When the gauge jumps from 2,000 PSI to 4,000 PSI and back again, this is usually an indication of trapped
air. Remove pressure from the hose assembly by opening the release valve or by-pass valve and make sure
the gauge reads (0 PSI) zero before disassembling the hose assembly. Compressed air bubbles in long hose
assemblies may cause grease to spray with considerable force, disassembly of hoses or fittings to correct this
problem should be performed with CAUTION.
ALWAYS wear eye protection when working around high-pressure equipment. A spray of grease
which could not pierce skin can do severe damage to soft eye tissue.
Low-pressure grease guns are used for greasing gearbox bearings only.
For best results use Sealweld® Eterna-Lube 1000 anti-seize and bearing lubricant compound.
DO NOT use in valve seat systems.
These guns are not designed to contain pipeline pressures in the event of fitting check valve failure.
Uni-Seal Pump
The Uni-Seal Pump is a high speed hand-held
pump that uses the same air / hydraulic motor as
the Sealweld® ACTIV-8®. It is extremely effective
for quickly servicing valves in hard to reach areas
such as on towers or in tunnels. Its light weight
makes it ideal for heli-portable work. Many
operators power the pump with 125 PSI
(maximum) natural gas.
ALWAYS use a filter and lubricator when utilizing
natural gas as your power source.
The Uni-Seal will discharge sealant at up to 10,000
PSI and can empty a (1) one pound cartridge of
sealant in less than (2) two minutes. In
comparison, a hydraulic hand gun would require
over 800 strokes and would need to be refilled
once to discharge the same pound of sealant. A
Sealweld® SuperGun® would require over 300
strokes to discharge a pound of sealant. It is easy
to see why valves seldom receive sufficient
quantities of lubricant / sealant.
For repairs to this and any make of hand or power-operated lubricating equipment, contact:
Sealweld Corporation in Calgary or Houston
Sealweld® SuperGun®
The SuperGun® is a hand-held manual sealant injection gun which can generate up to 15,000 PSI if required.
The SuperGun® was developed in an effort to correct design deficiencies in the older styles of screw-primed
guns.
The added replaceable sleeve over the pump piston cuts repair costs by over 75% compared to similar
equipment. The sealant barrel was enlarged 33% so that less refills would be required and so that it would
hold the contents of a regular (16 oz.) sixteen ounce grease gun cartridge. Several other enhancements were
added to make the gun more durable, easy to carry and pump faster. The SuperGun® will discharge (1 oz.)
one ounce of lubricant / sealant with every (25) twenty-five strokes of the handle, making it the valve
technicians favorite gun for routine topping-up procedures when only small quantities of lubricant / sealant are
required.
There exists the risk for a dangerous problem with corrosion occurring on some hydraulic guns internal
hydraulic relief valves. Some of the older styles of hydraulic hand guns utilized an internal relief valve which
was not zinc plated. Over time, as air and water got into the hydraulic system, these un-plated relief valves
would begin to corrode and then not relieve properly. This resulted in some guns building up to 20,000 PSI
before thread failure would occur and the gun barrel blew out. Several valve technicians were injured before
the problem was identified. All Sealweld® hydraulic hand guns have a zinc plated relief valve. If you suspect
some of your existing hydraulic guns may have the old un-plated relief valve, Sealweld® can inspect or repair
them and / or teach your personnel how to do their own gun repairs.
Another improvement included the introduction of a nylon sealant piston cup seal instead of the old hardened
leather type. The nylon has superior wear resistance and sealing ability which prevents the hydraulic fluid in
the gun from being contaminated by the lubricant / sealant.
Body Profile
Body Cross
Section
Handle Latch
Assembly
Some hydraulic gun manufacturers recommend the use of lubricant / sealant in plastic bags or Gun-Paks and
that they can be loaded into the barrel by simply dropping the un-opened bag into the barrel. On some types
of guns there is a special nipple for piercing the plastic bag and a screen for keeping the bag from being
pumped into the valve. Unfortunately, not all gun manufacturers provide this feature and quite often these
nipples and screens are removed during routine repairs and not replaced. Sealweld® recommends that the
lubricant / sealant be stripped out of the plastic Gun-Pak bag and that the bag be thrown away so that there is
no chance for the plastic to be pumped into the sealant fitting or valve.
Two-piece fitting manufacturers distribute through a wide variety of industrial supply firms. It is possible that
these types of fittings were introduced to the pipeline system many years ago and have been in service or in
inventory since then. They could have also been purchased recently as old inventory from any number of
sources, the supplier not realizing the potential danger of this style fitting when placed in high-pressure
service.
There is no doubt that the one-piece body is less likely to come apart under pressure. The weak point of the
one-piece design is the use of a light crimp on the bottom of the fitting which holds the ball and spring in
place. It is not difficult to collapse the spring inside the fitting when injecting cold or heavy sealing compounds
(see Page 2 of the FLOW WOLF® brochure). This restricts sealant flow and can eventually plug off the
fitting. Continued injection with high-pressure guns or pumps can straighten the crimp and the ball check
mechanism is then blown into the valve body. This often results in the seat sealant system becoming
completely plugged off. It can also result in gas or product escaping out through the fitting, which can be
difficult to stop and may trigger an emergency shut-down if inside a compressor station.
Should this occur, the Sealweld® FLOW WOLF® Leak-Lock # 1 adapter can be attached to the leaking giant
buttonhead fitting and the top section tightened to make a seal. Once the leak is stopped, cleaner and / or
sealant can still be injected into the valve. During the next scheduled shut-down, the pipeline can be de-
pressurized and the damaged fitting can be safely replaced.
