Proper valve installation demands precision and attention to every detail. Even small errors such as misalignment, debris, or incorrect torque can turn a high-quality valve into a serious hazard. When installation is done correctly, performance increases, and downtime decreases. When it isn’t, safety is compromised, and risks escalate.
By Bernard Horsfield
In the valve industry, design, materials, and the nuances of actuation are frequently addressed, but one of the highest risks of valve performance and plant safety often occurs during installation. A perfectly engineered valve can be ruined by poor lifting practices, misalignment, incorrect torques, or contaminants in the lines.
Conversely, a modest valve can perform far above expectations if it is installed with precision and discipline. Installation is the moment where safety, costs, and long term reliability converge.
The Real Cost of Installation Errors
Most organizations underestimate how many failures are initiated during the installation of valves. They may not fail in the first several hours or even the first days of operation, but they will not reach their true lifecycle. When a valve leaks, sticks, or fails a pressure test, the assumption is usually a “design flaw” or “manufacturer issue.” However, field data consistently shows that a large percentage of early-life failures result
from:
• Over-torquing. This can result in over compression of components, excess stress, etc.
• Misalignment, which creates stem related problems with seal positioning bearings and packing.
• Welding. Contamination or excess heat affects components.
• Marked seals are caused by the lack of protection and heavy impact.
• Foreign debris.
• Incorrect actuation setup installation.
• Improper gasket/flange selection for the temperature and/or media.
These failures are expensive to repair but they are preventable. In most cases, the repair/service costs exceed the value of the valve itself. When a plant goes down due to an incorrectly installed valve, the costs multiply rapidly.
Handling and Lifting: The First Failure Point
Valves can become damaged before they even reach the flange. Larger valves are frequently lifted using the handwheel, gear operator, or straps around an actuator—none of which are structural lifting points. Even a small deformation can mis-align the shaft in a valve designs. Impacts are common. Merely bumping a valve down hard could shunt a component into a position it shouldn’t be in.
Some Best Practices Include:
• Using designated lifting lugs or slings around the valve body.
• Avoid lifting a valve by the actuator or gearbox.
• During transport, only remove actuators when applicable and per
manufacturers authorization.
• Securing the disc or ball in a ‘fully closed’ position to avoid seat damage
and stem movement.
Case Study: Communicate with the Manufacturer and Distributor
We manufactured a large emergency shutdown valve (ESDV) with a hydraulic actuator and various redundancies. It was very carefully assembled and tested. Everything was set up and complete with the accumulator and tank. The ESDV was boxed and shipped on a low loader to an oil field in the Middle East and an offshore island.
Our engineer who was supervising the final installation found the system in pieces. The tank and actuator were removed so they could ‘easily’ transport it. However, nobody had asked if this was possible. All the hard work to ensure alignment and operability was lost since achieving the same accuracy in the field is never possible.
For triple offset valves (TOVs) in particular, a minor impact can shift the disc alignment enough to compromise the conical seal. Proper lifting protects geometry, and geometry protects sealing function. Never remove the operator.
Cleanliness: The Silent Threat
Piping systems are rarely as clean as the datasheets assume. During construction or shutdown, lines accumulate a variety of debris including rust scale, sand, welding slag, and insulation fibres. Contamination causes two major problems. First, debris trapped between the seat and closure element can instantly destroy a seat seal— especially in TOVs or soft seated technology where the sealing surfaces rely on ‘perfect contact.’
Second, debris in the stem or bearing area can increase torque requirements and cause premature failure. Proper flushing with spools and inspection before installation is not optional. For high-value equipment, borescope checks, lint-free wipe-downs, and pre-installation cleaning should be standard. It’s not just the valve but other equipment – such as actuators – that are used in association with the valves can be affected.
Alignment and Piping Stresses
Valves are not supposed to be structural links. Misalignment between pipes forces the valve body to absorb stress that should be distributed across supports. This becomes a hidden safety issue.
Key Risks Include:
• Distorted body or end connections.
• Additional material stress.
• Gasket failure
• Stress induced corrosion or
cracking if its welded.
• Sprung pipework
Checking parallelism and spacing, as well as performing final alignment checks under real load conditions significantly reduce these risks. While I’ve seen a great deal of small bore sprung pipework, it exists in large diameters as well. It’s also a risk to maintenance staff when doing future work.
Gasket and Bolt Integrity: The Forgotten Variables
Incorrect bolting can compromise even the best valve. Installers often rely on “feel,” which varies wildly between crews and shifts. Under torque leads to leakage; over-torque has its own risks. Flogging spanners are the norm, and only experienced engineers have this “feel” about how much torque to input. This doesn’t help when questions are asked when something fails.
Some critical practices include using calibrated torque wrenches or hydraulic tensioners and adhering to cross-bolting sequences. Other practices include selecting a gasket compatible with the media, determining temperatures and flange ratings, as well as re-torquing after initial thermal cycles. Using the right grade of bolts is also essential.
The last point can be a serious issue. I recall an 8” class 900 TOV that lost its clamping plate, which blew off after reaching full pressure. Although the bolts were marked correctly, an inquiry later revealed the actual yield strength was far below the required standard at 65% of the normal yield.
Actuation: Set-Up Determines Safety
Actuators are a critical piece of equipment and incorrect setup can cause:
• Over-travel that can damage seats.
• Under-travel that can fail to achieve full shutoff.
• Excessive torque leading to excess loading.
• Incorrect fail positions due to sticking, loss of power or air.
• Leaking stem packing. This is a sure sign of misalignment.
The actuation package should always be considered an essential system, not a bolt-on accessory. A lot of emphasis goes into the design of the valve but not the actuator selection or installation. Travel stops, torque settings, supply pressure, and feedback positions must be checked, logged, and verified before commissioning. The orientation should also be considered.
In one case study, a hydrochloric acid plant was operating at low temperatures with cryogenic stem extensions. The valves were installed horizontally in contravention to standards (maximum angle of 45 degrees from horizontal). However, the packing froze, and hydrochloric acid leaked out and quickly turned the new plant into a rusty mess. In another case, a TOV was installed vertically in a harsh environment. Rainwater became contaminated and gathered in the packing well. The resulting shaft pitting soon developed into a stress-corrosion crack that severed the valve stem.
Pressure Testing and Commissioning
Pressure testing is the “moment of truth.” If installation is flawed, this is when it will show. Proper testing should include:
• Hydrotest at designated pressures.
• Leak tests for both body and seat.
• Function tests of the actuator.
• Verification that the valve strokes freely under pressure.
Too many teams may rush this stage and treat it as a formality instead of a safety barrier.
Safety Lives in the Details
Valve installation safety is not only about picking the right design. It’s about the discipline, skill, and focus applied during installation. Every misalignment, grains of debris, incorrect torque, and a poorly tuned actuator becomes a potential failure point. When installation is completed correctly, performance improves, downtime decreases, and the true value of engineered valves is realized.
When done improperly, even the best valve becomes a liability. Safety and quality of installation should never be compromised. When it is, on-site risks increase dramatically.
ABOUT THE EXPERT
Bernard Horsfield is the CEO of Rodefish Ltd. who are experts in triple offset design and applications. They work behind the scenes with valve manufacturers to overcome problems and provide valve designs that work.