Floating valve trays

Sulzer's unique floating valves for higher efficiency

Floating valve trays are used in applications where higher turndown ratios are required. Due to their ability to control vapor flow, they provide a higher efficiency over a wider operating range than sieve trays. We can provide high capacity mini floating valve UFM™, our rectangular BDH™ valve and conventional round valve trays.

UFM single valve
Main benefits
  • Unique rectangular-shaped BDHTM valves and umbrella shaped mini floating valves, UFMTM valves
  • Valves oriented parallel to liquid flow direction 
  • No liquid flow under valves 
  • Minimized weeping due to lateral vapor release 
  • Improved turndown ratio compared to round valves 
  • Improved efficiency/capacity profile compared to conventional round valve trays 
  • Wide legs and lack of valve rotation reduce damage and wear 
  • Design allows for top side valve replacement 
  • Available range of valve lifts and weight allow for optimal design
Main applications
  • Main fractionators of refineries
  • Gas concentration columns of refineries
  • Light end columns of petrochemical plants
  • LNG / NGL fractionation columns
  • Absorbers and regenerators of gas sweetening plants
UFM™ valve

UFM™ is a floating valve which maximizes the hydraulic capacity of a fractionation tray and the operating range.

Functional features

  • UFM is a mini-floating type of valve 
  • UFM provides up to 20% additional capacity compared to conventional sieve and valve trays 
  • UFM has at least the same operating range as a conventional floating valve 
  • Minimizes weeping due to lateral vapor release 
  • UFM valves are oriented parallel to liquid flow direction 
  • The rectangular shape of the legs prevents spinning and wearing 
  • UFM is equipped with four dimples to prevent sticking to the tray deck and to enhance fouling resistance 
  • UFM can be combined with upgraded downcomer technology to achieve maximum tray performance and turndown
UFM tray deck

Fields of application

UFM trays are mainly used in applications requiring both high performances and a wide operating range, particularly:

  • High-pressure columns in gas fields 
  • Light ends columns in refinery and petrochemical plants.
BDH™ valve
BDH valve

The unique rectangular-shape sets the BDH™ apart from the conventional valves. The BDH is oriented parallel to the liquid flow direction, providing lateral vapor release and a closed upstream edge to minimize weeping. This contributes to an improved efficiency/capacity profile compared to conventional round valves.

Further advantages of the rectangular valves:

  • Improved liquid flow along the flow path on the tray deck
  • Wider operating range
  • Robust mechanical design due to wide legs
  • Anti-rotating which reduces wear and tear

 

Round valve
RV1 round valve
RV1 round valve

Round valve

We offer round valve trays for replacement or whenever customers request it. There are two types of round valves available: conventional and caged valves.

Available conventional valve types

  • RV1 for flat decks
  • RV4 for decks equipped with venturi holes for lower pressure drop
Caged valve
RC 1 caged valve

Available caged type valves

  • RC1 for flat decks
  • RC4 for decks equipped with venture holes for lower pressure drop
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