Unfortunately most valve manufacturers have cut only a 1/4" NPT thread into the body of the valve for sealant
fittings. We strongly recommend that you urge the valve manufacturers to use a 3/8" NPT or 1/2" NPT thread
to reduce the risk of this type of fitting failure on all new valves. For valves that must use a 1/4” NPT fitting,
standardize with a .316 stainless steel material for increased mechanical strength.
Call Sealweld® for on-site valve maintenance training seminars, available worldwide.
When examining sealant fittings; if a crimp is obvious then you can be almost certain that it is of one-piece
construction. If the bottom is flat and no crimp is present, then it is probably a two-piece fitting and should be
discarded. The FLOW WOLF® design is obvious by its threaded cage (with Allen head) screwed into the
bottom of the fitting and FLOW WOLF stencil on the wrench flats. Sealweld® valve maintenance technicians
tour the many miles of pipeline on a regular basis. We would be glad to stop in at any location and examine
any fittings in question to make a determination. By spending a little time with your valve technicians, we can
show them some of our many failed fitting samples and teach them how to make their own determinations
regarding the integrity of fittings.
The threads which connect the fitting to the valve are found on the body of the fitting. Wrap these threads
with thread tape or other suitable thread lubricant. DO NOT use Lock-Tite or similar thread locking material
as it may adversely effect the ball check device inside the fitting.
Attach the proper size wrench to the fitting body only when tightening and removing auxiliary valve fittings.
DO NOT tighten the fitting into the valve by the bolt or cap.
Screw the fitting into the valve tightly, being careful not to cross thread the fitting. Should the threads begin
tightening prematurely, back the fitting out and inspect for thread damage. Re-tape the threads and repeat as
necessary.
Once tightly installed, service fittings as described below.
Packing Injectors
Back the bolt all the way out of the body then lubricate
threads with penetrating oil or similar light oil. Insert
screw bolt back into body and tighten. Be sure to use
a back up wrench on the body when tightening and
removing.
Packing Injector
Different Styles of Sealant Injection Fittings and Specialty Adapters Chapter 9 • Page 39
Sealant Injection Fitting Terminology
During plant and pipeline construction one of the more common mistakes is installing a combination fitting
with an NPS thread into a valve body or extension with NPT threads. The illustration below shows the long
neck fitting. In many cases the valves are insulated and the long neck NPS fitting was installed in order to
extend the buttonhead out through the insulation. If you discover this problem in some of your valves,
ALWAYS WAIT for the pressure to be reduced to (0 PSI) zero in the pipeline leading up to the valve before
attempting to remove the NPS fitting. Chances are that if the fitting has been in the valve for some time, there
is no immediate requirement for replacement. Use extreme caution if injecting lubricant / sealant into valves
with this problem. There are probably only (2) two or (3) three poorly fitting threads holding the fitting in place.
If there is any obstruction in the fitting, high injection pressures may be required. The use of high injection
pressure could result in the threads failing and the fitting blowing out of the valve body, which may result in an
uncontrolled leak and / or the risk of personal injury. In this case, you should NOT attempt any maintenance,
but wait until the fitting can be safely replaced.
Page 40 • Chapter 9 Different Styles of Sealant Injection Fittings and Specialty Adapters
Chapter 10
Gate Valve Body Filler Grease in (10) ten pound pail - Part Number S-GV-10
Valve Cleaner Plus in (10) ten pound pail - Part Number S-VC-10
Valve Lubricants
Are made from materials which are insoluble in whatever gas, or liquid is inside the valve. Modified vegetable
oils are often blended with synthetic oils, special corrosion inhibiting agents and other additives to give the
lubricant its sticky texture. These viscous and sticky lubricants will provide some sealing ability and are
generally recommended for new valves or valves with very little wear. It is very important that a good quality
valve lubricant be resistant to breakdown or shearing of the gel structure under high-pressure injection and
the enormous load forces commonly seen across seal faces. It must also be stable over a broad temperature
range and not break down or harden when pumped at freezing temperatures and in higher temperature
service such as may be seen in compressor discharge applications.
Sealweld® Equa-Lube Eighty in (10) ten pound pail - Part Number S-EQ-10
Sealweld® Total-Lube # 911 Lubricant / Sealant in (10) ten pound pail - Part Number S-TL-10
Sealweld® # 5050 Sealant in (10) ten pound pail - Part Number S-VS-10
Emergency Sealants
Sealweld® XH # 5050 Sealant in (10) ten pound pail - Part Number S-XS-10
Sealweld® XXH # 5050 Sealant in (10) ten pound pail - Part Number S-XXS-10
When using the heavier emergency sealants, ALWAYS open the valves body vent fitting (if possible) in order
to draw the sealant over the damaged seal face.
Remember to wait (10 - 20) ten or twenty minutes with the body vent open to ensure the seal is
holding.
DO NOT be fooled by the viscosity of the sealant. Heavy and / or cold sealants will take time to extrude
through the tiny leak paths before the valve starts to leak again. Watch the injection gauge very closely to
see if the sealant is pushing into the valve or if the seal is holding.
Once a reliable seal is achieved, leave the gun hooked up and under pressure. Remember to check the
gauge periodically. Leave the valve alone; DO NOT cycle the valve or the seal will be lost. Leave the body
vent fitting open, otherwise pressure will build-up in the valve's body cavity and there is a risk that the gas or
liquid will escape downstream. By watching and / or listening to the leakage through the body vent fitting you
are able to judge how the seal is holding.
Knowing when to stop injecting sealant is an important part of being successful. Quite often that one more
stroke that you think will get you a perfect seal will cause the seat ring to lift off the seal face and the seal will
be lost.
