Why a plastic valve ?

SAFI is a specialist in the industrial plastic valves. Complementary to the metallic version, the plastic valve has many advantages that make it the first choice on many different applications. Its benefits are multiple...

Inert to corrosion

For more information on the chemical resistance of our products, you can consult our chemical resistance table or contact our technical department.

Chemical resistance table Contact our technical team

A product of the chemical industry, the main quality of thermoplastics is their excellent resistance to corrosion. Whether a solvent, an acid-base reaction or a redox, the classic thermoplastics in valves have a much superior resistance than metals, including stainless steels.

Below are some examples of chemical products that are classically used in our valves :

  • Sulfuric Acid (concentrated from 0 to 98%)
  • Hydrochloric Acid (concentrated from 0% to saturation)
  • Hydrofluoric Acid
  • Sodium Hydroxide
  • Sodium Hypochlorite (bleach)

Economic

At an equivalent chemical resistance, the plastic valve is much cheaper than its counterpart in metal alloy or coated metal.

Light weight

The plastic valve is 4 to 6 times lighter than its metallic counterpart. This facilitates transport, storage, and installation, reducing logistic costs and accident risks.

Resistant to Abrasion

Contrary to popular belief, the thermoplastic materials used in valves have a better resistance to abrasion than metal valves.

PVDF for example has a 5 to 10 times greater resistance than that of SS 304 and 100 times superior to PTFE.

 

robinet métallique revêtu PTFE endommagé par des cristaux de sel.

PTFE coated valve damaged by salt crystals

When to consider plastic valves ?

All the valves are limited by the mechanical and thermal performance of their materials. It is the same case for plastic valves. To learn more about thermoplastics, you can consult the following page.
The mechanical or thermal resistance depends on the nature of the process and the type of valve used, the following simplified diagram allows us to see at a first glance if a solution in plastic exists.

 



The mechanical or thermal resistance depends on the nature of the process and the type of valve used, the following simplified diagram allows us to see at a first glance if a solution in plastic exists.

More information about thermoplastic materials