The team at Special Alloy Fabricators is no stranger to R&D through in-service and destructive testing, but sometimes their valves make it a bit challenging.
Why? Because they last too long!
Case in point: this 24” SlurryFlo control valve was just returned for repair after an impressive 13 years in service. During that time, SAF upgraded their weld overlay process three times(!), so while the data might be late to the party, it’s still an incredibly valuable case study.
This valve features a unique trim design that trades shutoff capability for maximum flow capacity. That means no downtime, just long, uninterrupted shifts in a primary extraction application up in the Alberta oil sands. No shutoff = No coffee breaks!
Even though it’s showing its age, it held up well enough to earn a photo op with SlurryFlo control valve inventor Michel Leroux, along with a few of us from the Summit crew. As one of the longest-running SlurryFlo control valves on record, it’s a pretty fascinating data point! 🏆
