Custom Built Emergency Shut-Off Valves (ESOV)
In the early 1970s, Williams Valve recognized a critical need for a simple, effective, and economical valve capable of stopping the flow of liquids, gases, and vapors in emergency situations. Our engineering team responded by designing a quick-closing valve following API 600 and API 6D standards. This innovative valve could be actuated either directly at the valve or from a remote location.
These valves are now time-tested and proven as the most cost-effective solution for safely managing incidents involving fire, high heat, excess pressure, or dangerously high-pressure fluid conditions. With the addition of fail-safe fusible link features, these valves can even close instantaneously and automatically in the heat of a fire. These versatile valves can be installed in either vertical or horizontal positions, and an optional soft seat design is also available.
You’ll find Williams’ emergency shut-off valves (ESOV) at the ready in critical locations worldwide, including major refineries, petrochemical plants, dockside marine installations, fuel storage terminals, pipeline distribution networks, and offshore rigs.
Whatever your operation, we can customize your valve accordingly. Simply provide us with your basic sizing information, environmental conditions, and desired accessories, and our technicians will deliver a valve precisely tailored to your specific needs. Get in touch with us today to get started.
Cast Steel Drawings
Stainless Steel Drawings
The Importance of Investing in Critical ESOV
The core function of your ESOV is to provide a failsafe mechanism in the event of an abnormal or dangerous condition. These conditions can include:
- Leaks or ruptures in pipelines or equipment leading to uncontrolled release of hazardous materials
- Exposure to high temperatures that could exacerbate a fire or cause explosions
- Overpressure/underpressure beyond safe operating pressure limits in a system
- Exceeding safe operating temperature limits
- Failure of pumps, compressors, or other machinery
- Operator error leading to unsafe conditions
- Earthquakes, collisions, or other unforeseen incidents
By rapidly isolating a section of a plant or pipeline, our ESOV help prevent further escalation of an incident, minimize potential damage, and allow for safer intervention by your emergency response teams.
Real-World Application – Our Shut-Off Valves in Service
Our ESOV have been integrated into a wide variety of applications throughout the world. The following are a few examples:
- Leading Petroleum Corporation: Using the ESOV with fusible link and spring at a major tank farm on Staten Island. Valves are located on highly flammable fuel oil and gasoline tank feed, tank discharge and product tanker discharge lines.
- Houston Based Oil Exploration Firm: Using ESOV with solenoids on off-shore rigs. The valves are designed to close when power fails on the rigs. The valves are located between the main header line and crude storage tanks.
- Major Multi-National Chemical Company: using ESOV with solenoid and pressure switches on hydrogen feed lines. They are designed to close when dangerously high pressure builds in the lines, with addition of the fusible link, the valves feature a fail-safe design that assures timely closing if fire occurs.
- Major Oil Company: Using the basic ESOV on all feed lines from its propane bullets to its processing plant. The valve features fail-safe close design in case of fire.
- California Based Petroleum Corporation: Uses the basic ESOV with a slam retardant gearing mechanism on its product transfer lines from ship-to-shore. The medium is liquid natural gas.
- Large Tank Farm & Storage Facility in New York: Uses the ESOV with solenoid on product lines running from pressure vessel storage areas to truck loading racks. The valves are strategically positioned to actuate in case of fire or other calamities such as a spillage at the truck racks.
- Navy Tankers: Using our ESOV with solenoid on key steam piping systems, the valves are designed to shut-down superheated steam lines in emergency situations.
Standards and Regulations for Emergency Shut-Off Valves
Due to their safety-critical nature, ESOVs are governed by numerous standards, including:
- IEC 61508/IEC 61511: Functional safety standards for electrical/electronic/programmable electronic safety-related systems (E/E/PE) and for the process industry sector, respectively. They define Safety Integrity Levels (SIL) for safety functions.
- API (American Petroleum Institute) Standards: Such as API 600 series for gate valves, API 602 for forged valves, and specific standards for pipeline valves, often with fire-safe requirements.
- NFPA (National Fire Protection Association) Codes: For fire protection systems, fuel gas installations (e.g., NFPA 30A for Automotive and Marine Service Station Code, requiring emergency shutoff valves at fuel dispensers).
