Handling sensitive and hazardous materials requires meticulous attention to detail for equipment and components. If your worksite utilizes flow control systems, the condition and quality of components, such as valves and fittings, can significantly impact its efficiency, reliability, and safety during operation.
Proper cleaning and maintenance of your system components via oxygen cleaning is one of the key ways to ensure your equipment remains operational. Below, we’ll discuss the importance of oxygen-cleaned valves and fittings, and how you can get top-quality services from Hy-Lok Canada.
What Is Oxygen Cleaning?
Fittings and valves for industrial applications are often required to be “cleaner” than a standard soap and water cycle can provide. Organic and inorganic materials can easily accumulate on the surface of these components during the manufacturing process, such as VOCs, grease, hydrocarbon oils, phosphates, and welding particles.
If these materials are introduced into an oxygen-rich environment, they can pose a serious risk to both your equipment and the safety of your employees.
Oxygen-rich environments contain a much higher O2 concentration than we find in breathable air, and if foreign contaminants are introduced, they can cause sparks, autoignition, or combustion in your equipment.
Oxygen cleaning can be completed in a number of ways, including:
- Acid cleaning: Hydrochloric acid, chromic acid, nitric acid, and phosphoric acid are used to remove scale, rust, oxides, oils, and alkaline residue.
- Solvent washing: Generally completed with alcohol or a similar solvent to re-clean fittings and valves.
- Mechanical cleaning: This involves using wire brushes, sandblasters, grinders, and other equipment to remove paint, scale, welding slag, and similar substances.
- Aqueous cleaning: This method utilizes hot water and steam to remove water-soluble particles and contaminants.
- Vapour degreasing: This method is deployed to clean hard-to-reach or inaccessible areas of a fitting or valve using a vaporized solvent.
Oxygen Cleaning Services from Hy-Lok Canada
At Hy-Lok, we understand the importance of safe and reliable components. In addition to being Canada’s leading manufacturer of industrial valves and fittings, we also provide high-quality oxygen cleaning services for all of our products.
Our cleaning services are completed in accordance with ASTM G 93 Int. standards. We also meet SC-11 standards for cleaning and packaging wetted components, which exceed the general requirements for these services!
Whether you operate machinery in steel mills, pharmacies, food services, or oil and gas plants, our team will ensure that your fittings and valves are 100% compliant with oxygen-cleaning requirements, allowing you to seamlessly integrate them into your system.
Contact Us Today
If you require oxygen-cleaned valves and fittings for your industrial operations, partner with Hy-Lok Canada. Since 1977, we have been the leading manufacturer of hydraulic and pneumatic components for Canada’s top industries. Whether you need to place an order for brand-new components or require oxygen cleaning for your existing system parts, we’ll ensure your products are 100% ready for installation.
Contact us today to learn more about these services, and explore our catalogue to discover our high-quality, reliable industrial components.