The emergency sealing compounds (Sealweld® XH # 5050 and Sealweld® XXH # 5050) should always be
displaced from the seat sealant system after use to eliminate the possibility of future plugging problems. This
is done by injecting equal amounts of a lighter lubricant / sealant, such as Sealweld® Total-Lube # 911 and
cycling the valve a few times. If it is not possible to cycle the valve completely, we recommend that the ball,
gate or plug be rocked off the closed or open position to accomplish the cleaning or purging operation.
You can build a safe, cost and time effective, Valve Maintenance Program with the Sealweld®
ValvePro® series of software solutions.
Perform an audit on every valve and build a data base describing each valve, its performance and
preventative maintenance history.
ALWAYS read the valve manufacturers owners manual before commencing any maintenance
procedure.
The cost of the sealant and manpower required, is insignificant compared to the cost of shutting down the
line, draining, excavating and replacement valve costs. Sealweld® presented a discussion paper on this
subject at the Onshore Pipeline Cost Reduction Conference & Exhibition in Amsterdam in April of 2000.
Contact Sealweld® for a copy of the Study of the Economic Benefits of Valve Commissioning During Pipeline
Construction.
There can be problems caused by using the wrong type of lubricant / sealant in some services. In a worst
case, we have seen examples of a lubricant / sealant (in high temperature service) polymerize and bake hard
into a rubber-like substance. When the lubricant / sealant goes hard it can prevent the seat rings from
traveling like they should which can make the valve hard to turn and / or not seal properly. If you have any
concerns over which lubricant / sealant you should be using contact your nearest Sealweld® office for product
suggestions.
Introduction
Hard to turn valves are usually a result of:
• A build-up of old dried sealant in sealant passages restricting plug travel
• Lack of sealant
• Improper adjustment
• Rusted stem threads underneath the stop collar at the outboard end of the stem
• Hard / dried out old stem packing
• Any combination of the above
In order to determine which of these problems are the likely source of the difficulty, the following steps must
be taken.
Locate the sealant injection fitting on the top of the valve (see illustration). Inject Sealweld® Valve Cleaner
Plus using a high-pressure sealant injection pump in sufficient quantities to completely displace the old
sealant.
ALWAYS watch and read the injection pressure gauge to judge what is happening inside the valve.
In most cases, as the cleaner is injected, the pressure will increase until a rapid de-pressurization or blow will
occur as the old sealant is pushed out of the valve. The cleaner will then run in smoothly with very little
increase in pressure. The plug valve should be cleaned in the fully open or fully closed position in order to get
all the old sealant out from under and around the plug. Cycle the valve several times to ensure complete
coverage of the cleaner.
Once the cleaning is complete, inject Sealweld® Total-Lube # 911 plug valve lubricant / sealant in equal
quantities as the valve cleaner. The plug should be in the fully opened or fully closed position. As the sealant
is injected, the pressure gauge will increase and slowly decline as the sealant enters the sealant grooves.
When pumping stops, the gauge will begin to drop. The more slowly the gauge drops, the tighter the fit
between the plug and valve body. The tighter the fit, the better chance you have of achieving a seal. Too
tight a fit and the valve may be difficult to cycle.
If the valve is still stuck or very hard to turn after it has been cleaned and lubricated, assuming that the plug
setting is correct, you can suspect problems in the stem packing area.
Equipment Requirements:
• Set of buttonhead adapters for packing injectors (available from Sealweld®)
• (1) each - High-Pressure Sealant Injection Guns
• Allen key set
• Open end / box end wrenches
• Adjustable wrench - 6"
• Stabbing Valve (Class 600) with schedule 80 nipple (see sketch)
• Sealweld® Valve Cleaner Plus, Sealweld® Total-Lube # 911 and Sealweld® Slick Sticks Stem Packing
• Penetrating oil
• Varsol and rags
• Foaming type leak detector (for use on valves in gas service)
The objective is to safely remove the old stem packing and replace it with Slick Sticks valve stem packing.
This packing is a special preparation for pipeline valves and includes special inhibited grease and a variety of
PTFE particles which bridge to form a durable, rebuildable seal. The stem seal can then be rebuilt by simply
injecting additional Slick Sticks or Super Stem Packing compounds through the packing injection fitting.
This procedure should only be performed by trained and certified Valve Maintenance Technicians.
The valve being serviced should not be pressurized in order to avoid risk of personal injury. Always assume
the stem packing gland contains trapped line pressure and that extreme caution should be exercised. Work
cautiously and use liberal amounts of foaming type leak detector before completely unscrewing any threaded
fitting to check for trapped gases.
Read this handbook and the corresponding valve manufacturer's manuals completely before starting
any maintenance routine.
ALWAYS notify your supervisor or the control room before attempting this procedure.
In the worst case, if the valve is under pressure the following procedure could expose the Valve Maintenance
Technician to full line pressure escaping through the stem or packing injector or packing plug (once removed).
Depending on the product in the line, the location of the valve and wind direction, this can present serious
consequences. Additionally, when removing the packing plug opposite the packing injector - if pressure has
entered the stem packing area, the plug will blow out at great velocity once the last engaged thread is
unscrewed. Due to the excellent sealing ability of most packing compounds and valve sealants, the threads
may not leak until the last engaged thread is unscrewed. This is why a stabbing valve must be ready before
the procedure begins. The check valve devices installed in most sealant fittings and packing injectors are
unreliable and prone to leakage and / or failure.
Always use EXTREME CAUTION when working with valves under pressure.
