Zirconium Valve Manufacturer in Germany

Valves Only Europe manufactures and supplies zirconium valve engineered for the most corrosive and demanding process environments in the chemical, nuclear, and metallurgical industries. Zirconium’s exceptional resistance to hydrochloric acid, sulfuric acid, nitric acid, and other aggressive media makes it the material of choice where standard stainless steel, duplex, or even exotic nickel alloys fail to hold up.

Why Zirconium Valve?

The reason why zirconium is used in valves is that it has an oxide layer which is stable and resistant to some of the most corrosive acids utilized in industry. Whereas nickel alloys like Hastelloy or Alloy 20 start to deteriorate, zirconium maintains its performance ability especially where there are highly concentrated hydrochloric and sulfuric acids.

Material properties include:

• Outstanding resistance to hydrochloric acid (HCl) at nearly all concentrations and temperatures
• Strong resistance to sulfuric acid below 70% concentration
• Excellent resistance to organic acids including acetic and formic acid
• Low corrosion rate in alkaline solutions
• High resistance to pitting and crevice corrosion in chloride rich environments
• Good resistance to erosion corrosion in high velocity acid streams
• Biocompatibility, supporting use in specialty fine chemical processing

Zirconium Valve Type:

• Zirconium Floating Ball Valve – Quarter turn valve with a self aligning ball that seats tightly under line pressure, giving bubble tight shutoff for acid isolation duty.
• Zirconium Gate Valve – Linear motion valve offering full, unobstructed bore when open, used for on/off isolation on main acid transfer lines.
• Zirconium Globe Valve – Linear motion valve with an S-shaped flow path built for precise throttling and control of acid flow rates.

Why Super Duplex Valve Bodies with Zirconium Trim or Cladding?

If there are cases where solid zirconium valve would not be economical, Valves Only Europe provides super duplex stainless steel (UNS S32750 / S32760) valve bodies with zirconium linings or overlay. This is a solution that combines the mechanical properties of super duplex and the corrosion resistance of zirconium on the wetted parts.

Advantages of this construction:

• Higher tensile and yield strength compared to solid zirconium, allowing thinner wall sections and lighter valves
• Superior resistance to chloride stress corrosion cracking in the body material
• Better resistance to erosion and mechanical wear at flanges, stems, and structural areas
• Lower material cost than fully solid zirconium construction for large bore valves
• Compatibility with high pressure piping classes where zirconium alone would require thicker, heavier sections
• Reduced risk of galvanic corrosion when correctly paired with zirconium wetted parts

This construction suits users who need zirconium level corrosion resistance at the media contact surface without the cost and weight penalty of full solid zirconium bodies, bonnets, and end connections.

Zirconium Valve Applications:

• Hydrochloric acid production and handling
• Sulfuric acid concentration and dilution circuits
• Titanium dioxide (chloride process) production
• Chlor alkali plants
• Nuclear fuel reprocessing and zirconium alloy production
• Acetic acid and organic acid processing
• Metal pickling and surface treatment lines
• Flue gas desulfurization systems handling concentrated acid streams

Design & Construction Standards:

• Body and bonnet: Solid zirconium (R60702, R60704) or super duplex (UNS S32750/S32760) with zirconium wetted parts
• Face to face dimensions: ASME B16.10
• Flange dimensions and ratings: ASME B16.5, EN 1092-1
• Pressure temperature ratings: ASME B16.34
• Testing: API 598, EN 12266-1
• Fire safe design available: API 607 / API 6FA
• Design codes: ASME B16.34, EN 12516
• Butt weld ends: ASME B16.25
• Inspection and documentation: EN 10204 3.1 / 3.2 material certification

Size, Pressure & Connection Range:

• Sizes: 1/2″ (DN15) to 24″ (DN600), larger sizes on request
• Pressure classes: Class 150 to Class 2500, PN10 to PN160
• End connections: Flanged (RF, RTJ), butt weld, socket weld, threaded
• Operation: Lever, gear operator, pneumatic actuator, electric actuator
• Bore options: Full bore and reduced bore (ball valves)
• Seat materials: PTFE, RPTFE, PEEK, PFA, metal seated options for high temperature acid service

Benefits of Choosing Zirconium Valve:

• Direct manufacturing access to solid zirconium and zirconium clad valve construction
• Engineering support for material selection between solid zirconium and super duplex hybrid designs
• Full traceability from raw material heat number through to final hydrostatic and seat test
• Compliance with international flange, face to face, and testing standards for straightforward integration into existing piping systems
• Custom engineered solutions for non standard face to face dimensions, end connections, and actuation requirements
• Documentation packages including material certificates, NDE reports, and test certificates supplied with every order
• Technical guidance on corrosion compatibility across varying acid concentrations and temperatures