SSVs |
Severe Service Valves

CGIS is the recognized leader in the application of Severe Service Valves (SSVs). Whether it is extreme temperatures, pressures, or toxic media, CGIS has the right valve for your severe service application.
SSVs

What is a Severe Service Valve?

The term Severe Service Valve (SSV) is commonplace to the industrial valve industry. The problem is, no one really knows exactly what it means.

As the SSV task force leader for the Manufacturers Standardization Society (MSS), CGIS is at the forefront of establishing the benchmark and rating system to identify what constitutes a Severe Service Valve, how it differs from a General Purpose Valve, and the objective criteria required to identify severe service applications.

SSVs | Severe Service Valves

SSVs | Greelane Biogas Case Study

The three main categories of SSVs

To maintain consistency across the industry, we recommend using the following abbreviations:

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SSVs

Why Use Severe Service Valves?​

Outdated valve specifications are a common sight in the industry. It is extremely concerning as there have been technical advances in valve design, yet no alterations to the valve specifications themselves. 

The operating conditions of pressure, temperature, process volume and energy costs are drastically different than they were only 30 years ago. Maintenance staff are fewer, piping systems are operating under higher pressures and temperatures, and the push to produce more revenue from fewer resources is greater than ever before.

SSVs play an important role as new processes with aging technology creates immediate dangers to workers and their surrounding environment. Safety is a priority in our industry and we believe that everyone has the right to go home safely at the end of each day. Severe Service creates dangerous environments and when not handled correctly, can endanger the lives of many and cause long term damage to its surrounding environment.

SSVs

Defining Severe Service Valves

Valves are a significant safety feature and should be held to a higher regard, especially in a severe service application. By designating certain applications as Severe Service and then using appropriate valve suppliers to source valves, we can reduce the risk of critical leaks.

A Severe Service category has yet to be objectively defined but we understand that this definition is critical to the industry. CGIS Chairman, Ross Waters, has been at the forefront of this cause and has presented his paper, “Defining Severe Service Valves,” internationally. At CGIS we know that you can and should expect more from industrial valves today. We believe that using suppliers who specialize in SSVs, applying a series of steps in qualifying them and separating general purpose applications from the more severe applications, can save workers’ lives and protect our environment.

RESOURCES | Severe Service Valves (SSVs)

As the SSV task force leader for the Manufacturers Standardization Society (MSS), CGIS is at the forefront of establishing the benchmark and rating system to identify what constitutes a Severe Service Valve, how it differs from a General Purpose Valve, and the objective criteria required to identify severe service applications.

Guide to SSVs
SSV Technology & Markets
Defining SSVs

Severe Service Valve Timeline

During the past twenty years, CGIS has been at the forefront in determining what constitutes a Severe Service Valve (SSV), and which applications they should be used in. The below timeline speaks to our commitment towards establishing an objective SSV standard.

Pre 2000

CGIS authors a paper on Valve Leakage and completes industry wide training on the topic.

2003

CGIS acts as an expert witness in a hydrometallurgy valve failure case.

2015

CGIS calls for an official Severe Service Valve category designation during Valve World Americas Expo in Houston while speaking on a panel about severe service applications.

2016

CGIS leads task force to establish new standards for what separates a Severe Service Valve from a General Purpose Valve.

2016–2018

SSV speaking engagements at ALTA Conference in Perth, Valve World Dusseldorf and Houston, ITC and the Canadian Valve Users Group.

2018

CGIS is included in the MSS inaugural Severe Service Valve Committee.

2019

Standard Practice for Severe Service Valves is set to be released by MSS establishing objective standards for what denotes a Severe Service Valve.

2021

CGIS added to Valve Manufacturers Association technical committee with a focus on Severe Service Valves.

Severe Service Valve Lines We Supply​

For over four decades we have supplied Severe Service Valves in chemical, mining, pulp & paper, oil & gas, water & wastewater, LNG, steam, hydrocarbon processing, and steel manufacturing applications. This vast experience has led us to seek out the best Severe Service Valve manufacturers:

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