Flow control
When every drop counts in the water line
The new sealing invention( Patent Pending) to avoid leakage in Air- Release-Valves with cylindrical floats. Air release valves used in pressurised water transport systems, particularly water and wastewater lines, face multiple tasks along their designed lifetime of 50 years.
By Guenter Oexler and Veli Yiğit
Among air-release and air-intake during filling and draining the pipe and of course release air when the line is under operating conditions, there are as well multiple specific design details in correlation with manufacturing costs to be considered. We start with the specific and most interesting parts first and finalise with the overall function later on with the final conclusion: Problematic areas are: 1. The guiding of the floats inside the body where the floats are vertically moving up and down
2. The suction-cup-sealing together with the nozzle as the counterpart.
Let’ s start with the 2nd part, which is the air release seal structure of the suction cup system, which was developed to prevent air accumulation within the pipeline and increase system safety and efficiency. This is generally designed in the existing air release system with a flat( sharp transition) geometry of the surface that ensures the float valve seats perfectly and correctly against the seal caused sealing problems. In flat seating areas, the float valve cannot make full contact with the seal resulting in air leakage, inability to fully seal, and seal deformation over time like it was causing problems.( see picture 2)
General Layout of an existing air-release valve. SAMSUN Makina Quadruple function air-relief valve.
The new SAMSUN Makina revised design( Patent pending), valve-seal compatibility was improved and sealing problems that may occur in the system were effectively eliminated. Leakage has been resolved and is no more a problem along the entire life of the valve.( see picture 3)
About the authors Guenter Oxler is a Process Engineer with decades of experience. He has been a process industry consultant for more than twenty years.
Picture 2
Veli Yiğit is the Head of Engineering at SAMSUN Makina Sanayi in Ankara, Türkiye.
Picture 3
44 Valve World February 2026 www. valve-world. net