Solenoid Valve Application Tip

Solenoid Valves
(courtesy of GC Valve)

Mechanical & Materials Considerations

Solenoid valves are your fastest-acting option when controlling flow. They can be repaired in-line (without breaking plumbing connections in most designs), and they can be less costly than other electrically operated valves.

But there are a few measures that can increase your satisfaction with solenoid valves:
Install strainers or filters to prevent foreign materials from entering the valve and interfering with operation.

• Avoid Teflon tape; those stringy leftover pieces can travel downstream and hang up in the valve.
• Use pipe dope sparingly; globs of it in the line can affect solenoid valves and other control elements.
• Add check valves to your design if it is important to prevent back flow through the solenoid valve.
• Consider plumbing solenoid valves in series (double-block) where any leakage is unacceptable.
• Ask for a plated operator to protect special grades of stainless steel from corrosion.

And be sure to let your representative know about everything in the process fluid. Additives in air, water or other fluids can change the soft-seal requirements.

For more information, or assistance with selecting solenoid valves, contact:

M.S. Jacobs

810 Noblestown Road

Pittsburgh, Pa 15205

Toll free (800) 348-0089

www.msjacobs.com

Email: msjacobs@msjacobs.com

Process Control Products for Shale Gas Extraction, Processing and Transport

The Marcellus Formation, one of the largest shale gas resources in North America, sits directly under much of M.S. Jacobs area of coverage. Many of the product lines they handle are needed in the extraction, processing and transport of the shale gas.

Global Thermoelectric TEG
(thermoelectric generator)

The Global Thermoelectric TEG (thermoelectric generator) is a product M.S. Jacobs provides for “upstream” use on the production well pad. It is used to supply remote power and is preferred in colder climates because of its reliability, it has no moving parts, and its operating principle. A thermoelectric generator converts heat directly into electricity. As heat moves from a gas burner through a thermoelectric module, it causes an electrical current to flow. Solar was the preferred source of power for many of the production companies from Texas and Oklahoma. That was until they experienced the harsh cold winter in Pennsylvania without days of sun which led to dead batteries and no data/control on the well.

Flexim Midstream Gas Meters

Other products M.S. Jacobs provides for "midstream" use are Flexim ultrasonic clamp-on flowmeters. These are being used as check meters at midstream processing facilities and compressor stations to measure large volumes of gas. They are also being used to help balance the load to the compressors. Other applications are on gas storage wells that are filled in the summer and pumped out in the fall-winter, taking advantage of the bi-directional measurement capability of the meter.

M.S. Jacobs also provides Magnetrol level controls and Orion visual level indicators for various level applications as well as valves and controls on other midstream and downstream applications.

There has been an explosion of midstream processing facilities in this area. Many processing companies have set up facilities to strip the propane and butane from the rich Marcellus “wet gas” and send the methane downstream for use in our homes. M.S. Jacobs has become a primary partner to many of these processing companies because of our application skills, local inventory, and support.