Introduction

In today’s complex world, managing pollution is both essential and challenging and more than ever valves are used to shut off or divert flows in the event of an incident or emergency.
Scenarios such as containing fire water, capturing chemical spills or simply controlling pollution risks is made simpler by the use of monitoring, valves, and containment tanks. Fire fighting water, foam, chemicals, and other pollutants can quickly spread to drainage networks, resulting in pollution of surrounding waterways and devastating impact on our environment and wildlife. SPEL have delivered multiple valve systems with both manual and automatic activation to provide operators with the peace of mind that when disaster strikes, the fall out can be contained safely. Different valves are used in different applications subject to pipe size, flow rates, pollutants and system design, these can be opened/closed manually, or with a motorised actuator which can be operated remotely if required.

Below is a selection of valves that SPEL incorporate within the pollution control systems that we design and build:

Penstock Valves

Penstock valves, sometimes called sluice gates, are similar to a gate valves with a gate gradually lowering into place to block the flow. These valves do not normally provide a perfect seal and allowing some seepage may make them unsuitable for certain applications. These valves are more frequently used on larger openings.

Butterfly

Butterfly valves are a sort of shut-off valve that uses a quarter turn disc to block/unblock the pipe. A central line of the disc is always in the pipe obstructing the flow and usually making this sort of valve unsuitable for foul applications.
Butterfly valves usually have a complete rubber seal making them excellent for leak-free service.

Gate Valves

Gate valves are a classic shut-off or isolation valves. Typically, multiple turns of a screw handwheel or actuator will lower the ‘gate’ and block the flow. When open there is no obstruction. Gate valves usually have an excellent highpressure, leak-free closed position that makes them ideal for most applications. These valves a typically available for most pipe-work sizes.

Knife Gate Valves

Knife gate valves are shut-off valves similar to gate valves, but they have a cutting edge to chop through certain deposits that may have otherwise blocked the valve from fully closing.

Non-return Valves

This type of valve allows flow in one direction and blocks flow in the other. There are a number of ways to achieve this, but most commonly the choice will be between a swing-check type and ball-check type. The swingcheck valves typically have a simple flap that can be opened with flow in one direction, but will close if flow moves in the other. These valves will include some small obstructions and can be ragged-up or blocked so smaller valves of this type are typically used with cleaner fluids and may not be suitable for use with foul applications. A ball-check valve will allow a ball to be pushed out of the way with flow in one direction, but then will drop back to block flow from the other. These valves are less likely to have issues with blocking and so are ideal for use in foul applications.

The full range of SPEL GRP chambers connect perfectly to the above valve systems, offering an excellent ‘plug and play’ option for contractors who need to install these units. The traditional installation is to build a concrete chamber then have confined space entry to fit the heavy valve together with its associated risks, but now there is the option where SPEL design, build and deliver a fully fitted out unit for simple site installation.

Installation is simple, the chamber requires a concrete base, then place the tank, make the pipe connections and back fill the void with concrete at the whilst ballasting the tank with water. Full Installation guidance can be found here.