Valland 3D prints 70% more compact DB&B valve for oil and gas
Over 100 units of PVT Valve have been manufactured using EOS 3D printing hardware
In the oil and gas industry, it is vital that valve cavities be depressurized in a controlled way. This process requires specialized components like Double Block and Bleed (DB&B) accessory valves to isolate and drain fluids safely. However, gas services have continued to face depressurization challenges related to the specific configurations of certain installed systems, for which traditionally manufactured DB&B valves are not a seamless fit. To address this challenge, Valland S.p.A., an Italian manufacturer of custom valves, has developed a 3D printed DB&B valve that is 70% more compact and can easily be retrofitted onto main valve infrastructure.
The 3D printed DB&B valve was designed for double expanding gate valves, which had previously presented several depressurization challenges, including a slow, time-consuming process, monitoring difficulties, and health and safety risks due to potential hydrocarbon exposure. Additionally, standard DB&B valves were unsuitable due to their volume and weight, increasing the risk of damage at the threaded connection which could lead to depressurization failure. Unable to use standard components for this type of system, many operators were faced with having to replace the entire main valve—a costly process in terms of both time and money.
Keen to overcome the limitations of traditional production processes in creating DB&B valves, Valland and its AM division Valland3D set to work to design a more compact, lightweight valve that would maintain the functionalities of a DB&B without the retrofit challenges of the standard part. The result is the PVT Valve, a compact accessory valve “capable of delivering full DB&B functionality within an extremely limited design space.”
The part, 3D printed on an EOS M 290 metal 3D printer using super duplex F55 stainless steel, integrates various structures—including a first pressure barrier, a drain channel, a second barrier, and an outlet—into a single compact geometry of just 35mm in length. This marks a 70% reduction in volume compared to a traditional DB&B accessory valve.
Using AM design, Valland was also able to optimize the mass distribution of the part, moving the valve’s center of gravity closer to the main body, effectively reducing stress on the threaded connection. This more compact, optimized design comes with many benefits. For one, the 3D printed PVT Valve can be retrofit onto main valve systems without the need for any major replacements. For another, it allows for safe and monitored cavity depressurization, notably reducing hydrocarbon exposure. The new design also eliminates the risk of hydrate formation, a previously common phenomenon that disrupted the depressurization process. Overall, these benefits translate to faster and more reliable depressurization.
This is more than just a DfAM use case: Valland has already qualified the manufacturing process for the PVT Valve according to DNV-ST-B203 and has produced over 100 units that have undergone stringent tests and validation, such as pressure testing, fugitive emission testing, and fire safety testing. Notably, the 3D printed PVT Valves have also been deployed in the field, including at one of VÃ¥r Energi’s offshore assets.
As EOS explains, “The economic relevance of the solution lies primarily in its retrofit capability. By allowing installation on valves already in service, the PVT Valve eliminates the need for costly replacement of entire main valves. This not only reduces capital expenditure but also minimizes downtime and operational disruption… With the PVT Valve, Valland demonstrates how additive manufacturing enables solutions that are not just incremental improvements, but previously unfeasible products.”
