Kelso Technologies Inc. reports that the Company’s new vacuum relief valve (VRV) has successfully completed the required two-year field service trial and the Association of American Railroads (AAR) has approved the VRV for full commercial use. During the past two years of service trial customers have shown strong support and expressed bona fide interest in adopting the Company’s VRV along with their current demand for Kelso’s pressure relief valves.
The primary function of the VRV is to prevent a tank car from rupturing during loading operations or imploding while pumping its commodity load out of the tank. Without a controlled opening for breathing a tank can also rupture or implode due to severe thermal changes.
Common problems with similar VRV’s in the market today include the VRV’s short service life and the other VRV’s are typically viewed by customers as a “throwaway” item. Similar VRV’s suffer from problems associated with casting production techniques and the VRV’s helical springs get exposed to vapors when venting.
Kelso’s design and engineering goals are that all service equipment must be developed with emphasis on economical and operational advantages to the Company’s customers, while mitigating the impact of human error and environmental release during operations. Kelso’s VRV offers the dependability of the Company’s patented constant force spring technology. The Company’s VRV is fabricated and does not use casting methods allowing for re-certification for continued use. As well, Kelso’s VRV is an all stainless-steel product with a seal welded stem, closed spring housing and oversized seal, the design provides a baffle to protect from unwanted debris from operational environments.