A novel new half-inch (12.7 mm) bore instrumentation needle valve developed by Parker Hannifin gives plant engineers the means to improve reliability, and save both money and space, in process and instrumentation applications involving viscous and contaminated media.

Today, such applications are often implemented using much larger and more expensive piping valves.

Believed to be the first of its type on the market, the new H-series needle valve is available in two forms: as either a discrete hand valve for controlling media flow, or integrated into a monoflange-style manifold for the safe ‘double-block-and-bleed’ connection of instruments to process lines. 

The new valve offers a metal-to-metal seal. This provides a bubble-tight shut-off mechanism and operation over a very wide temperature range of -55 to +538 degrees C in its standard stainless steel form. 

The H-series valve has a bore size of half inch/12.7 mm, with a Cv value of 2.6. In its standard form the valve is fabricated from 316 stainless steel, and is rated for operation at pressures up to 6,000 PSIG (414 barg). The metal to metal sealing of the new valve also meets the firesafe requirements of ISO 10497 (the international equivalent to the API 607 and BS6755 Part 2 standards).

The valve design can help process engineers achieve new levels of compactness and performance in a wide range of process and instrumentation applications involving difficult media. These applications include level measurement in refineries, chemical injection, gas lines that are prone to hydrate formation, and process lines carrying dangerous gases. The monoflange variant in particular extends application potential, as these space-saving manifolds are often favoured in sensitive applications such as skids for oil and gas platforms.