New Sustainable Zero Leak Magnetic Valve Technology to Reduce Emissions Harmful to the Atmosphere
Industrial technology company ZL INNOVATIONS has introduced a new sustainable zero leak magnetic valve technology to reduce emissions harmful to the atmosphere.
The ‘Zero Leak, Zero Emissions, Zero Maintenance’ magnetic circuit-based valve system is resilient enough to resist the effects of high temperatures and corrosive working fluids and has a unique design to “completely prevent valve leaks for the working life of the valve.”
The “Sustainable Zero Leak Magnetic Valve” produced by ZL INNOVATIONS utilizes external magnets to actuate the interior valve assembly while maintaining a hermetic seal. The valve can even be completely welded shut.
“The advantages of this hermetically sealed magnetic circuit-based valve technology include eliminating the risk of fugitive (fault-generated) emissions while functioning maintenance-free in high temperature and highly corrosive environments,” said Bob Ward, CEO of ZL INNOVATIONS. “Our zero leak, zero emissions, zero maintenance magnetic valve technology will significantly reduce industry operations downtime. Shutting down a production line because of a leaking valve can be a six- or seven-figure issue for a manufacturer while the line remains idle. The Zero Leak valve can help eliminate that headache.”
Board Chairman and Co-Founder of ZL Innovations, Jorge Yant, commented on the tremendous implications of the impact of magnetic circuit-based valve technology on the world economy and climate: “60% of fugitive (escaped) emissions in industry are due to leaking valves. That equates to approximately 72 million tons of CO2 released into the atmosphere every year. ZL Innovations provides new magnetically actuated valve technology that could put a potentially powerful curb on that amount, all while saving the oil & gas, and chemical industries billions of dollars of lost production per year. Our zero leak, zero emissions, zero maintenance magnetic valve technology is ready now to assist efforts to improve industry efficiency as well as our global climate.”
THE PROBLEM WITH INDUSTRIAL VALVES: THEY ALL LEAK
Industrial valves leak and are a major source of losses and pollution
- 60% of fugitive emissions (not from the smokestack) are from leaky valves
- Oil & Gas industry estimates annual product losses of $1-$2 billion annually
- That’s equivalent to 72 million tons of CO2 released into the atmosphere every year
Industry and government entities around the world are keen to monitor and control fugitive emissions
- 95% of US refineries are under EPA consent decrees
- Natural gas and chemical Industries are now too
- Potential fines are in millions of dollars
Results in significant maintenance costs & downtime to end users
- Considerable time, effort, and money is spent maintaining stem seals
- 30 minutes to repack a typical valve
- 10,000 to 15,000 valves are in an average size refinery
Safety is critical for steam, lethal service, nuclear and semiconductor valves
- Steam leaks may not be visible near the source but can be fatal
- Few ppm leaks of some gasses may be fatal
- Replace bellows valves – better prevention of radioactive leaks
Industry is ready for leak-free and zero maintenance valves.
ZL INNOVATIONS technology
External Magnetic Actuation Technology: Couples the torque or force required to actuate a valve across a hermetically sealed bonnet and has no continuous stem from inside to outside the valve, and hence doesn’t contain a seal that can degrade or leak. This completes a magnetic circuit much akin to an electrical circuit.
ADVANTAGES OF ZERO LEAK MAGNETIC VALVES
No rotating or sliding stem seal at all
- Completely sealed bonnet enables truly zero emissions
- No maintenance or testing needed – No repacking or periodic testing required
Only uses external magnets: ZL INNOVATIONS’ approach enables
- High-temperature operation including steam
- Welded or brazed on bonnet possible – truly hermetic
- Welded, brazed, or soldered ports if desired
- Extremely cost-effective strategy
High actuation torques and forces
- Never gets stuck – asymmetric torque
- Works with all standard valves such as gate, globe, ball, butterfly, etc. of any size
- 6 sigma system reliability possible