Use liberal amounts of foaming type leak detector when unscrewing any fitting on pressurized gas valves. If
at any time line pressure is suspected to be entering the stem packing area, stop this procedure and proceed
only after you are sure all sources of pressure have been eliminated.
Have an evacuation plan discussed and ready for implementation in case of emergency.
Summary
If these procedures are not successful at reducing torque and eliminating stem leakage, the valve has more
serious mechanical damage and should be repaired or replaced at your earliest opportunity.
This document has been prepared in order to provide valve maintenance personnel with a better
understanding of some of the procedures which can be utilized in order to make plug valves easier to turn or
seal. If you do not clearly understand the procedures being described, contact Sealweld® Services for an
explanation or on-site demonstration.
Fitting Identification
Routine maintenance often consists of topping-up the sealant system with a small quantity of fresh lubricant /
sealant. The valves sealant injection system is a system of grooves, channels and riser pipe assemblies
through which the lubricant / sealant travels. Each time the valve cycles, a small amount of lubricant / sealant
is lost downstream. By keeping the sealant system topped-up at all times, the risk of contaminants finding
their way behind the seat ring is greatly reduced. Learn how to properly read the injection gauge on the gun
or pump to judge when the sealant system is full. Once filled, the lubricant / sealant will act as a hydraulic
medium and force the seat ring hard against the ball. At this point the injection gauge will rise rapidly. Stop
pumping and watch how slowly the gauge settles back down. Gauge pressure will eventually equalize with
line pressure.
The quantities required to top-up the sealant system vary greatly depending on how often the valve cycles,
the product flowing through the valve, temperature and the type of lubricant / sealant selected. Some pipeline
companies have deemed a quantity equal to 1/8 of the capacity of the sealant system injected twice annually
sufficient for most pipeline block valves in clean natural gas service. Because compressor suction and
discharge valves cycle more frequently, they require more maintenance. Compressor discharge valves
should see even more maintenance due to the higher operating temperatures.
Be patient; the valve cleaner often takes time to clean seal faces thoroughly.
If the sealant fitting or buried inner check valve is plugged from old dried sealant, it may take some time for
the valve cleaner to soften the old material. If plugged, the gauge will climb quickly and will not drop off. If
this occurs, keep the gauge pressure under 8,000 PSI and come back every few hours and try to push a little
more cleaner into the sealant injection fitting. Many hand-held injection guns are capable of injection
pressures of up to 15,000 PSI. If too much pressure is applied, the high pressure may blow the slug of
sealant and the ball check out of the fitting and into the valve body. If this has occurred, as you attempt to
remove the grease gun from the fitting you may be exposed to full line pressure. To reduce the risk of this
occurring, install a Leak-Lock on the plugged sealant fitting so that if the ball check in the sealant fitting is lost,
you can stop line pressure from escaping with the ball check in the Leak-Lock. Leak-Locks are available for
both small (Part number D-LL#2) and giant buttonhead fittings (Part number D-LL#1) A special Cameron®
adapter (Part number D-CAM-SO) is available which screws onto the Cameron® small buttonhead with cap
fitting and adapts it to a giant buttonhead so you can use your regular grease gun coupler. This will keep line
pressure from escaping.
NEVER attempt to remove a sealant injection fitting from a valve which is under pressure.
The sealant channel accesses the seat ring area upstream of the seat insert. This means that the sealant
fitting accesses the pipeline upstream of the ball / seat sealing interface. Even if the valve is closed and the
valve body vented to atmosphere, there is still pressure under the sealant fitting if there is pressure in the
pipeline. Make sure there is no pressure in the pipeline upstream and downstream of the valve before
attempting to remove the sealant injection fitting.
DO NOT rely on the inner check valve located under the sealant fitting to hold back line pressure.
These small check valves become damaged easily and are seldom reliable.
REMEMBER to close the body vent fitting BEFORE cycling the valve.
If cleaning, re-lubricating and cycling the valve have not stopped the leakage, check that the valve stops are
clean of dirt, rust, paint or other foreign materials and that the valve is truly open or closed. It should not be
necessary to adjust the valve stop adjustment screws found on many gearboxes after the initial setup or when
the valve is first installed. When the technician is sure the valve has been cleaned, re-lubricated and the
valve stops clean, if leakage is still a problem it is then time to inject a heavier sealant.
Maintaining a Seal
Achieving and maintaining a reliable seal is often a question of confidence which is only acquired through
experience. When a problem leaking valve is found in the system, use this valve to practice your sealing
techniques.
A typical situation is one in which the downstream side of the valve is de-pressurized and full line pressure is
being held upstream of the closed valve. The valve has been cleaned and re-lubricated, still some leakage is
still being realized through the open body vent fitting. At this point a heavier sealant can be injected.
Quite often a small amount of leakage will have to be tolerated. Efforts are now underway to use gas meters
connected to the body vent fitting to arrive at some hard numbers as to how much leakage can be tolerated
while keeping it safe to work downstream of the valve. At the present time the industry is dependent on the
experience of the valve maintenance technician and his judgment as to whether or not it is safe to work
downstream. When an acceptable seal is achieved, wait (10 – 20) ten to twenty minutes to make sure the
seal is going to hold. The technician may wish to leave the body vent fitting open so that any upstream seat
ring leakage is vented to atmosphere instead of downstream.
ALWAYS notify fellow workers of the leak and flag the area where the product is being vented.
Where possible, a blind flange should be installed downstream of the valve to ensure no product escapes into
the section of pipeline being serviced.
