Have you ever wondered, “What is valve stem packing?” If you notice a control valve leaking around the valve stem, there’s a problem with your valve stem packing. Failure to resolve the issue may complicate the situation even further. Therefore, you must always be watchful to detect and correct any packing leak before you incur losses.

So, what is valve stem packing? Well, valve packing is part of a valve that creates a pressure seal between the valve’s inside and outside. As a result, it prevents the fluid within the valve from leaking out. However, the packing tends to wear and loosen up as temperatures fluctuate, and that could result in losses.

Let’s discover more about a valve stem packing system and the types available.

When Do You Need to Do It?

Leaks around the valve stem packing can harm oilfield operators and the environment. That’s why you should detect a packing leak early and fix it before causing further damage. You can resolve the issue by carefully tightening the valve packing nuts to reseal the leak. Please don’t overtighten the nuts since they may cause further damage.

Types of Valve Packing

Valve packing can come in the form of a rope or a ring shape. You can cut the rope form into the required sizes, and it typically comes as Graphite of Teflon. The rope-like valve packing is the most popular option in industrial applications like oil and gas. Unlike the ring-like packing system, you can design a rope-like packing to fit your valve stem.

Valve Packing Material

Some valve stems packing materials can self-lubricate to ensure a smooth and efficient operation. Here are the types of valve packing materials to consider.

• Flexible Graphite Packing: This option is an ideal packing material for valves operating in high temperatures. You can use it in petroleum, chemical fertilizers, chemical industries, and power generation.
• PTFE Valve Packing: This plastic is resistant to corrosive chemicals and offers a low coefficient. The control valve system must have a smooth finish to ensure proper sealing. Otherwise, the packing can leak if the packing surface is rough.
• Rubber Padding Packing: You can also use rubber as a valve stem packing material, such as a rubber cloth, rubber packing ring, or rubber rod. The rubber padding packing is ideal for temperatures below 140 degrees Celsius.

Let Lubchem Help

So far, you can answer the question, “What is valve stem packing?” Besides, you know some valve packing materials you can use, including graphite packing. All you need to do is let an expert help you find the best valve stem packing that fulfills your needs. That’s where Lubchem helps. We’ll analyze your applications and recommend what’s best for you.

Contact us today for more information about our products, including valve stem packing.