Company Announcement - Morgan Advanced Materials, after continued research and development in its technical ceramics manufacturing capabilities, now has the capability to manufacture balls up to DN250 in diameter for severe service valves from its acclaimed Nilcra® Zirconia-based material Previously, valve balls have only been available in sizes of up to DN150 but the trend in process industries to reduce cost by designing systems with larger pipe diameters which require fewer devices overall has led Morgan to create a capability to manufacture balls in this larger size.

The balls are ideal for use with flow control valves operating in industries such as mineral processing, oil & gas, and pulp & paper.

A Zirconia-based material partially stabilised with magnesia, Nilcra® delivers exceptional strength and toughness together with erosion and corrosion resistance and is therefore frequently used in place of conventional materials such as metal alloys to provide longer component lifetimes. The material’s properties make it ideal for use with slurries generated in mineral processing as well as abrasive rock particles and sand encountered in oil & gas extraction and processing.

This, and its ability to withstand high actuation torques applied during valve operation, has led to Nilcra® being regularly specified by the world’s five largest valve OEMs for more than 25 years. Morgan’s Steve Thompson explained: “In recent years there has been increasing demand across multiple sectors to reduce cost by minimising the number of pipes and pipeline devices, while increasing pipe diameters. The diameters of the valves which control flow in these systems has also had to increase.

“Flow levels are determined by the square of the pipe diameter, meaning a DN250 system can handle approximately three times the capacity of its DN150 counterpart, typically reducing overall component count by around 65 per cent. We have pushed the boundaries of ceramic processing and can now deliver valve balls in this size, opening up a realm of new possibilities for system designers.” To find out more about the solutions offered by Morgan Advanced Materials, please visit www.morgantechnicalceramics.com