More severely worn valves can be successfully sealed by using even heavier sealing compounds. These
compounds often contain increased quantities of PTFE in various sized particles. The object being to build a
small dam of PTFE particles which will stop the leakage. One of the consequences of using the extra heavy
and double extra heavy sealants is the risk of plugging the sealant injection fitting or buried inner check valve
with PTFE particles. The patented FLOW WOLF® sealant injection fitting and in-line check valve have been
designed so they will not plug, even with these heavier sealing compounds. These fittings have to be
installed before the valves are pressurized. Heavier sealants should be displaced with a lighter sealant or
lubricant / sealant after the critical seal is no longer required to avoid plugging problems associated with the
old style fittings.
When piping is used to vent the body vent fitting or to equalize body pressure, it is important to be sure that
pressure can not enter the valve body through these sources if workers downstream are depending on this
Stem Lubrication
The stem seals on a Cameron® valve are designed for many years of service with little or no maintenance.
The stem area is sealed top and bottom with rigid graphite / PTFE type seal rings. Only small quantities of
lubricant / sealant or sealant, if any, are required on a periodic basis.
Attach the gun onto the stem seal fitting and watch the injection gauge very closely. DO NOT EXCEED 2,000
or 3,000 PSI in the stem area. Usually (1 – 2) one or two strokes of a manual gun is all that is required. Stop
pumping and watch how slowly the gauge falls. If both upper and lower seals are holding, the gauge should
not drop at all. If the gauge drops slowly, give it another stroke of sealant and watch the results. If the gauge
continues to fall, look at the top of the stem to see if sealant is present. If sealant is escaping from the top of
the stem, tighten the cap screws that hold the top seal ring in place. If sealant continues to escape, the top
stem seal ring should be replaced during the next shut-down. If sealant is not present and the gauge
continues to fall, you may suspect the lower seal is damaged. If this is the case, slowly inject a heavier
sealing compound until the leak reaches acceptable limits.
ALWAYS consult the proper Cameron® maintenance manual before attempting any mechanical
repairs.
Gearbox Maintenance
Many Cameron® valves come equipped with manual gearboxes. Keep the gearbox filled with a high quality
waterproof lubricant such as Sealweld® Eterna-Lube 1000. Replace damaged seals and O-rings as soon as
they are discovered to prevent water from entering the gearbox and causing corrosion.
Keep the gearbox lubricant topped-up by injecting through the Zerk nipples located on the top, side or back of
the gearbox. Be careful not to over-fill the gearbox or the weather seals can be blown out.
If high torque is twisting the gearbox and seals are failing to hold the gearbox oil or lubricant, Sealweld® D-
1014 lubricant / sealant has been used successfully as a year-round gearbox lubricant / sealant.
Manual Gearbox
Bettis® Gas / Hydraulic Operator, Two Way Manual, Shown In Power Gas Mode
Switch To “Manual” position to lock out remote switching signal before proceeding with local
manual operation
With Power Gas:
• Press upper left relay handle and hold to close line valve
• Press upper right relay handle and hold to open line valve
With Hand-pump (No Power Gas):
• Turn lower left valve handle and operate hand-pump to close line valve. Return valve
handle to vertical
• Turn lower right valve handle and operate hand-pump to close line valve. Return valve
handle to vertical
If valves are to be wrapped or insulated, extensions to facilitate the lubricant / sealant fittings may be required.
These extensions must be made from XH (schedule 80) pipe of a suitable grade depending on the service the
valve is in. Make sure all connections are NPT. Many contractors have accidentally installed NPS (non-
tapered) fittings by mistake.
In Summary
Whenever servicing valves, rock the valve off its full open or full closed position (only when safe to do so) to
keep the valve from being seized in one position. Rotate the valve fully closed at least once a year to move
the seat rings to a new position.
The pressure MUST BE equalized on both sides of large diameter valves before they can be cycled.
NEVER remove a sealant injection fitting or stem seal fitting from a pressurized system. The sealant injection
fittings enter upstream of the seat rings. With the valve closed and the valve body de-pressurized, there is
still full line pressure immediately under the check valve in the sealant injection fitting. DO NOT rely on the
buried inner check valve to hold if the sealant injection fitting becomes damaged. Wait for the pipeline system
to become de-pressurized before attempting to replace fittings. Beware of trapped pressure inside valve
bodies, valve stems and sealant systems especially riser pipe assemblies. Remember, threads do not always
weep or leak like they should in the presence of sealants.
ALWAYS consult the appropriate Cameron® manual for advice on repair or parts information.
Copies of most manuals are available from Sealweld® Services ValvePro® Reference Library at no
charge.
NOTICE that there are no springs associated with the seat rings. In this design the seat rings are in
a fixed position, and the ball is allowed to float.
In cases where there is just one sealant injection fitting and it appears to be accessing the body cavity, the
seal will be achieved in much the same way. In this instance less sealant will be required because the
injection point is closer to the downstream seal face.
If the valve continues to leak, it may be because the valve seal faces require cleaning. Inject the valve
cleaner into the sealant fittings. Substantially more will be required upstream of the seal face. The best
results are achieved by allowing the cleaner to soak for a few hours to overnight in problem valves. Again,
considerable quantities will be required in order to have any effect. Displace the cleaner by cycling the valve
a few times. The cleaner will be washed downstream. The cycling action should scrape the softened build-
up away from the seal face area. Follow up by injecting your regular lubricant / sealant into the upstream
fitting. If the regular sealant is not effective, cycle the valve a few times, then inject a heavier sealing
compound such as Sealweld® # 5050 Ball Valve Sealant.
