BECKER ANTI-SURGE VALVE

T-Ball® Anti-Surge Valve

Providing the Complete and Reliable Solution
Background Image: Becker T-Ball® anti-surge valve installed
in a Russian natural gas processing plant providing reliable
protection for nearly a decade.

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Becker T-Ball® Anti-Surge Valve
Whether in natural gas processing or transmission pipelines, petrochemical or LNG facilities, many industries
rely on large compressors. These systems are some of the most critical pieces of your operation and constitute
a significant capital investment. Daily, these compressors are challenged to maximize efficiency by operating as
close as possible to the surge limit. Protecting these vital capital assets is paramount – a faulty anti-surge valve
can jeopardize or even impair your operation.

Complete Anti-Surge Control Solution

The Becker anti-surge valve integrates the patented T-Ball® design with our high performance
actuator, positioner and accessories. Our expertise in designing and integrating these components into a
complete control system provides the reliable and superior performance required through better resolution,
fast response, and significant noise and vibration attenuation.

Combined, these performance features

provide the following added benefits:
■ Exceptional Continuous Control
■ Fast Response and Protection of Critical Equipment
■ Improved System Operating Efficiency
■ Increased Profitability with Minimal Energy Loss
■ Reduced Maintenance and Tuning

Becker
cker T Ball®
T-Ball
The patented rotary control T-Ball® features a non-
clogging quarter-turn design that provides quick and low
impact automation. Its high capacity and rangeability
combined with multi-stage noise attenuating trims
makes it ideal for demanding anti-surge applications.

Becker T-Ball® Anti-Surge Valve | 3

Designed for Maximum Reliability
T-Ball® anti-surge valves are custom designed for maximum reliability by utilizing only the best in class
materials – keeping your system protected from the damaging effects of surge.

ANTI-SURGE
CONTROLLER

T-Ball® Anti-Surge PT
TT FT PT Valve Check
Valve

Centrifigal
or Axial
Compressor
Gas Turbine

ST

Typical Anti-Surge System

T-Ball® anti-surge valves can operate in the critical conditions compressor stations
demand, from high pressure differentials, extreme temperatures to corrosive media.

T-Ball® anti-surge valves are designed for the global market and
Product Range can meet several international industry standards such as:
Valve Style Rotary Control T-Ball®
Standard Description
Actuator Type Single-Acting/Double-Acting Rotary Piston
CRN Canadian Registration Number
Pressure Ratings ANSI Class 150 to 2500
NACE MR0175 Petroleum and Natural Gas Industries - Materials
Sizes NPS 2 to NPS 42 for use in H2S containing environments in oil and
50 mm - 1,070 mm gas production
Temperature Range -76°F to 349°F ATEX Dir. 94/9/EC Equipment for use in Explosive Atmospheres
-60°C to 176°C
PED 27/23/EC EU Pressure Equipment Directive
Shut Off Soft Seat - Tested Up to Class VI
Metal Seat - Tested up to Class V GOST-R Russian Gosstandardt Certificate
End Connections RFFE, RTJ, Weld End RTN Rostechnadzor

Performance
Turndown Over 300:1
Maximum Noise Attenuation Up to 50 dBa
Stroke Full Open < 1 second*
Stroke Full Closed < 5 seconds*
* Larger valves may result in longer opening and closing times

NOTE: Due to Dresser’s dedication to new product development and enhancement data provided is subject to change.

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Each Component is Engineered to Provide
Exceptional Performance.

Controlled Deceleration
A pneumatic cushion engaged in the last
10% of travel prevents impulse loading
from a surge’s quick, high force stroking
speeds—reducing frictional effects that Improved Safety
can occur within the unit. An all-welded spring cartridge configuration
prevents operator injury as the design
Heavy Duty Pneumatic Cylinder is factory configured and prohibits field
The Becker RPSR actuator assembly disassembly.
utilizes a high pressure durable steel
pneumatic cylinder that offers the lowest
break loss pressure. Reduced Maintenance
Vertical actuator orientation works with
Superb Fatigue Resistance gravity to prevent premature piston seal
Heavy duty spring material manufactured wear and tear.
from heat treated 6150H steel alloy
provides virtually infinite life.
Continuous Performance
The T-Ball® features a non-clogging design
that prevents debris scouring and build up,
minimizing maintenance and unplanned
downtime.

Stable Operation
Rotary quarter-turn design provides
quick, easy, and low impact
automation; eliminating the pressure
imbalances that are experienced with
standard balanced valve plugs.

Robust Design
With a single rotating element the T-Ball® is
designed to withstand the vibrations exhibited
Low Emissions
Soft or hard seat options with up to Class
within compressor piping systems.
VI or V minimizes lost energy and improves
compressor efficiency. This long lasting
shutoff is essential in providing critical
equipment protection and maximizing
revenue.

