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KREBS® Vacuum Breaker Valve

Break the vacuum, not your pipes with our automatic Vacuum Breaker Valve

In the event of pump or power failure, you need an automatic solution to break the vacuum created in your pipeline and prevent piping collapse. Our KREBS T1 Vacuum Breaker Valves, which unobtrusively mount on the top of the slurry pipeline, are self-operating – no actuator required.

Key benefits

Protect your pipeline with our Vacuum Breaker Valves
Automatic, trouble-free operation expand_more
The KREBS Vacuum Breaker Valve is self-operating, and requires no air or electricity for an external actuator. In the event of a vacuum condition in your pipeline, it will cause the ball inside the valve to drop, allowing air to enter the pipeline and break the vacuum.
Simple, low-cost solution expand_more
Operating automatically, the KREBS Vacuum Breaker Valve is a simple solution for pipeline protection. With no actuators or controls required, it is available at much lower cost than a conventional system.
Proven and reliable expand_more
The KREBS Vacuum Breaker Valve has been proven in mining operations around the world for almost 50 years.

Product Features

Automatic protection from pipeline vacuum situations

Our proven Vacuum Breaker Valve is a self-actuated, one-way, free ball slurry check valve, specifically designed to break the vacuum created by pump or power failure.

 

A failing pump or power outage can create a vacuum in the slurry pipeline, and can lead to a piping collapse. All pipelines have the potential to create vacuum conditions. And the widespread use of ABS piping has really brought this problem to light, as collapses can happen at lower vacuums than with metal pipe.

 

Abrasive slurries create specific challenges with pipeline vacuums. And the risk is especially inherent in cold climates, where temperatures can cause tailings lines to become brittle and much more susceptible to fracture in a vacuum situation. Our automatic KREBS Vacuum Breaker Valve is a self-operating, one-way free ball slurry check valve. It mounts on the high points in a slurry line to break the vacuum that is created in the event of pump or power failure.

KREBS Vacuum Breaker Valve features

  • Self-operating – no actuator required
  • No heat tracers required on tailings lines
  • Close coupling the valve to the slurry pipeline allows latent heat in the slurry to prevent freezing
  • Unobtrusive – mounts on the top of the slurry pipeline
  • Works even under pipeline priming conditions
  • Available in 100 mm (4-in) size only, which is suitable for pipelines up to 750 mm (30-in) in diameter
  • Multiple connection types available, including flange, Victaulic™, slip-on flange
  • Pressure rating available: 150 PSIG, 300 PSIG, 450 PSIG, 600 PSIG
  • Multiple drilling patterns available to meet your specifications
  • Fully lined, with multiple elastomer options to suit your specific application, including pure gum rubber, chlorobutyl, neoprene, and EPDM

How it works

With the pipeline in operation, the advancing slurry column increases the positive pressure in the pipeline and raises the ball to its seating position, effectively sealing the valve.

 
Should a pump or power failure cause the slurry pipeline to go down, so it is not in operation, the ball will drop to the bottom of the valve housing, allowing air to enter around it and rush into the pipeline, effectively breaking the vacuum.

 
Our valve requires no heat tracers for tailings lines. By close coupling the valve to the slurry pipeline, the latent heat in the slurry will prevent freezing. The ball floats in water, so it works even when priming the line.

Customer Stories

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