Sealweld® # 5050 Ball Valve Sealant is very effective at obtaining a reliable seal when the regular lubricant /
sealant is no longer effective. If the valve leak does not diminish after injecting # 5050 it may be that the seat
ring is not aligning against the ball properly. This is a more common occurrence on valves with O-rings as
opposed to valves with ridged PTFE or Nylon seals. Occasionally one hard blow with a rubber mallet against
the top of the upstream flange will cause the seal ring to realign properly.
It can be confusing when there is equal pressure both upstream and downstream of the valve being serviced.
When the valve is closed and the body cavity is vented, then both seat rings act the same as the upstream
seat ring.
Line Pressure Pushes The Ball Onto The Downstream Seat Ring
NOTE: Be very careful not to over-pressure the body cavity as it could rupture the body casting.
Find out the nature of the product in the pipeline, does it contain hydrogen sulfide gas or other toxic
components? Are you working in a confined space, is emergency breathing equipment required? What is the
pressure in the pipeline? Do you have the authority to interrupt flow when cycling the valve to the closed
position? Who is working downstream, do you have permission to open valves that are normally closed?
What other workers are in the immediate area, are they aware that you may be releasing gas to atmosphere,
is there a spark hazard from the other workers activities? Ask these specific questions and write down the
response.
Organize a “Tail Gate” Safety Meeting with your fellow workers to discuss the job, the objectives, safety
concerns and emergency response activities. Discuss the use of hand signals so that communication can
continue while the venting procedure is in progress. Determine the direction of the prevailing wind in relation
to gas venting activities.
Maintenance Instructions For the Grove B-5 Ball Valve Chapter 14 • Page 75
On Arrival at the Valve Site
NOTE: A sealant injection fitting is normally installed in conjunction with an opposed U-cup type
stem seal. A Grove vent plug or slotted plug is normally installed in conjunction with dual O-ring
stem seal configuration.
Page 76 • Chapter 14 Maintenance Instructions For the Grove B-5 Ball Valve
Inject a small quantity of synthetic valve lubricant sealant such as Sealweld® Total-Lube # 911 or Sealweld®
Equa-Lube Eighty into the seat sealant injection fittings with a high-pressure sealant injection pump.
Watch the high-pressure gauge on the sealant pump very closely. Normally the gauge will climb steadily as
pumping continues. Keep injection pressures below 6,000 PSI. Stop pumping (between strokes if using
manual injection pumps) and watch the needle on the gauge drop. The needle should drop slowly. If the
gauge drops rapidly, this may be an indication that the seat sealant system is empty or low of sealant. Inject
additional sealant and continue watching the gauge.
If the seat sealant system or sealant fitting is plugged, the gauge will climb rapidly and not drop off when
pumping stops. If the viscous sealant is cold, it will not flow rapidly, be patient and watch the needle closely.
If plugging is suspected, discontinue injecting sealant and switch to valve cleaner to clear the obstruction from
the seat sealant system.
When the seat sealant system is full, the gauge will climb rapidly and drop very slowly when pumping stops.
Before cycling any valve - ALWAYS request permission from your supervisor, maintenance department and
pipeline operations department. DO NOT cycle the valve while injecting cleaner or sealant. Stop pumping
and relieve sealant pressure before cycling the valve.
Lubricate the bearings in the gear-set before cycling valve. Use a low pressure grease gun and inject a small
quantity of Sealweld® Eterna-Lube 1000 anti-seize compound through the grease nipples at various locations
on the gear-set.
Maintenance Instructions For the Grove B-5 Ball Valve Chapter 14 • Page 77
Notify your fellow workers that venting is about to begin. Wait for all workers get to a safe area
with appropriate safety equipment and to indicate proceed by showing the thumbs up hand sign.
Page 78 • Chapter 14 Maintenance Instructions For the Grove B-5 Ball Valve
Sealing Leaking Valve Seats
Valve seat leakage may be due to a number of factors:
• The valve stops may be out of alignment. Inspect the valve stops and make sure the valve is fully closed.
Misalignment by more than two or three (2 – 3°) degrees may expose the bore hole through the ball to the
pipeline pressure resulting in continuous leakage.
• Old sealant and other pipeline debris may have built-up contaminants in the seal face area.
• This build-up could prevent proper contact of the seal face between the ball and seat ring, resulting in
seat leakage.
• The ball, seat ring or seal O-ring (elastomer) may be scratched, scared or otherwise physically damaged.
Maintenance Instructions For the Grove B-5 Ball Valve Chapter 14 • Page 79
overnight if possible. Cycle the valve at least three (3x) times to distribute the cleaner around the seal face
area. Top-up repeatedly to push the softened contaminants out of the tiny sealant passages and into the
pipeline.
After soaking with valve cleaner, open the body blow down fitting and observe if the leak as diminished or
increased. If the leak was caused by a build-up of varnish, the leak may be completely eliminated by
cleaning. If the leak was caused by scars to the seating surfaces, the leak rate may increase as a result of
cleaning.
Replace the valve cleaner by injecting fresh lubricant / sealant such as Sealweld® Total-Lube # 911. Inject
the same quantity of sealant as valve cleaner (one (1 oz.) ounce per inch of valve size per seat ring plus riser
pipe quantities). Cycle the valve at least (3x) three times to distribute the sealant around the seal face area.
Inject very slowly, do not exceed 6,000 PSI injection pressure. It will take more time for the viscous sealant
to fill the sealant passages.
If the damage is due to very small scars or seal face O-ring damage, Total-Lube # 911 will provide an
effective seal for small scars to .010” and O-ring damage.
