Section 15101 VALVE AND GATE OPERATORS

Section 15101

VALVE AND GATE OPERATORS

PART 1 – GENERAL

1.1 THE REQUIREMENT

A. The work of this Section includes providing all shut off and throttling valves with manual and power operators as indicated. The Contractor shall provide the valve and gate operators, complete and operable, including all controls, motors, gears, enclosures and other necessary appurtenances as indicated.

B. The work also requires that the valve or gate manufacturer accept responsibility for furnishing the work in this Section but without altering or modifying the Contractor’s responsibilities under the Contract Documents.

C. The work additionally requires that the one manufacturer who accepts the indicated responsibilities shall manufacture the valve or gate, as a minimum.

D. The work also includes coordination of design, assembly, testing and installation.

1.2 REFERENCE SPECIFICATIONS, CODES AND STANDARDS

A. Comply with the reference specifications of Section 01090.

B. Comply with the current provisions of the following Codes and Standards.

1. Commercial Standards: ANSI/AWWA C540 - Standard for Power-Actuating

Devices for Valves and Slide Gates

1.3 SUBMITTALS

A. Submittals shall be made in accordance with Section 01300.

B. The following submittals and specific information shall be provided:

1. Manufacturer's catalog information and other data confirming conformance to design and material requirements.

2. Electrical wiring and control diagrams.

1.4 QUALITY ASSURANCE

A. For all electric motor operators, it shall be the responsibility of the Contractor to provide a qualified representative of the valve manufacturer to perform all field adjustments to set operator limit switches for the required functions. All wiring of motor operators shall be identified with a unique number unlike any other wiring identification. It is the responsibility of the Contractor to coordinate the requirements of this Section with those involving both electrical and instrumentation specifications.

B. All adjustments, calibration, and/or testing shall be done in the presence of the Engineer.

PART 2 – PRODUCTS

2.1 GENERAL

A. General: Unless otherwise indicated, all shut-off and throttling valves, and externally- actuated valves and gates, shall be provided with manual or power operators. The Contractor shall furnish all operators complete and operable with mounting hardware, motors, gears, controls, wiring, solenoids, handwheels, levers, chains, and extensions, as applicable. All operators shall be capable of holding the valve in any intermediate position between fully-open and fully-closed without creeping or fluttering. All wires of motor-driven operators shall be identified by unique numbers.

B. Materials: All operators shall be current models of the best commercial quality materials and liberally-sized for the maximum expected torque. All materials shall be suitable for the environment in which the valve or gate is to be installed.

C. Mounting: All operators shall be securely mounted by means of brackets or hardware specially designed and sized for this purpose and of ample strength. The word “open” shall be cast on each valve or operator with an arrow indicating the direction to open in the counter-clockwise direction. All gear and power operators shall be equipped with position indicators. Where possible, manual operators shall be located between 48 and

60 inches above the floor or a permanent work platform.

D. Standard: Unless otherwise indicated and where applicable, all operators shall be in accordance with ANSI/AWWA C540.

E. Functionality: Electric operators shall be coordinated with power and instrumentation equipment indicated elsewhere in the Contract Documents.

2.2 MANUAL OPERATORS

A. General: Unless otherwise indicated, all valves and gates shall be furnished with manual operators. Valves in sizes up to and including 3 ½-inches shall have direct acting lever or handwheel operators of the manufacturer’s best standard design. Larger valves and gates shall have gear-assisted manual operators, with an operating pull of maximum 60 pounds on the rim of the handwheel. All buried and submerged gear-assisted valves, all gates, all gear-assisted valves for pressures higher than 250 psi, all valves 30-inches in diameter and larger, and where so indicated, shall have worm-gear operators, hermetically-sealed and grease-packed, where buried or submerged. All other valves 4- inches to 24-inches in diameter shall have worm-gear operators as indicated.

B. Buried Valves: Unless otherwise indicated, all buried valves shall have extension stems to grade, with wrench nuts located within 6-inches of the valve box cover, position indicators, and cast-iron or steel pipe extensions with heavy valve boxes with stay-put, hot-dip galvanized covers, and operating keys. Where so indicated, buried valves shall be in cast-iron, concrete, or similar valve boxes with covers of ample size to allow operation of the valve operators. Covers of valve boxes shall be permanently labeled as requested by the Engineer. A minimum of 2 operating keys, or one key per 10 valves, whichever is greater shall be furnished.

