Is the most common method employed for testing valves using a test fluid, to observe whether there is a pressure loss in the valve.

Water mixed with a corrosion inhibitor is commonly used because it is easily available and harmless to the system to be tested but it is able to release a small amount of leak if the valve fails.

Low pressure gas seat testing is usually performed with air or inert gas and it might be used to detect leaks not observed with standard hydrostatic testing. Cryogenic and low temperature valves are often pneumatically tested as hydrostatic testing is not recommended for such applications.

Is generally performed after hydrostatic testing, exception for cryogenic and low temperature applications, in those cases gas testing should be done before.

High pressure gas testing has potential hazards and appropriate safety precautions are taken during gas testing performance: testing area has a suitable bunker type protection, equipped with control panels and cameras to allow the operator to perform the test in safety conditions.

All the tests are conducted in accordance to the most important International Standards in line with project requirements. Pure Nitrogen, or a mixture with Helium, is commonly used to release a big amount of leak in case of valve failure.

Testing of valves for transport and storage of gases is highly recommended to verify the good performance of a valve under pressure. Cryogenic and low-temperature valves performance can be tested by a suitable gas testing (Helium, Nitrogen or Helium mixture) at service temperatures down to -196°C (-320,8°F).

Fugitive emissions are emissions released through leaks, spills, and evaporation with potential immediate hazards to human health and safety. We can identify such emissions by using a leak detector once the valve and its cavity are completely filled with test fluid (Helium).

High temperature valves performance can be tested at elevated temperatures up to 660°C (1220°F) to simulate operating conditions and prove that selected materials and construction are suitable for that critical application.

Can be performed to verify the electrical resistance between the valve body and the ball and between the valve body and the stem, measured using a direct current power source not exceeding 12V. Valves we suggest meet the AtEx 94/9/EC directive for equipment and protective systems intended for use in potentially explosive atmospheres.

Should be performed to verify the thrust required to open, move or close the valve operator at the pressure specified by the Customer in line with project requirements (maximum pressure differential):

emergency valves or valves installed in key positions should not exceed a specific torque to allow the operator to open or close the system in safety conditions.

Can be performed to detect liquids or other fluids with thermal capacity trapped in the body cavity. Cavity relief testing is recommended where the medium is subject to heating or big differences of temperature between day and night with potential generation of overpressure in the body cavity with potential hazard for the whole system.

It is almost impossible to produce a total vacuum: the closer we get to a full vacuum the harder it gets to encourage the remaining molecules to leave, all we have is a partial vacuum , which creates a differential pressure between the partial vacuum inside the valve and the atmospheric pressure pressing against the exterior of the valve, and this allows to detect and observe potential leakages in the system, if any.

Performing vacuum testing, a specific leak testing that simulates operative conditions as described above, internal pressure variation is then detected according to the applicable standard (i.e. ASME V art. 10) or according to customer specific requirements.

These tests determine the resistance of fire-safe-valves to a burn under controlled conditions as defined in common industry standards like: ISO 10497, API 607, 6FA, 6FB, 6FD.

The performance requirements in these standards are intended to establish acceptable performance for components during a period representative of the time required to extinguish most fires.

The complete fire test is performed in a steel reinforced concrete bunker and is monitored from a safe distance and all relevant values are logged.

The acceptance of the test results is related to internal leakage of the valve seat and the external leakage of the valve during the burn and are acceptable when the internal and the external leakage during several test steps under hot and cold conditions do not exceed the maximum allowable values defined in the standard.

After each test a detailed test report will be provided including a Fire Safe Certificate when the tested valve meets all requirements.

Is one of the most widely used test method to investigate the surface aspect and observe potential discontinuities or failures, which should be detected under proper lighting conditions, monitored by an instrument able to measure the light intensity, the light meter.

Is a non-destructive testing method based on the propagation of ultrasonic waves in the object or material tested. In most common UT applications, very short ultrasonic pulse-waves with centre frequencies ranging are transmitted into materials to detect internal flaws or to characterize materials. A common example is ultrasonic thickness measurement, which tests the thickness of the test object, for example, to monitor pipework corrosion

Ultrasonic testing is often performed on steel and other metals and alloys, though it can also be used on concrete, wood and composites. It is used in many industries including steel and aluminium construction, metallurgy, manufacturing, aerospace and automotive industry.

Also called Liquid Penetrant Inspection (LPI) or Penetrant Testing (PT), is a widely applied and low-cost inspection method used to locate surface-breaking defects in all non-porous materials (metals, plastics, or ceramics).

The penetrant may be applied to all non-ferrous materials, but for inspection of ferrous components magnetic-particle inspection is preferred for its subsurface detection capability. LPI is used to detect casting and forging defects, cracks, and leaks in new products, and fatigue cracks on in-service component.

Is generally used to locate and detect surface sub-surface discontinuities in ferromagnetic materials.

The area to be tested is magnetized by direct electric current transmission by a magnetic joke; in case of discontinuity, the magnetic field flowing through the specimen is interrupted and leakage field occurs, iron particles are then applied to the detected area and cluster to form an indication directly over the discontinuity.

The indication can be visually detected under proper lighting conditions.

Is the elemental identification and quantitative determination in percentage of metallic alloys, without regard to form, size and shape, performed by highly sophisticated portable X-Ray Fluorescence Spectrometers.

Can be performed with a portable Rockwell tester to determine the hardness of a material.

Is the ferrite content analysis performed on austenitic stainless steel and duplex valve components to allow evaluation of material corrosion susceptibility, mechanical properties, service suitability and reliability? It can be performed by portable ferrite meter.