With the effects of climate change making themselves known all over the planet , natural disasters and unusual weather events are slowly but surely becoming the norm , rather than the exception . One need only consider the recent deep freeze in Texas , the current unprecedented heat waves across Europe and the UK , and the increasing frequency of tropical storms , earthquakes , and flooding , to see that natural disasters are now a part of everyone ’ s quotidian lives .

In the industrial industry , more and more attention has been focused on mitigating the effects natural disasters , especially regarding flooding and chemical leaks . Valve World Americas had the pleasure of speaking with Jeremy Carroll , Global Project Manager at ITT Engineered Valves , about the effects of natural disasters on valves applications , the consequence of being ill prepared , and how valves may be able to aid mitigate the impact on municipalities .

By Angelica Pajkovic

Preventative Measures

Wastewater , flooding , and other natural disasters can pose significant threats to refinery and plant applications ; not only does it cause delays in production , but it can also become a serious safety threat . As damage can be widespread throughout both the plant and in the surrounding community , impact mitigation as it pertains to valves , pipes , and fittings is very important .

“ We have seen more and more end users being cognizant of the threat to their surrounding communities , should a disaster take place . This is especially true for those working in a refinery or a chemical plant , as a lot of the chemicals that are run through the pipelines are very dangerous ,” stated Carroll .

As the valves used in refineries and chemical plants are typically robust applications , there is not often a high concern that the valve itself will suffer significant damage . Operators instead focus their attention on the integrity of the pipeline they are connect to . If a valve should fail from external factors , it is very likely that pipe has been affected as well , and steps need to be taken to resolve the issue . Typically , the operator ( possibly owner , business , organization ) takes significant pains to protect the valve , and the fluids they are controlling , from disasters .

“ It is very common for us to have a fail-

Bonneted knife gate valve being lowered into deep tunnel pump station .

Special equipment

adca @ valsteam . pt www . valsteam . com + 351 236 959 060 PRODUCTS MANUFACTURED IN PORTUGAL Zona Ind . da Guia , Pav . 14 - Brejo 3105-467 , Guia PBL PORTUGAL safe system in place ,” explained Carroll . “ If a plant is affected by a natural force , such as a hurricane or tornado , and the facility loses power , there are systems that will automatically close valves . It is generally set up so that human interaction is not necessary ; the valves open or close to prevent anything from leaking or spilling into surrounding areas .”

By ensuring that the correct materials are used and that failsafe systems are in place , operators can mitigate the damages caused by these types of events .

How Valves Can Help

The connection between valves and flooding disasters is obvious . Knife gate valves can be used to either shut off or completely open the flow of fluid in a pipeline , thus transferring and directing it as necessary . While this can greatly aid with flood management , many believe that not enough research has been done on how these valves can be used to further mitigate disaster . Carroll cites two key examples of natural disasters that current existing infrastructure and technology were unable to withstand : Hurricane Katrina in 2005 , and the ‘ Tax Day ’ flood in Houston in 2016 . The flood in Houston left people basically swimming around , and it spurred on a new era of research and catastrophe prevention efforts in the valve industry , among others .

To prevent occurrences like contamination , researchers are looking at various methods to effectively divert water away

16 Valve World Americas | September 2022 • www . valve-world-americas . net