Kunkle 900 Series valves are versatile workhorses. They’re available in different materials and have a few cap and lever options, so you can use them for numerous air, steam, liquid, or gas services. Since there’s such a wide selection of these 900 Series valves, it can be a challenge to determine which one is the best fit for your application.
In this guide, you’ll learn about the capabilities of the different 900 Series valves to help streamline your selection process.
Material options
We carry four different Kunkle 900 Series models. Each is made from a different combination of construction materials and is rated for varying pressure and temperature ranges.
- Model 910: carbon steel body, stainless steel trim (-20°F – 800°F)
- Model 911: all stainless steel construction (-320°F – 800°F)
- Model 912: bronze/brass body, bonnet, and base (-320°F – 406°F)
- Model 913: bronze/brass body and bonnet, stainless steel trim (-320°F – 425°F)
For detailed information on set pressure ranges for each material and size, download the spec sheets: Models 910 and 911, Models 912 and 913.
When making your selection, keep in mind that certain service conditions may require you to use a specific valve. For example, Kunkle engineering specifies that only entirely stainless steel valves can be used for potable water services to ensure lead isn’t released to drinking water supplies.
Cap lever options
The 900 Series valves are so versatile in part because of the available cap and lever options.
Threaded cap
Threaded caps, sometimes called screwed or plain caps, prevent media from escaping into the atmosphere during a relief event, making it ideal for most gas or liquid services.
You want to avoid these releases because:
- Gas can be harmful to personnel if inhaled
- They can violate Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) air pollution standards
- Liquids can be corrosive or poisonous or cause burns
Keep in mind code restrictions prevent you from using a screwed cap for some applications. ASME Section VIII Division 1, UG136(a)(3), requires that you use a lift lever for valves on water service over 140°F as well as all air and steam services. For water service, a packed lift lever is required — for air or steam, you can use an open lever.
Plain lever
Plain levers, or open levers, are ideal for services that are safe to vent into the atmosphere and require a manual lifting device. You can only use these valves for steam or air services, which ASME Codes require to have levers.
Packed lever
Packed levers are suitable for most air, steam, liquid, and gas services. They provide the benefits of the plain lever, as they allow for ASME code-mandated manual operation, as well as the threaded cap, because they guarantee that process media won’t be released into the atmosphere.
In addition, you can use packed levers for water services operating at or over 140°F. In these instances, ASME Section VIII requires safety relief valves to have a lever since it may see partial steam in a relief scenario. Plain levers aren’t suitable in these situations since they aren’t fully enclosed, so packed levers are the only viable option.
A note about steam services
Kunkle 900 Series valves are only certified for ASME Section VIII steam service — sometimes called off-boiler service — and are well-suited for things like steam lines and heat exchangers. As such, they cannot be used directly on a boiler or any other application that would be covered by the ASME Section I codes.
If you’re looking for a valve to use for a Section I application, check out the Kunkle 6010 series. They come equipped standard with a lever and are available in a variety of sizes.