Proven 30 + Months Service Life 5x longer than traditional thermal spray coatings π www. valve-world. net Valve World May 2025
Valve Coating a) b) c) d) e) f)
Figure 3 The conventional thermal spray coating in( a – c) as-new and( d – f) post-service condition.( a, d) bright-field optical micrographs show coating crosssections;( b, e) corresponding fluorescent micrographs highlight porosity;( c, f) Zoomed-in fluorescence reveals through-thickness void networks. Inherent porosity in the as-new coating( b, c) enables acid ingress, triggering corrosion and delamination. Post-service images( e, f) show void coalescence and coating separation at the interface.
• Porosity concerns: the porous nature of thermal spray ceramic coatings allows acidic slurry ingress through the coating thickness, leading to substrate corrosion and premature failure of the thermal spray coating( Fig 3).
• Limited-service life: HPAL discharge valves located directly downstream of the autoclave typically experience coating failures within 6 to 12 months, requiring frequent valve replacements and shutdowns.
2. Corrosion and erosion of titanium valve trim Titanium is widely used in HPAL valves due to its combined superior strength-to-weight ratio and corrosion resistance, but it has poor erosion resistance. When a thermal spray coating detaches, the titanium substrate is exposed to high-velocity slurry containing undissolved solids, and the titanium trim components experience rapid wear and galling, compromising sealing integrity.
3. Unplanned downtime and high maintenance costs Frequent valve failure and replacement cycles in HPAL & POX operations result in:
• Increased operational costs due to frequent repairs and spare part replacements.
• Unplanned shutdowns, negatively impacting production.
• Reduced equipment reliability, causing cascading failures in downstream processes.
Key features & benefits of the FM-1500 TM trim Feature
Benefit
Metallurgical Bonding Prevents delamination and spalling failures( Fig 4)
1,500 µ m Modified Layer Thickness 5x thicker than traditional coatings that are approximately 300 µ m thick( Fig 4)
Hardness: Max 1,000 HV 0. 5 Superior resistance to erosion and abrasion
Zero Porosity Eliminates acid penetration and substrate corrosion
Universal Retrofit Capability Compatible with all OEM valve designs
Proven 30 + Months Service Life 5x longer than traditional thermal spray coatings π www. valve-world. net Valve World May 2025
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