Assured Automationâs FireChek valve uses a shape-memory alloy to quickly shift process-valve actuators to their fail-safe condition in the event of high heat or fire.
Many piping systems for hazardous or flammable fluids use pneumatically operated, quarter-turn actuators for the safety of keeping electricity out of the area. Assured Automation, Clark, N.J., offers its FireChek shutoff valve to add another level of safety to these applications. When mounted in the pneumatic supply line, the FM Global-approved FireChek valve quickly responds to heat in the event of a fire and automatically exhausts pressure in the actuator’s pilot line to close the supply line.
An element made of shape-memory alloy inside the FireChek undergoes a martensitic phase transformation when it is heated above 135°, 150°, or 165° F. This change releases stored strain energy to produce the necessary force to shift the valve; no other power source is involved. The element is 100% reliable because the shape memory effect is intrinsic to the alloy. Shape-memory alloys have performed successfully for decades in military, industrial, and consumer product applications.
For testing, the FireChek valve can be actuated with a hot-air gun, then, after a cool-down period, reset manually for continued protection. Because the FireChek valve can be tested and reset, it has an advantage over emergency isolation valves that rely on fusible links or plastic burn-through tubing. Furthermore, the FireChek valve responds to heat, not flame, so it offers better protection than plastic tubing burn-through.