Supporting a Landmark £69M Clean Energy Aerospace Research Centre
The Challenge
A world-first, £69M clean energy aerospace research centre is pioneering hydrogen and sustainable technologies to shape the future of aviation. But before the first breakthrough could take flight, the facility needed an equally innovative solution to support its advanced fire suppression system.
The challenge? When activated, the system could release fire-suppression fluids containing potentially harmful chemicals. If these entered the sewerage system, the risk to the wider environment would be significant.
This demanded a high-precision, fully automated valve solution, one capable of seamless integration, hands-free operation, and absolute fail-safe reliability, even under pressure.
The Solution
T-T Flow® was called in to engineer a bespoke system. Our valve experts carried out a full site inspection, uncovering significant access and chamber restrictions that dictated the design and configuration of the installation.
The answer: a custom-engineered automatic butterfly valve system, tailored specifically to the project.
Our solution included:
- 1 x DN150 Quartlock® butterfly valve – compact, reliable shut-off with proven performance
- 1 x Flowtork® quarter-turn 220V actuator – precision automation with manual override
- 1 x Bespoke mounting spool – designed and manufactured by T-T Flow® to fit the site’s tight conditions
- Complete assembly, installation, testing, and commissioning by our specialist team
The result: a system built for accuracy, durability, and total integration with the centre’s cutting-edge automated safety controls.
Why Butterfly Valves and Actuation?
- Enhanced Safety: Remote control avoids the need for direct human involvement in hazardous situations.
- Fail-Safe Performance: Automatic shut-off protects against critical plant and environmental damage.
- Space-Saving and Cost-Effective: Butterfly valves reduce space needs and decrease installation cost compared to the conventional options.
- Automation-Ready: Complements seamlessly with plant-wide automation and monitoring systems.
The Products Behind the Project
Heavy-duty quarter-turn valve offering reliable shut-off and flow control in a compact, space-saving design. Its versatility finds application in clean energy and industrial applications.
Key features:
- Fast quarter-turn operation
- Low maintenance
- Lightweight and economical relative to gate or ball valves
- Established shut-off for liquid and gas use
Heavy-duty, precision-engineered Flowtork® actuator provides continuous automation of the valve system, with an optional fail-safe option for guaranteed safety.
Key advantages:
- Torque outputs between 20 Nm and 5000 Nm
- 24V DC, 110V AC, 230V AC and 400V AC voltage choices
- IP67-rated, corrosion-resistant design
- Integration of manual override
- On/off, modulating, and failsafe control compatibility
Custom Mounting Spool
Where the off-the-shelf product was not able to provide the required fit, T-T Flow® designed a bespoke steel spool to ensure precise fitting into restricted site conditions without sacrificing system integrity.
Why Choose T-T Flow®?
From one of the UK's widest ranges of WRAS-approved valves to cutting-edge engineering and an experienced site team, T-T Flow® is trusted to provide robust, cost-effective, and safe fluid control solutions for some of the nation's most innovative projects.
Call us today on +44 (0)1630 647200 to discuss your valve and custom operating equipment requirements.