After continued research and development in its technical ceramics manufacturing capabilities, Morgan Advanced Materials now has the capability to manufacture balls up to 250 dia. in diameter for severe service valves from its acclaimed Nilcra® Zirconia-based material.
Previously, valve balls have only been available in sizes of up to 150 dia., however, the trend in process industries to reduce cost by designing systems with larger pipe diameters which require fewer devices overall has led Morgan to create a capability to manufacture balls in this larger size. The balls are ideal for use with flow control valves, operating in industries such as mineral processing, oil and gas, and pulp and paper.
A Zirconia-based material partially stabilised with magnesia, Nilcra delivers exceptional strength and toughness together with erosion and corrosion resistance and is, therefore, frequently used in place of conventional materials such as metal alloys to provide longer component lifetimes. The material’s properties make it ideal for use with slurries generated in mineral processing as well as abrasive rock particles and sand encountered in oil and gas extraction and processing.
This, alongside its ability to withstand high actuation torques applied during valve operation, has led to Nilcra being regularly specified by the world’s five largest valve OEMs for more than 25 years.