For many years, the coal-fired, geothermal, and solar–thermal power plants have struggled to find the right technology to tackle fluid conditions such as high energy cavitation, noise, and flashing. The extended and rapid exposure to cavitation has been the primary reason for the frequent failure of the control valves. Moreover, due to high pressure and high temperature, cavitation creates high levels of vibration and noise that weaken the valve’s controlling capacity, damaging other instruments and equipment. Thus, development of valves requires a broader approach. More than design, the substantive that goes into building the valves selection process should consider not only the design but also the materials that can ensure the longevity of service in critical applications. In conjunction with Holter Regelarmaturen (HORA), its Power Plant Valve Manufacturing partner, Powerflo Solutions, a control valve engineering company headquartered in New South Wales, Australia, has brought a radical change to the industry with its advanced control valves that are uniquely built to withstand cavitation. Powerflo brings to bear its deep understanding and expertise of the local market to comprehend the needs of a particular industry in the specific region. The company also serves as an assistant to its clients by providing the knowledge of the fundamentals of sizing and selection of suitable valve designs. A well-rounded approach to control valve design helps in eliminating premature failure and enabling the valves to support the challenging applications of the power plant industry today.

“HORA specializes in fossil fuel power plant technology—both ‘super’ and ‘ultra’ critical power plants, as well as geothermal and solar–thermal utilizing molten salt,” affirms Kathryn Wood-Enriquez, CEO and Managing Director of Powerflo. In all these applications, cavitation, flashing, and noise are almost inevitable, so the chances of valve failure due to erosion, vibration, and thermal stress are higher than normal. To this end, HORA develops control valves with suitable materials to ensure the multi staged-control valve trims manage and control the velocity. Kathryn Wood-Enriquez says, “HORA’s custom-engineered ‘cartridge’ trims incorporating both axial and radial control technology allow ease of replacement with minimal downtime.” It’s the “Hot-Swap” Valve Trim concept.