Category Archive: Uncategorized
Water Hammer: The True Cost
You’ve heard us mention water hammer before, and this won’t be the last time.
We thought it was about time, though, for an in-depth look at the risks and problems of water hammer vs. the time and effort involved in preventing it. For some time, water hammer was thought of as an unavoidable problem: irregularities in flow and valve construction would lead to the violent slamming action of the swing check valve that causes water hammer. Sometimes it’s just some loud noise; sometimes it means a cracked or burst pipe. Either way, anyone in the business of pipelines and liquid or steam delivery systems was sure to have an emergency repair plan at the ready. It came with the territory.
These repairs stretched beyond the damaged pipes themselves. The spike in pressure could damage equipment, and burst pipes obviously lead to damaged property, time spent cleaning up and possible injury. DFT Inc’s spring-assisted check valves can put an end to this problem. By relying on a spring action to control the reverse flow of water, steam, or gas, the slamming-back of a swing check valve is eliminated.
We know that retrofits and replacements can be time-consuming and may represent an unplanned expenditure. But the questions remain: Is it more inconvenient than a burst pipe? Is it more costly than damaged lines, equipment, and surrounding infrastructure? And, is the downtime in repairs and replacements after the fact, greater than the time to retrofit? And, what about the real threat of personal injury, or loss of life? We don’t have to hammer the answer home; we think you’ll find it clear.
DFT Valves at MINExpo 2012
The home of places like the Golden Nugget, Las Vegas was probably the perfect locale for MINExpo 2012, taking place September 24th through 26th. The Convention Center hosted mining equipment manufacturers like Caterpillar, Komatsu, and, of course, DFT Valves, for the opportunity to showcase some of their (and our) signature products for mining firms large and small. One of the primary benefits of MINExpo is not only the chance to meet with contracting firms and end users, but also with other manufacturers. Face to face interactions like these can lead to exciting new partnerships and innovations that might not otherwise occur.
Valves 101 Comes to Denver
This week in Denver, CO, Arie Bregman from DFT Inc. will again be presenting at the VMA’s Valves & Actuators 101 Seminar. Aimed at opening up the world of valves and actuators, and their applications, to young engineers and students, the sessions consist of experts in the field sharing their vast experience and knowledge, preparing the next generation of innovators in our field to continue the work we’ve done. One of the best aspects of the Valves 101 Seminars is the recruitment aspect: by creating an open and welcoming atmosphere of knowledge expansion, the valves industry can attract brilliant minds who may not have even considered the industry before.
The Newest Member of the DFT Family: The Doosan Puma 700
Who doesn’t love a new piece of machinery for the shop? Here at DFT Valves, we’re excited to announce the addition of the Doosan Puma 700 turning center to our in-house valve machining capabilities. As you can see, it’s a pretty serious piece of equipment. The picture below shows the new Doosan at work, machining a 16” 600# PDC check valve body. What’s more, this is barely approaching the limits of the Doosan’s capacity – we can now manufacture valves up to 24”, in-house and ready to ship to our customers, direct from DFT.
Saving Salmon with a Simple Water Valve
At DFT, we know that high quality water valves can do many different things. However, one story out of Auburn, California caught our eye. It seems that a man by the name of Robert Hane has found a way to use a water valve to help bring more water to the local salmon and steelhead population and improve their flow. Hane is a Christmas tree farmer who has been using a special two-valve system to accomplish his task. The two water valves allow Hane to take his water outflow and put it back into the local ravine for up to 12 hours per day. His innovation adds an extra 12,000 gallons of water flow, which helps the local salmon and steelhead population. However, Hane did not stop there. He has been sharing his idea with his agricultural neighbors in Auburn, which he hopes will increase the water flow even more.
