Many companies do not allow the use of wafer type valves in flammable and/or toxic services. During a fire, the long bolts expand faster than the valve body, causing the joint to lose tightness and making the fire bigger. However, there is no consensus with regard to wafer-lug type valves. Some companies believe that since the bolts are protected inside the lugs the problem is solved. Others believe than the long bolts will always be a problem. In this paper, the authors used finite element analysis to compare the leak-tightness performance of both types during a fire.

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