A Vietnamese lithium-materials plant had been losing time to leaking valves. Switching to integrated PPH ball valves for lithium plants stopped the leaks for good. Here is what happened.
Industry: Lithium / battery materials · Location: Vietnam · Product: PPH pneumatic ball valves. Customer name withheld for confidentiality; technical details and results are as supplied by the project.
The challenge
The plant had taken manual PPH true union ball valves and retrofitted them to pneumatic actuation in the field — using an EPDM seal and a makeshift mounting bracket. The improvised assembly leaked: the bracket misaligned the actuator on the valve stem, and the seal was not matched to the media. On a line carrying process chemicals, that meant downtime risk and a chemical-exposure hazard.
Why integrated PPH ball valves for lithium plants
We replaced the retrofitted units with integrated PPH ball valves for lithium plants, where the valve, actuator, mounting, and seal are engineered and assembled as one unit. The actuator is aligned to the stem at the factory, and the seal is selected to the actual media — eliminating the alignment and sealing faults of the field conversion. PPH also brings the molecular toughness that suits the plant’s alkaline and salt-laden process chemistry.
The results
- No leaks since the switch to the integrated valves.
- Correct actuator alignment and a media-matched seal, removing the failure points of the field retrofit.
- A safer, lower-maintenance line.
A field retrofit saves money up front but often fails at the bracket and the seal. A factory-integrated actuated valve solves both — and that is usually cheaper over the life of the line.
Automating a corrosive or alkaline line?
We are a factory-direct manufacturer of plastic valves, with a low MOQ (20 pieces), samples on request, and OEM/custom configurations. See our PPH pneumatic ball valves, PPH ball valves, and full range of PPH valves — or request a quote with your media and operating conditions, and our engineers will reply within 24 hours with the right configuration.