FLOWKS
How Quality Lasts!
About|Partners|Contact
Get a Quote
⚗️

Petrochemical

Corrosion-resistant valves for aggressive media in chemical processing plants. FLOWKS alloy and fluorine-lined valves are engineered to handle the most challenging petrochemical environments.

Recommended Valve Solutions

💎

Hastelloy Valve

Hastelloy C276 valves for highly corrosive media including sulfuric acid, hydrochloric acid and chlorine.

2" - 12"Class 150 - 600
🔩

Bellows Seal Globe Valve

Zero-emission bellows seal design for hazardous and toxic media per TA-Luft.

2" - 12"Class 150 - 600
🦋

Triple Offset Butterfly Valve

Metal-to-metal seal with zero friction, ideal for high-temperature and cryogenic service.

3" - 60"Class 150 - 600
🛡️

PTFE Lined Ball Valve

Full-port PTFE lined ball valve for concentrated acid and alkali service. Zero leakage metal-to-PTFE seat design. 2-piece or 3-piece body.

1/2" - 12"Class 150

Applications in Petrochemical

1

Ethylene Cracking Units

Ethylene plants operate cracking furnaces at 750-900°C with feedstock including naphtha, ethane, and LPG. Quench oil and quench water systems require high-temperature carbon steel valves. The cracked gas compressor section needs alloy steel valves handling corrosive process gas with coke particles.

Media
Cracked gas, quench oil, steam, naphtha, coke particles
Temperature
-29°C to 540°C
Pressure
ANSI 150–900 (PN 20–150)
Bellows Seal Globe ValveFlexible Wedge Gate ValveTriple-Offset Butterfly Valve
2

Aromatics & PX Plants

Paraxylene (PX) and aromatics complexes handle benzene, toluene, and xylene with catalysts such as HF acid or solid-state catalysts. Corrosion-resistant alloys including Hastelloy C-276 and Monel 400 are specified for acid service. Bellows seal valves prevent toxic aromatic emissions.

Media
Benzene, toluene, xylene, HF acid, catalyst
Temperature
-29°C to 350°C
Pressure
ANSI 150–600 (PN 20–100)
Hastelloy ValveBellows Seal Globe ValvePTFE-Lined Ball Valve
3

Polymer Production (PE/PP/PVC)

Polyethylene and polypropylene plants handle high-viscosity polymer melts that can solidify in valve cavities. Jacketed valves with steam tracing prevent polymer freeze-up. Clean-in-place (CIP) designs with minimal dead legs prevent product contamination between grade changes.

Media
Polymer melts, monomers, catalysts, solvents
Temperature
20°C to 300°C
Pressure
ANSI 150–300 (PN 20–50)
Triple-Offset Butterfly ValveBellows Seal Globe ValveFloating Ball Valve
4

Sulfur Recovery & Tail Gas

Claus sulfur recovery units process H2S-rich acid gas streams. Sulfur condensers and tail gas treatment require valves resistant to sulfur corrosion at elevated temperatures. Stainless steel 316L with special overlay protects against sulfurous acid attack in tail gas incineration sections.

Media
H2S, SO2, sulfur vapor, tail gas, acid gas
Temperature
150°C to 650°C
Pressure
ANSI 150–300 (PN 20–50)
Hastelloy ValveTriple-Offset Butterfly ValveStandard Globe Valve

Industry Standards & Certifications

API 602

Compact Steel Gate Valves

Small-bore gate, globe, check valves

ASME B16.34

Valves — Flanged, Threaded, Welding Ends

Pressure-temperature ratings

API 598

Valve Inspection & Testing

Factory testing requirements

ISO 15848-1

Fugitive Emissions — Type Testing

Stem seal emissions testing

TA-Luft

Clean Air Act (Germany)

Fugitive emission limits for valves

Materials Available

  • ●316SS
  • ●316L
  • ●Hastelloy C-276
  • ●Monel 400
  • ●Inconel 625
  • ●Carbon Steel + PTFE Lining
  • ●Duplex 2205

Frequently Asked Questions

When should I use fluorine-lined valves instead of alloy valves?+
Fluorine-lined valves (PTFE/PFA/FEP) are cost-effective for highly corrosive media at moderate temperatures (up to 180°C for PTFE, 200°C for PFA). They handle acids, alkalis, and solvents that would quickly corrode even 316SS. For temperatures above 200°C or high-pressure applications, Hastelloy or other exotic alloys are required. Lined valves are typically limited to ANSI 150-300 classes.
What is a bellows seal valve and when is it required?+
Bellows seal valves use a metal bellows assembly to eliminate stem packing leakage, achieving zero fugitive emissions. They are mandatory for toxic, hazardous, or volatile organic compounds (VOCs) per TA-Luft and ISO 15848 requirements. In petrochemical plants, bellows seal globe valves are standard for aromatic service, HF alkylation, and other processes with regulated emission limits.
How do you handle catalyst erosion in fluid catalytic cracking (FCC) units?+
FCC units handle catalyst-laden streams at 500-700°C. We specify hardened trim materials (Co-Cr alloy overlay such as Stellite 6) on seating surfaces and use full-port designs to minimize flow restriction. Erosion-resistant materials like tungsten carbide coatings extend valve life in catalyst circulation lines. Angular valve designs that prevent catalyst accumulation in body cavities are preferred.
What testing is performed for petrochemical valves?+
All valves undergo hydrostatic shell test at 1.5× rated pressure, seat leak test at 1.1× rated pressure per API 598/FCI 70-2. For critical service, we perform additional tests: fugitive emission testing per ISO 15848-1 (Class BH for bellows seals), fire type testing per API 607, NACE hardness verification for sour service, and positive material identification (PMI) for alloy verification.

Related Articles

Technical insights and industry knowledge from FLOWKS experts.

High Pressure Valve Body Fatigue Cracking | Causes & Prevention Methods
knowledge-base

High Pressure Valve Body Fatigue Cracking | Causes & Prevention Methods

Find out the mechanism of high pressure valve body fatigue cracking, learn the differences between cast and forged valves, and master effective anti-cracking prevention measures.

⏱ 5 min read

Other Industries We Serve

🛢️

Oil & Gas

⚡

Power Generation

💧

Water Treatment

❄️

LNG

🏭

Refining

🧪

Chemical

⛏️

Mining