In November 2015, Fort Vale launched a new generation 80mm Hyper Maxi safety relief valve aimed at the intermodal market. Continuous product development has led to further improvements and the release of its successor, the 82.5mm Hyper Maxi, which yields even higher flow rates. Verified test results demonstrate an 8.4% increase in unimpeded flow for the 82.5mm Hyper Maxi relief valves at industry standard settings.
Fort Vale strongly believes that verifiable technical integrity is becoming increasingly important in a market that has seen a recent influx of “copy” valves with an unknown performance history. Safety Relief Valves are required to protect vessels from catastrophic failure, to preserve against loss of life and damage to the environment. As a market leader in our field, we take the associated responsibilities very seriously and want our customers to feel completely confident that they are buying the safest possible valves that have been tested and are trusted to perform consistently, for the life of their tank container.
To date, Fort Vale believes it is the only intermodal valve manufacturer to have a purpose-built Flow Test Facility at its headquarters and manufacturing site. Independently approved by Lloyds Register, this resource enables us to challenge the performance of our range of equipment and continue to make a significant contribution to the safe and reliable operation of tank containers. For example, close observation of relief valve behaviour during venting has enabled Fort Vale to refine certain key components and re-engineer the original Hyper Maxi design to produce a relief valve with a more precisely controlled pressure plate lift. This has the effect of reducing turbulence within the valve and maximising flow. The Hyper Maxi has a special composite style pressure plate, designed to improve O ring retention under pressure, a feature which enhances the long-term safety and performance of the valve and potentially reduces maintenance costs.
The new Hyper Maxi is interchangeable with the existing 80mm model and is available with a pressure setting of 2 PSI up to 204 PSI (0.14 Bar to 14.07 Bar) and a vacuum setting of 0.5″Hg to 24″Hg (0.02 Bar to 0.81 Bar). There are 3 body styles: standard, short extended and long extended, each with a slotted flange to facilitate 4 common drilling patterns: DIN65 PN10, 3″BSTD, DIN80 PN6, 3″ ASA 150. Development of the Hyper Maxi range of relief valves is ongoing and we will soon be releasing an additional valve, together with bespoke ancillary products, specifically designed for low pressure, high capacity tanks.
For further information, please contact sales@fortvale.com.