C. Chain Operator: Manually operated valves with the stem located more than 7 feet 6 inches above the floor or operating level shall be furnished with chain drives consisting of sprocket-rim chain wheels, chain guides, and operating chains, and be provided by the valve manufacturer. The wheel and guide shall be of ductile iron or cast iron, and the chain shall be hot-dip galvanized steel or stainless steel, extending to 5 feet 6 inches above the operating floor level. The valve stem of chain operated valves shall be extra strong to allow for the extra weight and chain pull. For plug valves 8 inches and larger, the actuator shall be provided with a hammer blow wheel. Hooks shall be provided for chain storage where chains interfere with pedestrian traffic.

D. Floor Boxes: Hot-dip galvanized cast iron or steel floor boxes and covers to fit the slab thickness shall be provided for all operating nuts in or below concrete slabs. For operating nuts in the concrete slab, the cover shall be bronze bushed.

E. Adjustable Shaft Valve Boxes: Adjustable shaft valve boxes shall be concrete or cast iron valve extension boxes. Covers shall be labeled as directed by the Engineer.

F. Manual Worm-Gear Operator: The operator shall consist of a single or double reduction gear unit contained in a weatherproof cast iron or steel body with cover and minimum 12- inch diameter handwheel. The operator shall be capable of 90-degree rotation and shall be equipped with travel stops capable of limiting the valve opening and closing. The operator shall consist of spur or helical gears and worm gearing. The spur or helical gears shall be of hardened alloy steel and the worm gear shall be alloy bronze. The worm-gear shaft and the handwheel shaft shall be of 17-4 PH or similar stainless steel. All gearing shall be accurately cut with hobbing machines. Ball or roller bearings shall be used throughout. Operator output gear changes shall be mechanically possible by simply changing the exposed or helical gearset ratio without further disassembly of the operator. All gearing shall be designed for a 100 percent overload.

2.3 ELECTRIC MOTOR OPERATORS

A. General: Where electric motor operators are indicated, an electric motor-actuated valve control unit shall be attached to the actuating mechanism housing by means of a flanged motor adaptor piece.

B. Motor: Operator motors shall be specifically designed for valve or gate actuator service and shall be of totally enclosed, non-ventilated construction. Motors shall be suitable for use with 460-volt, 3-phase, 60-Hz power. Motors shall be rated for continuous duty and shall be provided with NEMA Class F insulation. A thermistor or thermal switches for thermal protection shall be embedded in the motor windings.

C. Enclosure: Unless otherwise specified, motor and all electrical enclosures shall be rated NEMA 4. Operators located in hazardous areas shall be provided with NEMA 7 enclosures.

D. Motor Starter: Operator shall be provided with a 3-phase full voltage reversing starter with overload elements in each of the three poles.

E. Disconnect Switch: Operator shall be provided with a heavy duty non-fused disconnect switch close coupled to the motor operator.

F. Gearing: Gearing shall be double-reduction, with a helical gear and pinion forming the first reduction and a worm and worm gear forming the second. The helical gear and pinion shall be fabricated from heat-treated alloy steel with hobbed and finished shaved teeth. The worm shall be fabricated from heat-treated alloy steel, ground, carburized and hardened. The worm gear shall be fabricated from high tensile strength bronze with hobbed teeth. Actuator stem nut to housed in a separable housing bolted to the base of the actuator allowing the actuator to be removed when the valve is in any position. All gearing shall be designed to withstand a 100 percent overload.

G. Torque Switch: Electric operators shall be provided with a double-torque switch set to disengage motor power at 75 percent of the shaft’s design torque. Torque switches in the open and closed direction of travel shall be calibrated directly in engineering units of torque.’

H. Manual Operator: Electric operators shall be provided with a handwheel for manual operation. The handwheel shall not rotate during motor operation nor shall a locked motor prevent manual operation. Motor or manual selection shall be accomplished by a positive declutching knob or lever which will disengage the motor and motor gearing mechanically but not electrically. It shall not be possible for the unit to be in manual and motor operation simultaneously. Hand operation shall not require more than 100 pounds of rim effort at maximum torque.

I. Hammer Blow Device: All electric operators shall have the capability to unseat the valve immediately upon start-up.

PART 3 – EXECUTION

3.1 INSTALLATION

A. All valve and gate operators and accessories shall be installed in accordance with

Section 15100 and where specified and designated on the drawings.

B. Installation shall be as specified herein. Valve operators shall be located so that they are readily accessible for operation and maintenance. Valve operators shall be mounted for unobstructed access, but mounting shall not obstruct walkways. Valve operators shall not be mounted where shock or vibration will impair their operation. Support systems shall not be attached to handrails, process piping, or mechanical equipment.

C. Testing: The Contractor shall demonstrate that each valve operator will operate under field conditions as designed and in the manner for which the operator was specified. All testing will be witnessed and approved by the Engineer.

END OF SECTION