Low Maintenance, Low Cost Valves: Laser Cured Nano-Structured Protective Valve Coatings

Visotek proposes to obviate the need for valve stem maintenance while simultaneously reducing associated manhours, and increasing readiness by refining and adapting a nano-structured protective and low friction polymer coating that is chemically bonded to the valve substrate by a high powered diode laser beam. This bonded polymer layer seals the surface of a substrate from corrosive media by the inhibiting action of nano-sized materials included in polymer matrix. The proposed coating deposition will be a flexible, fast, and reliable process that does not require any changes in current valve design such as substrate material or tolerances between components. The deposited layer has the ancillary benefit of greatly reducing friction in assemblies. In previous field testing the Visotek coating showed exceptional adhesion and corrosion resistance improvement by successfully protecting gas refinery waste water pump plungers. The working medium for these plungers is a very aggressive mix of acids, hydrogen sulphide, particulate slurry and water. The Visotek coating achieved a five times longer seal operating life and fifty times longer plunger operating life.