Tideflex Advantage!
Introduction
EPA Grant to Develop Tideflex
Independent Hydraulic Testing
In House Testing
Finite Element Analysis (FEA)
Hydraulic Variations
Manufacturing Capabilities
Continuous Product Development
Patents
AwwaRF Project
Tideflex Mixing Technology
Introduction
The Tideflex Check Valve was invented in the 1970’s and has proven to be a superior performing, completely passive check valve that requires no maintenance.
While the valve looks simple from the exterior, it has required and undergone an unprecedented amount of research & development, prototyping, finite element analysis, in-house testing, independent hydraulic testing, and field study.
R&D, modeling, and testing are performed on a continual basis to further develop the product line. Some of the key issues of why Tideflex provides an undeniable advantage over any other manufacturer are discussed below.
<< back to top
EPA Grant to Develop Tideflex
The USEPA issued a grant to Red Valve Company in 1981 to research and develop, design, and test an all-rubber “duckbill” check valve to overcome problems associated with conventional/mechanical flap gate valves.
Red Valve had been manufacturing a 3-lobed and 4-lobed Tideflex designs since the 1970’s but those configurations had limited success in larger sizes. Over a three-year period, several quarter-scale and full-scale prototypes were designed, fabricated and tested. The 54” Tideflex Valve design was finalized and tested and a multi-year field-evaluation followed that showed significant hydraulic and backflow prevention improvements in performance over flap gates.
The Tideflex became the first reliable check valve that does not require maintenance.
<< back to top
Independent Hydraulic Testing
Red Valve has conducted extensive independent hydraulic testing of Tideflex Check Valves since the 1980’s.
There are up to 50 different hydraulic variations of Tideflex per nominal size (see “Hydraulic Variations” section). Extensive testing was required and a massive amount of data was analyzed to model the effect of valve geometry and relative stiffness on hydraulics. Tideflex were tested from 2” (50mm) to 48” (1200mm) in numerous hydraulic variations within in each size. Valves were tested for free discharge, submerged, and partially submerged conditions.
With the extensive amount of test data, Red Valve developed modeling programs used to provide hydraulic characteristic curves for all Tideflex Valves.
<< back to top
In House Testing
Red Valve continually conducts in-house testing on Tideflex Check Valves. The testing includes cracking pressure, working pressure, and backpressure tests, and specialized tests when required.
As discussed in the “Hydraulic Variations” section, there are up to 50 different variations (constructions) of Tideflex per size that produce different hydraulic characteristics. Each construction also has a specific backpressure rating. Red Valve continually runs these tests to verify the cracking pressure and establish backpressure ratings for each Tideflex Construction.
<< back to top
Finite Element Analysis (FEA)
Red Valve conducted FEA to analyze the deflection, and stress and strain characteristics of Tideflex under various loading conditions including forward differential pressure during flow (submerged and free discharge) and reverse differential pressure during check. The valve and water weight were accounted for which was identified to make a significant impact on the loading.
Red Valve used the results of the FEA to develop fabrication protocols for the construction of each Tideflex that provided enough reinforcement to withstand all of the loads while minimizing stiffness to reduce headloss.
<< back to top
Hydraulic Variations
Red Valve provides Tideflex that meet pressure and hydraulic requirements for each specific project. Tideflex Valves are not “one size fits all”. There are up to 50 different variations of Tideflex within each nominal size. Each variation has its own hydraulic characteristic (headloss, jet velocity, and effective diameter) and backpressure rating. This is achieved by changing the geometry (see adjacent photo) and relative stiffness of the valve.
Tideflex Valves are constructed similar to a truck tire with many types of elastomers and reinforcing ply and fabrics. Each material has a different mechanical property and when combined into a unibody construction, produce specific hydraulic characteristics, i.e. the relative stiffness. We found from this hydraulic testing that even where these materials are placed and their orientation within the wall thickness makes a considerable variation in hydraulics. Extensive hydraulic testing and backpressure testing was required to correlate the specific construction details with the hydraulic performance and backpressure rating of the valves.
<< back to top
Manufacturing Capabilities
Tideflex Technologies (A Division of Red Valve Company) operates one of the most advance rubber-based product manufacturing facilities in the world in it’s 00,000 square foot facility in North Carolina. We invested in the most advanced tooling, machinery, and autoclave equipment to produce the highest quality products in the industry. We manufacture Tideflex Valves from ½” to over 102” in size.
Tideflex Technologies has been manufacturing hand-fabricated and vulcanized rubber products since 1953. That much experience has not only enabled us to continually improve the quality of our products, but also allows us to fabricate special products that no other company can. For example, the adjacent photois an all-rubber wire-reinforced 24”x16” Tideflex Diffuser in a reducing cross configuration with (2) 16” Tideflex and blind flange. Upstream end is a slip-on connection to be retrofit underwater by divers.
Contact us for any of your backflow prevention applications.
<< back to top
Continuous Product Development
Following the development, testing and field validation of the Tideflex with the USEPA in the 1980’s, Red Valve continued R&D, independent hydraulic testing, FEA, and in-house testing to continuously improve the Tideflex product line. Many of the improvements cannot be seen as they are made within the wall thickness of the valve that have proven to improve durability, increase the life and improve the hydraulic characteristics.
Along with continuous product improvements, Red Valve has also developed new check valve products and/or product enhancements such as the TF-1, the Curved Bill, Saddle Supports, the Waterflex, Wide-Bill Tideflex and many more.
<< back to top
Patents
Since its beginning in 1953, Red Valve has been a pioneer in the water and wastewater markets with a great reputation for developing innovative solutions to solve customers problems with quality products that are extremely reliable are require very little or no maintenance. With this pioneering spirit, Red Valve has received over 50 patents for new products and systems.
<< back to top
AwwaRF Project
Red Valve partnered with the Georgia Institute of Technology on a 2006 project entitled “Physical Modeling of Mixing in Water Storage Tanks”. Scale models were run on circular and rectangular reservoirs and standpipes to analyze the effect of tank geometry, inlet/outlet port configurations, inlet momentum and temperature differences on mixing.
Tideflex Mixing Systems & AwwaRF >>
<< back to top
Tideflex Mixing Technology
Red Valve has acquired extensive knowledge and experience of mixing processes in many types of applications including potable water storage tanks, coarse and fine bubble aeration systems, hydraulic recirculation systems, and effluent diffuser systems. Red Valve engineer’s run system models for each application that are based on extensive independent hydraulic test data, CFD models, Scale Models, and field studies.
Tideflex Mixing Systems >>
<< back to top