Clarke Valve™, developer and manufacturer of the compact and efficient control valve, announced that it has secured European Patent Office (EPO) protection for its proprietary Shutter Valve™ technology.
The Shutter Valve represents the first major departure in control valve design of the past 50-plus years, employing a valve mechanism unlike anything found in commonly adopted models, such as globe valves and other valve types. The EPO granted patent number EP2988044 – ‘SHUTTER VALVE WITH PIVOT ARMS’ in recognition of this differentiation in design achieved by Clarke Valve.
The Shutter Valve uses three interlocking petals, mounted to a ring gear by pivot arms, to deliver precision throttling with minimal cavitation and zero pressure drop. The Shutter Valve’s aperture creates a centralized flow stream, ranging from a fine mist to a wide-open port, resulting in certified 500:1 rangeability.
The unique bonnet and stem design of the Shutter Valve also enabled it to become the first control valve to earn the American Petroleum Institute (API) 641 Certification, by virtue of its near elimination of fugitive methane emissions. The Shutter Valve reduces methane emissions by more than 95% when compared to ‘low emissions’ globe valves. This capability helped Clarke Valve to secure a capital infusion from OGCI Climate Investments and has accelerated the adoption of the Shutter Valve in the oil and gas industry.