Becker T-Ball® Anti-Surge Valve | 5

Improve Compressor Operating Efficiency
Combining the superior control of a Becker T-Ball® and rotary actuator with the speed and
accuracy of a HPP-SB or SVI® II AP positioner, provides the complete anti-surge valve solution.
This enables your compressor to operate as close as possible to the surge line—maximizing
efficiency without jeopardizing performance.

Features Benefits
■ Pneumatic Positioner Additional equipment not required to power
■ Powered by Pipeline Gas instrumentation

■ High Capacity (Cv) Provides optimum speed of response and

control required for anti-surge valves
■ Rugged Construction
Vibration resistance maintains calibration,
■ Frictionless Design
improving overall process performance
■ ZERO BLEED™
Eliminates O-rings and shafts for greater
reliability
Standard zero emissions in steady state, full
open and full closed control

HPP-SB

Features Benefits
■ Digital Positioner Versatile local or remote communication
■ Powered by Instrument Air configurations

■ HART® protocol Maintains accurate positioning while

limiting service and repair visits
■ Auto Tuning Function
Provides ease of maintenance as well
■ Modular Construction
as platform for upgrades
■ Hazardous Area Approval
Including but not limited to: ATEX,
CSA, FM

SVI® II

In 2007, a major Italy-based integrated energy company carried out a

campaign to monitor fugitive emissions from three turbo-compression
stations on one of their natural gas transmission pipelines. Engineers
discovered that flanges and instrumentation were responsible for 80
percent of the station’s emissions*.
The ZERO BLEED™ feature of the HPP-SB can help eliminate a
significant amount of compressor station emissions, protecting your
assets and the environment.
*Categories monitored: valves, safety valves, flanges and instrumentation

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Maximized Control and Capacity
Flow Profile for 8” (200 mm) QTCV-T2

Recycle Surge Excess

Region Region Capacity
2500
Flow Coefficient (Cv)

2000

1500

1000

500

0
0 10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90

Degrees Travel (Open)

Many cage style valves achieve fast operating speeds by sacrificing the dynamic performance of
the valve at low flow conditions. The equal percentage characteristic of a T-Ball® offers uncompromising
control at both start-up (low flow/high ΔP) and surge.
Additionally, because of the T-Ball®’s unique flow characteristic it is able to perform the functions of
both a recycle valve and an anti-surge valve, with excess capacity for the most extreme conditions.

One of the most common problems experienced with anti-surge

valves is inadequate capacity for all service conditions. The high
T-Ball®
capacity T-Ball® design combined with high rangeability allows a
single valve to accomplish what would typically require two or
Flow Capacity (Cv)

three valves.
In fact major turbine and compressor manufactures recommended
ball style control valves for anti-surge control.

“For equal percentage characteristic, globe

Axial Style
valve capacity (Cv) is approximately equal to
travel squared. Noise attenuating ball valves
have a characteristic where capacity (Cv) is
Globe Style approximately equal to travel cubed. As such,
noise attenuating ball valves are a superior
A single T-Ball® exhibits the same capacity
single valve choice.”
as two axial or three globe valves. -Major U.S. Turbine and Compressor Manufacturer

Becker T-Ball® Anti-Surge Valve | 7

A Perfect Fit
Although all control valves are sized according to process conditions,
anti-surge applications require particular attention.
Anti-surge valves typically must meet two sizing requirements:
1. Enough capacity to recycle the compressor, yet not be oversized
which can choke the flow to the compressor
2. Capacity to depressurize the discharge in less than one second
Through taking your compressor’s performance into account from start-up to
surge, Becker has mastered the art and science of sizing anti-surge valves.
The T-Ball®’s combination of high capacity and high turndown allows a valve
to meet both requirements providing the following benefits:

Benefit T-Ball® Cage Style

Superior capacity protects equipment throughout the compressor's speed range 3
Exceptional turndown allows for the combination of the anti-surge and recycle valve functions into a single source 3
High reliability decreases downtime due to unplanned maintenance 3
Rotating control element eliminates pressure imbalances and excess vibration experienced with plug designs 3
Uncompromising control reduces depressurization time by 50% 3
Quarter-turn stroke enables precise control with fast speed of response 3
Compact design minimizes infrastructure size and weight issues 3
Robust construction provides extended service life in extreme conditions 3

Optimized Trim Selection

The T-Ball® is offered in a series of noise attenuating trims to optimize performance and durability.

T-Ball® Model FPCV-T0 QTCV-T1 QTCV-T2 QTCV-T4 Attenujet®

Noise Attenuation Baseline 7 dBa 17 dBa 25 dBa 20 dBa

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Assuring Your Needs are Met
We understand how critical it is to keep your system up and running.
When it comes to protecting your compressor, Becker makes no compromises.
In order to guarantee exceptional performance in the field, each T-Ball® anti-surge
valve undergoes several validation tests before leaving our factory.
Upon test completion you will be provided with a customized performance
analysis to confirm our anti-surge valve has met all performance requirements.
The table below provides a sample of our
recommended dynamic parameters.

