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Tackling Butterfly Valve Leaks and Corrosion at a Water Treatment Works

GEMÜ Valves Ltd 52 minutes ago

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Customer Testimonial

“GEMÜ valves consistently demonstrated superior reliability, lower maintenance demands, and improved overall performance compared with other products previously used in these systems.” — Membrane Manager at the Water Treatment Works

GEMÜ Great Britain helped eliminate persistent leaks, corrosion and high operating torques affecting butterfly valves within an ultrafiltration (UF) membrane plant. Following a detailed site assessment, GEMÜ identified the root causes and supplied the D480 butterfly valve series, delivering improved reliability, reduced maintenance requirements and enhanced long-term performance, backed by ongoing technical support.

For water treatment plants, reliable valve performance is essential to maintaining efficient and continuous operation. Butterfly valves are widely used across water and wastewater applications, including membrane filtration systems, where they can be exposed to demanding operating conditions, chemicals, pressure fluctuations and repeated cycling.

When valves begin to leak, corrode or require excessive operating torque, the consequences can extend beyond the valve itself. Recurring failures can increase maintenance requirements, contribute to unplanned downtime and create additional health and safety considerations for site personnel.

This was the situation facing a large water treatment works, where persistent problems with butterfly valves installed within an ultrafiltration membrane plant were affecting reliability and increasing the demands placed on the maintenance team.

The Challenge

GEMÜ Great Britain supported a large water treatment works in addressing prolonged downtime caused by valve failures within its ultrafiltration (UF) membrane plant.

The site produces up to 8.5 megalitres of drinking water each day and had been experiencing recurring failures with installed butterfly valves from another manufacturer. These failures resulted in increased maintenance requirements and unplanned downtime, creating operational challenges for the water treatment works.

The primary issues included:

Leakage and reliability concerns impacting plant operation.
Contamination leading to actuator failures.
Corrosion and liner deterioration.
Excessive operating torque.
Increased health and safety risks for maintenance personnel.

For a drinking water treatment facility, valve reliability is particularly important. Failures within a membrane plant can disrupt processes and increase the frequency of maintenance intervention.

The combination of leakage, corrosion and high operating torque indicated that the problem was not simply one of component failure. The suitability of the existing valve specification for the actual operating environment also needed to be considered.

The Investigation

GEMÜ Great Britain carried out a detailed site survey with the operations and maintenance teams to identify the root causes of the failures.

This application-led approach was important because valve performance depends on more than simply selecting a valve based on nominal pipe size or pressure rating. Factors such as the media, chemicals used during cleaning, vacuum conditions, materials of construction, sealing arrangements and operating requirements all need to be considered when specifying valves for water treatment applications.

The investigation found that the existing butterfly valves were over-specified and featured an unsuitable seal design, resulting in high operating torques and leakage.

Material compatibility was another issue. Nylon-lined discs and EPDM liners were unsuitable for the site’s CIP chemicals, contributing to corrosion and premature deterioration.

The loose liners were also displaced under vacuum conditions, leaving them vulnerable to damage.

These issues demonstrated how the interaction between valve design, materials and operating conditions can affect long-term reliability. A valve that performs satisfactorily in one application may not necessarily be suitable for another if the process conditions differ.

The investigation therefore reinforced the importance of understanding each individual application before specifying a valve solution.

For water treatment operators, this can be particularly significant where equipment is exposed to cleaning chemicals, repeated cycling and changing pressure or vacuum conditions. Assessing the complete operating environment can help identify potential failure mechanisms before they result in costly downtime or increased maintenance requirements.

The Solution

Following the site assessment, GEMÜ recommended the D480 butterfly valve series, selected to suit the application’s operating and vacuum conditions.

The solution was designed to address the specific problems identified during the investigation rather than simply replacing the existing valves with equivalent products.

The supplied solution included:

A suitable seal design for the application to improve sealing integrity and minimise leakage.
Undercut discs, reducing operating torque and allowing smaller, lighter actuators.
An integrated leak channel to protect pneumatic actuators.
Stainless steel discs combined with WRAS-approved EPDM liners for improved corrosion resistance and potable water compliance.
Bonded liners designed to withstand repeated vacuum conditions.
Ongoing technical support throughout installation and commissioning.

Each element of the solution addressed a specific issue identified during the site survey.

Reducing operating torque was particularly important because excessive torque can place additional demands on valve actuation equipment. By using undercut discs, the D480 solution reduced the operating torque and allowed smaller, lighter actuators to be used.

