About Velan Velan is a global manufacturer of valves for a wide range of industrial applications founded in 1950 by A . K . Velan . Headquartered in Montreal , Canada , the company currently operates 12 specialised manufacturing plants located in North America , Europe and Asia . Velan holds all major industry certificates and approvals including : ASME N / NPT ; API 6A , API 6D ; API 624 , API 641 , ISO-15848-1 , TA-LUFT ; PED ; and SIL . Velan is also certified for operational quality including ISO 9001 ; ISO 14001 ; ISO 45001 ; IEC ; and ATEX . |
In this interview , Valve World spoke with Vahe Najarian and Doug Lay from Velan about the critical developments in oxygen and clean gas valve applications . With recent industry standards changes and increasing demand across multiple sectors , understanding these specialised valves is more important than ever for engineers and procurement specialists . Vahe , with an extensive background in R & D and fugitive emissions , brings decades of experience to the table . Doug , as the product line manager for gate , globe and check valves , offers valuable insights into the practical aspects of valve design and implementation . Together , they discussed the challenges and recent developments in this specialised field . The valve industry has undergone significant changes in standards and practices for oxygen and clean gas applications . In 2017 , the Compressed Gas Association ( CGA ) and European Industrial Gases Association ( EIGA ) started introducing new international standards that have reshaped manufacturing processes . These standards , including CGA G-4.14 / EIGA Doc 200 and CGA G-4.4 / EIGA Doc 13 , were driven by a series of incidents in the industry , highlighting the need for more stringent safety measures . In response , Velan has focused on three critical areas to meet these new standards : design validation , cleanliness and training . Vahe Najarian explains the significance of oxygen concentration : “ When the oxygen percentage |
reaches 23.5 %, it ’ s classified as industrial oxygen . At this level , the risks start to increase and strict industrial oxygen safety protocols must be applied .” This is only a few percentage points higher than the oxygen concentration in the air we breathe . This clear divide highlights how important it is to design and handle valves correctly in environments with high oxygen levels . Mistakes can lead to serious accidents that may cause deaths .
The three pillars of oxygen valve safety
Doug Lay stresses the importance of design validation in these applications . “ Proper design validation is crucial in many of these cases . It ’ s not just about preventing small leaks . The consequences of improper design can be much more serious . That is why Velan is aligned with the new standards which place direct responsibility on valve manufacturers and material suppliers .” This validation process involves risk analysis which includes careful review of material compatibility , component thicknesses and flow velocities . The goal is to mitigate ignition risks , a critical concern in oxygen-rich environments where the valve itself can react as a fuel source . Velan has partnered with WHA International Inc ., an independent third-party company specialising in risk analysis in oxygen and hydrogen combustion , to ensure conformance
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