Test Paramteter Value

Full opening by automatic control in response to step change from 20mA to 4mA ≤ 2 sec.
Partial opening to 80% by automatic control in response to step change from 20 to 4mA ≤ 1.5 sec.
Full closing by automatic control in response to step change from 4mA to 20 mA ≤ 5 sec.
Full opening by solenoid valve trip 1 sec
Opening dead time ≤ 0.3 sec.
Maximum restriction of valve movement in response to continuous change of control signal ≤ 1%
from 4 to 20 and 20 to 4 mA.

See for Yourself

Want to know more? We can arrange a live demonstration of our
T-Ball® anti-surge valve via webcam.
This gives you the opportunity to see our anti-surge valve in action
as well as have an in-depth technical discussion with our highly
qualified engineers, without having to leave your office.
To arrange a demonstration, contact your local Becker sales
representative or e-mail: becker@dresser.com

Becker T-Ball® Anti-Surge Valve | 9

Field Proven in Some of the Most Inhospitable Environments
Location: Russia
Application: Natural Gas Production Field
Installation: (Qty. 4) 12” (300) 600 ANSI QTCV-T2

T-Ball® anti-surge valves were selected to protect the compressors of one of the world’s largest natural
gas production fields. Located in the remote subarctic zone, temperatures are below freezing over 250
days of the year – it is not uncommon for temperatures to drop below -65°F (-55°C). For an operation
of this scale, the customer relied on Becker to provide the technology that is critical to maintaining
continuous and stable control.
Becker engineers traveled to the site to conduct a field test of the valves in service – the results further
validated the T-Ball® anti-surge valves’ superior and reliable performance.

Quick Response
Field test data proved T-Ball® anti-surge valves utilizing a HPP-SB
pneumatic positioner maintain precise no stick, no slip control.
In less than a second, the anti-surge valve reached the capacity
required to protect the compressor.

Nominal Turbulence
As soon as the compressor was brought
on line, the T-Ball® anti-surge valve
stabilized the flow without high turbulence.
The inherent rangeability of a T-Ball®
allows control at both start up and
surge conditions.

Negligible Overshoot
Step response performance tests in the field proved T-Ball®
anti-surge valves react quickly to the step changes for small and
large steps with negligible overshoot. As a result, the installed
valves met all stroke time requirements with accurate control.

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T-Ball® anti-surge valves were selected to protect the compressors
in some of the industry’s most critical operations.

*These are only some of our successful installations

 DIRECT SALES OFFICE LOCATIONS
Canada Korea Russia
Phone: + 1 905 864 8466 Office: + 82 2 2274 0771 Phone: +7 495 5851276
Fax: + 1 905 864 8345 Fax: +7 495 5851279
Fax: +82 2 2274 0794

China Turkey
Latin America
Phone: + 86 10 8486 5335 Phone: + 90 212 257 4224
Phone: +1 832 590 2421
Fax: + 86 8486 5335
Fax: +1 832 590 2494
United Kingdom
Dubai Phone: +44 1695 52600
Malaysia
Phone: + 97 14 899 1742 Fax: + 44 1965 52610
Phone: +60 3 2267 2600
Fax: +97 14 885 5482
Fax: +60 3 2267 2700
United States
Italy Phone: + 1 847 434 5940
Netherlands Fax: + 1 847 437 2549
Phone: + 39 02 9884 8054
Fax: + 39 02 9884 8114 Phone: +31 315 27 11 00
Fax: +31 315 271105

About Dresser® Products About Dresser, Inc.

Dresser brand products are highly engineered, technically Dresser, Inc. is a leader in providing highly engineered
superior and are designed to help global customers meet and infrastructure products for the global energy industry. The
exceed requirements for mission critical energy applications. company has leading positions in a broad portfolio of products,
including valves, actuators, meters, switches, regulators, piping
products, natural gas-fueled engines, retail fuel dispensers
and associated retail point-of-sale systems, and air and gas
handling equipment. Leading brand names within the Dresser
portfolio include Dresser Wayne® retail fueling systems,
Waukesha® natural gas-fired engines, Masoneilan® control
valves, Consolidated® pressure relief valves, and Roots®
blowers. It has manufacturing and customer service facilities
located strategically worldwide and a sales presence in more
than 100 countries.

Dresser, Inc.
1550 Greenleaf Avenue
Elk Grove Village, Illinois 60007 USA
Ph: 847.437.5940 Fax: 847.437.2549
Toll Free Phone: 800.323.8844
Email: becker@dresser.com

©2011 Dresser, Inc.

www.dresser.com/becker
Becker and Dresser are registered trademarks of Dresser, Inc. Anti-Surge Control Valve
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