- ASME (American Society of Mechanical Engineers) Codes: For pressure piping (e.g., ASME B31.3 Process Piping) often reference the need for isolation and emergency shut-off.
- Factory Mutual (FM) Global: Provides certification for valves and other equipment, including fire-safe ratings.
- CSA International Standards: For gas appliances and automated safety shut-off gas valves (e.g., Z21.21/CSA 6.5).
Types of ESOV We Manufacture
- Emergency Shut-Off Valves – Basic
- Emergency Shut-Off Valves – Full Port
- Cast Steel Emergency Shut-Off Valves 150lb
- Stainless Steel Emergency Shut-Off Valves 150lb
The Basic ESOV (150lb) – Years of Trouble-Free Service
The PL-2 or PSL-2 is our basic emergency shut-off valve. It was designed to provide an effective yet simple method of closing in an emergency or hazardous situation.
The valve is designed with an external spring load or weight-assisted handle held in the open position with the fire-sensitive fusible link. The valve will automatically close when the link melts due to fire or high temperatures. The external handle rotates the hinge pin that directs the disc into the flow of the liquid, gas or vapor. The valve can be provided with spring-loaded Release for manual cable operations. These valves are available in Class 300lb & A351 CF8M Stainless Steel Body with 316 SS Trim.
Product features:
- Local and/or remote location
- Once closed valve can only be reset manually as fail-safe feature
- Economical
- Can be moved in horizontal and vertical service
- Factory tested
- Back pressure assures a tight seal between disc and seat
- Fire-Safe fusible link
Pneumatic Operated ESOV (150lb) – Shuts Off Without Electrical Power
CPL-2 and CPSL-2 are air actuated ESOV designed to provide remote operation when electrical current is not available or not desired because of environmental conditions. The valve
incorporates our basic ESOV construction with a fusible link and pneumatic actuator. The external lever is connected to a plunger pin, which in turn is connected to the rod on the pneumatic cylinder. The cylinder can be provided either air-to-close or air-to-hold-open.
These valves are available in Class 300lb & A351 CF8M Stainless Steel Body with 316 SS Trim.
Product features:
- Corrosion resistant cylinder
- Once closed valve can only be reset manually as fail-safe feature
- Economical
- Can be mounted in horizontal or vertical service
- Factory tested
- Back pressure assures a tight seal between disc & seat
- Fire-Safe fusible link
ESOV with Electro-Magnetic Release & Optional Limit Switch (150lb)
The MPL-2 or MPSL-2 is designed to provide fast, remote shut-off for the flow of fluids or
gasses with the use of an electro-magnet. The valve incorporates our basic ESOV construction with a fusible link and electro-magnet. The valve optional limit switch will provide open-close position detection. Electro-magnet are available in various AC & DC voltages as required. This valve can be mounted to respond to such triggering devices as relays, fire-detectors, probes,
and various sensors. These valves are available in Class 300lb & A351 CF8M Stainless Steel Body with 316 SS Trim.
Product features:
- Optional limit switch for open-close detection
- Electro-magnet available in various AC & DC voltages
- Once closed valve can be reset manually as a fail-safe feature
- Economical
- Can be mounted in horizontal or vertical service
- Factory tested
- Back pressure assures a tight seal between the disc & seat
- Fire-Safe Fusible link
ESOV Major Component and Accessory Options
Customize your ESOV to your system and application with the addition of extra accessories and components, including:
- Electro-magnet in D.C. or A.C.
- Air actuated cylinder
- Limit switches: proximity-intriniscally safe, plunger-type limit switch-environmentally safe, explosion proof heavy-duty switch
- Thermal temperature sensing devices
- Teflon inserts in seats
- Fusible links with various temperature ratings
- Toggle switches, push buttons, or key locks for easy reassembling
- Spring or weight to assure closure
- By-passes
- High level or multi station switches available
Reliable ESOV Customized for Your Application
Since 1918, Williams Valve has delivered efficient and dependable performance across virtually every valve service. Every emergency shut-off valve we manufacture undergoes individual testing to API 598 standards, so you can count on reliable performance in critical situations. Reach out to our team now for more information.