If the leak appears to stop, then kicks and becomes a larger leak or sputters, it may be necessary to inject a
heavier sealant such as Sealweld® # 5050 Ball Valve Sealant. Inject the same quantity of sealant as you
injected Sealweld® Total-Lube # 911 (one ounce per inch (1 oz. / inch) of valve size per seat ring plus riser
pipe quantities). # 5050 Sealant will seal scars up to .030” through the use of specially processed PTFE
flakes.
Sealweld® # 5050 is also available in XH (Extra Heavy Grade) and XXH (Double Extra Heavy Grade) for
extreme seat scarring damage.
It is always recommended to start with a light grade sealant and gradually work up to the heavier sealants.
Page 80 • Chapter 14 Maintenance Instructions For the Grove B-5 Ball Valve
The most common design features (2) two O-ring seals (see illustration). There may be a Grove vent plug or
a vented plug (threaded plug with a slot cut along the threads) located between the (2) two O-rings. The plug
may be unscrewed (1 – 2) one or two turns, if gas escapes this would indicate that the lower stem seal is
worn or damaged. Tighten the plug back in place to energize the upper O-ring.
Notice if gas is escaping out through the upper O-ring seal and into the gear-set or actuator. This
would indicate that both O-rings are worn and / or damaged.
It may be possible to stop this type of stem leak by removing the vented plug and installing a sealant injection
fitting. To accomplish this safely, the valve should be cycled to the closed position and the body cavity
vented to (0 PSI) zero. It may be possible to remove the vented plug in the stem if a very small leak is
present.
With the body cavity vented and body vent fitting open, slowly remove the vented plug in the stem. Relieve
the gas pressure slowly, work the vented plug in and out repeatedly until the plug can be safely removed.
Install a Sealweld® FLOW WOLF® type sealant injection fitting (part number F-FW 1/4 BH SS) into the valve
stem where the vented (this fitting features a 1/4” NPT thread, different connecting thread sizes are also
available). Tighten the new fitting in place.
Inject sealant (Sealweld® Total-Lube # 911 for small leaks, # 5050 Sealant for larger leaks) into the sealant
fitting on the stem. Watch the pressure gauge on the sealant pump closely DO NOT EXCEED 3,000 PSI
when injecting sealant. Excess pressure may force one or both of the O-rings out of the machined groove
and lead to uncontrollable leakage.
When the gauge reaches 3,000 PSI; stop pumping - then close the body vent fitting.
Cycle the valve back into the full open position to re-pressurize the body cavity and stem seal area. Watch
the gauge on the injection pump closely. If pressure drops off, inject additional sealant, DO NOT EXCEED
3,000 PSI. It may be necessary to inject a heavier sealant such as Sealweld® XH # 5050 or XXH # 5050 if
leakage persists.
Maintenance Instructions For the Grove B-5 Ball Valve Chapter 14 • Page 81
• Pick up your hand tools, sealant pump and adapters, secure in tool box.
• Clean up any sealant that may have been spilled or leaked.
• Clean up any rubbish at the valve site.
• Test for gas leakage to atmosphere from valves, fittings and flanges.
If the valve or valve yard is normally chained and locked, replace these items to their original position. If
padlocks are used, spray the padlock with penetrating oil and open / close repeatedly to ensure easy
operation.
Store and retrieve all preventative valve maintenance procedures in ValvePro®, a Series of
Software Solutions from Sealweld®.
Report Writing
Before leaving the valve site prepare your written report including the valve detail, work performed and results
achieved. Refer to the samples for Service Report worksheets. Write down all results clearly so they can be
read by all personnel.
Use the areas of the report marked "Comments" to detail any additional work to be performed. Use extra
pages as required.
Keep copies of the reports in a binder that can be taken to the field by the valve technician during the next
maintenance interval or during a pipeline emergency.
For additional information including spare parts lists and repair procedures consult the “Grove Series B-5,
B-4B and B-4C Ball Valve Installation & Maintenance Manual Bulletin No. B-IRM 1/94 (2.5M)”
Page 82 • Chapter 14 Maintenance Instructions For the Grove B-5 Ball Valve
Chapter 15
Periodic maintenance consists of inspecting the stem for leakage and tightening the gland nut as required.
Keep the threaded stem oiled to prevent rusting and clean up any dirt or sand which adheres to the stem.
Cycle the valve (if possible) to keep the valve from seizing in one position. Keep paint away from the stem
threads, as it can build-up and increase torque and may keep the valve from seating properly.
Forged and cast steel gate valves are generally simple and inexpensive. Most styles are designed so that the
gate and seats can be easily replaced. This style of valve does not have any provision for seat sealant
injection. Stem packing can be made from braided rope packing or soft plastic type packing such as:
Sealweld® Slick Sticks or Pak-King compound.
The body cavity is often filled with body filler grease to lubricate the gate and seats, prevent internal corrosion
and keep hydrates from collecting in the valve body. Always consult the proper W-K-M® (or other
manufacturers) manual for advice on body filling instructions before starting. Quantities required to fill the
body are approximately (1) one pound of grease per inch of valve size, a two (2") inch gate valve requires
about (2 lbs.) two pounds of body filler grease. For best results select a grease which is insoluble in the
solution flowing through the valve. Extreme care must be taken, DO NOT exceed the maximum working
pressure of the valve being serviced when filling the body cavity. Attach the SO-BV Tool to one of the (2) two
body grease fittings to vent leakage and to prevent over-pressuring the body cavity while filling.
The stem bearing should be lubricated periodically with a high quality water resistant bearing compound such
as Sealweld® Eterna-Lube 1000. Care should be taken not to over-lubricate the stem bearings.