The use of stainless steel discs combined with WRAS-approved EPDM liners also addressed the material and compliance requirements associated with potable water applications. Improved material compatibility can help reduce the risk of corrosion and premature deterioration when valves are exposed to demanding process and cleaning conditions.

The bonded liner design was selected to withstand repeated vacuum conditions, addressing another of the failure mechanisms identified during the investigation.

The integrated leak channel provides an additional safeguard by helping to protect pneumatic actuators in the event of leakage.

Together, these features provided a valve solution tailored to the specific requirements of the ultrafiltration membrane plant.

The Importance of Correct Butterfly Valve Selection

The case highlights why valve selection for water treatment applications needs to consider the complete process environment.

A butterfly valve may appear to be a relatively straightforward component within a water treatment system but its performance can be influenced by numerous factors. These include the properties of the fluid, chemical exposure, operating temperature, pressure and vacuum conditions, frequency of operation and the compatibility of the materials used in the valve construction.

In membrane plants, these considerations can become particularly important because cleaning and process cycles can expose valves to conditions that differ from normal operation.

Selecting a suitable butterfly valve therefore requires an understanding of how the valve will operate throughout its service life rather than simply how it performs under standard conditions.

The GEMÜ site assessment provided an opportunity to examine these factors in detail and identify the underlying causes of the recurring failures.

This application-specific approach also demonstrates the potential value of working directly with a valve manufacturer that has specialist knowledge of both valve technology and the processes in which it is used.

Reducing Maintenance and Improving Reliability

For water treatment operators, reducing unplanned maintenance can have a significant operational benefit.

Recurring valve failures require maintenance teams to investigate problems, obtain replacement components and carry out repairs or replacements. Where failures occur repeatedly, the cumulative impact can be considerable.

In this application, addressing the causes of leakage, corrosion, liner deterioration and excessive operating torque was intended to improve overall valve reliability and reduce the maintenance burden.

Improving reliability can also reduce the need for personnel to intervene in potentially challenging areas of a water treatment plant. This was particularly relevant at the site because the recurring valve problems had increased health and safety risks for maintenance personnel.

A correctly specified valve solution can therefore contribute not only to process reliability but also to safer and more efficient maintenance practices.

Conclusion

At GEMÜ, providing expert advice and taking the time to understand each application and priorities are central to how we work.

By combining application expertise, detailed site assessments and correctly specified valve technology, GEMÜ helped the site eliminate recurring reliability issues and improve the long-term performance of its UF membrane plant.

The case demonstrates the importance of looking beyond the immediate symptoms of a valve failure. Leakage, corrosion and excessive operating torque can be indicators that the valve design, materials or specification are not ideally matched to the application.

By investigating the operating environment and identifying the underlying causes, it is possible to develop a more appropriate and reliable valve solution.

For water treatment plants operating ultrafiltration and other membrane processes, selecting valves that can withstand the specific chemical, mechanical and vacuum conditions of the application is essential to maintaining dependable operation.

The result is a more application-focused approach to valve specification that can help water treatment operators improve reliability, reduce maintenance demands and support the long-term performance of critical process equipment.

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GEMU Valves Ltd

+441925824044
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10 Olympic Way Birchwood Warrington Cheshire WA2 0YL GB

About us

GEMÜ is a world leading manufacturer of valves, measurement and control systems for liquids, vapours and gases, especially when it comes to solutions for sterile applications. The GEMÜ Group currently employs over 1900 members of staff worldwide.

Manufacturing is carried out at six manufacturing sites across Germany, Switzerland, China, Brazil, France and the USA. The Group is active on all five continents with 27 subsidiaries and has a large distributor network in more than 50 countries

With the increasing requirements for process engineering, we offer a wide range of products providing solutions for a broad spectrum of customer groups, such as:

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Specialising in all of the processes involved in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology, cosmetics, food and beverage industries. Application brochure: Solutions for the pharmaceutical, foodstuffs and biotechnology industries.

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Specialising in industrial water treatment, chemicals, processing industry, surface finishing, power generation and environmental engineering. Application brochure: Solutions for industrial applications.

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Focusing on valves for the production of semiconductors and microchips, photovoltaic systems and batteries, and ultra-high-purity chemicals. Application brochure: Solutions for microelectronics, semiconductors and battery production.

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GEMÜ GB is based in Warrington providing product sales and technical support. Our product quality, application knowledge and broad range of services, make us a market leader in our field within the UK.

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