Flowserve Cartridge Valves For Nuclear Plant

Flowserve Flow Control has supplied 16 Worcester F911 cartridge valves for a medium active salt-free evaporator (MASFE) installation at the Thorp nuclear reprocessing plant in the north west. The MASFE is primarily used to process medium-active liquors, concentrating them down prior to further evaporation and vitrification into glass. To ensure the valves can be maintained efficiently and safely, they are supplied within a control bulge - a prefabricated and tested extension of the cell.

They are housed within a control cabinet and operated by extension stems, varying in length between 600 and 900mm, that pass through steel shielding as well as the roof of the cabinet. With the valves installed at an angle, two universal joints are used on each stem to ensure alignment. Space considerations, as well as ease of repair, were an important element in valve selection for the control cabinet and the Flowserve cartridge valves - four of which automated by Norbro pneumatic actuators - were chosen due to their top-entry design and the lower torque requirement.

Flowserve Worcester top-entry cartridge valves were originally designed for the nuclear industry. Compact and characterised by bubble-tight shutoff they facilitate in-line maintenance, with all components other than the body removed in one assembly. The F911 valves meet the ISO10497 fire-testing requirement and can be manufactured from virtually any wrought material.