There are many different manufacturers of pipeline gate valves. The working principles are all generally the
same. Where they differ is in the seat sealing and stem packing areas. See the illustrations of the most
common stem packing designs. Some valves use different combinations of the these designs. Each style
has its advantages depending on the service conditions.
Because of the long travel of the valve stem, pipeline gate valves are prone to stem leakage.
In the case of O-ring seals, the O-rings will roll as the stem rises which can lead to pinching and tearing of the
O-ring. Valves with O-ring type stem seals generally use a buttonhead fitting to allow for the injection of valve
sealant such as Sealweld® # 5050 if leakage develops. Care should be taken when injecting sealants into a
valve stem. Because it is an enclosed chamber there is no where for excess sealant to go. Continued high-
pressure injection may extrude the O-ring stem seals out of their recess and make the leakage worse.
Usually (1 - 2) one or two strokes of the gun handle is sufficient to put a small amount of pressure (2,000 PSI
to 3,000 PSI) into the stem gland in order to charge the seals. Valve cleaner should never be injected into a
buttonhead fitting on a valve stem with O-ring type seals because there is no way to displace the cleaner.
In the case of plastic putty type packing, the long travel of the stem shaft has a tendency to pull some of the
packing out as well. This means additional packing must be added on a regular basis to replace the lost
packing.
Chevron ring type packings are available in a wide variety of exotic grades for valves in extreme services
such as hard to hold liquids and gasses. When chevron packing fails, it may require a system shut-down to
replace the packing safely. Valves equipped with chevron rings with an emergency sealant backup (either
buttonhead or packing injector) are generally more reliable. With the dual system, most leakage can at least
be slowed considerably if not stopped completely.
Stem bearings and weather seals are generally lubricated with a light-weight water resistant grease such as
Sealweld® Eterna-Lube 1000. The grease provides a protective coating over metal parts which would
otherwise rust and corrode. Be careful not to over-lubricate or build excess pressure with the grease gun as
this could pop the weather seals. Some valve manufacturers use a Zerk fitting with a relief slot to ensure
excess pressure can not be built up. Oil seeping from the stem or gearbox may indicate that the stem seal
has failed and that the lubricating grease has broken down back into its oil base. If this occurs, tag the valve
for stem seal or gearbox seal replacement during the next shut-down. Make sure all the old grease residue is
removed before replacing with fresh grease. Eterna-Lube 1000 is effective in this application because of its
resistance to breakdown as a result of temperature fluctuations. Weather seals can often be replaced safely
with the valve under pressure.
ALWAYS consult the owners manual before attempting any repair procedure.
The body cavity should be drained periodically to get rid of contaminants which may have collected in the
bottom of the valve. Many pipeline valves are designed with seat seals that will allow for body draining with
the line under pressure and the valve in the open or closed position. Block and Bleed is described as closing
the valve and draining the body cavity. Double Block and Bleed is described as being able to drain the body
cavity with the valve in the full open or full closed position. If the valve does not operate properly, it may be as
a result of contaminants which have collected in the bottom of the valve.
Seat sealing systems vary from one manufacturer to another. In principle they are very similar to a typical
pipeline ball valve. The sealant does not generally travel the circumference of the seat ring like most ball
valves. Rather, it enters through only (1 – 2) one or two small holes near the seal face area. It is essential to
operate the valve several times to ensure complete coverage of the valve cleaner or lubricant / sealant being
injected. Quantities of lubricant / sealant required to fill the seat sealant system are 25% to 50% less than
similarly sized ball valves. Use approximately 0.50 ounces to 0.75 ounces per inch of valve size into each
seat ring. A ten (10") inch gate valve will require five to seven (5 – 7 ozs.) ounces to completely fill the seat
sealant system. Quantities required to top-up the seat sealant system will be considerably less as well.
Valves with double block and bleed provisions should have their seat seals tested as part of maintenance
routines.
In Conclusion
Valves are used to re-direct product flow and for basic on-off service. It is the valve maintenance technician’s
responsibility to keep these valves in good operating condition and sealing properly.
The products, techniques and procedures detailed in this program have been developed over many years of
pipeline experience. Always consult the proper manufacturers operating and maintenance manual before
starting any repair procedure. Sealweld® has a large library of such manuals, many dating back (20 - 30)
twenty or thirty years. Photocopies are available on request.
Keep copies of all the owner’s manuals on the many valves at your facility readily available for easy
reference. Make a record of your maintenance activities and keep it up to date. Make notations on any
alterations you have made to the original configuration (changes in stem packings, the removal of inner check
valves, etc.). Be sure to include comments on any special procedures required to get the valve to seal, this
could prove invaluable in an emergency.
We trust you will find the procedures detailed in this program useful when maintaining the valves at your
facility. Should you have any question regarding any of these procedures, or if you know of any successful
procedures you would like to share, please contact us at:
After Words
The HANDBOOK of Valve Lubrication and Maintenance is written from the maintenance departments point of
view and in the language of service people responsible for safe and efficient operation of lubricated plug, ball
and gate valves.
The information in this handbook is intended as a guide only. Always consult the valve manufacturers
recommended maintenance procedures. No warranty is written or implied.
Use of product and / or company names is for reference only.
Sealweld®, ValvePro®, ACTIV-8®, SuperGun® and FLOW WOLF® are registered trademarks and / or
patents of Sealweld Corporation.
Glossary of Valve Terms - Copyright© Grove Valve & Regulator Company, 1980, 1993.
Cameron®, W-K-M®, and McEvoy® are registered trademarks of the Cooper Cameron Corporation.
Microsoft® is a registered trademark and Windows and Word 97 are trademarks of Microsoft Corporation.