Breaking through technological barriers, the core valve of the world's first UPC device has passed national certification
Recently, Afa Flow Control Co., Ltd. (Hereinafter referred to as"Afa"), in collaboration with the CNPC East China Design Institute, announced that their jointly developed 36" electro-hydraulic top-entry wear-resistant C-ball valve successfully passed the type test conducted by the Zhejiang Pump & Valve Product Quality Inspection Center. The valve's performance indicators fully exceed international standards, and its maximum caliber has been successfully extended to 60". As a core valve for the world's first direct crude-to-chemicals (UPC) project, this milestone signifies that Afa's technical expertise and manufacturing capabilities in high-end industrial valves have reached a world-leading level.
As the world's first industrial demonstration unit for direct crude-to-chemicals technology, the UPC unit imposes rigorous requirements on valve performance, including high-temperature resistance, erosion resistance, and long-term operational stability. To address common pain points such as excessive wear and sealing failure in catalytic cracking conditions, Afa's R&D team collaborated with experts from the CNPC East China Design Institute to innovate with a top-entry structural design and high-end wear-resistant alloy materials. Through flow field simulation optimization and extensive longevity testing, they successfully achieved zero leakage and long-cycle operation under extreme conditions, clearing a critical technical hurdle for the industrial application of the UPC unit.
According to tests by the Zhejiang Pump & Valve Product Quality Inspection Center, this type of Afa’s valve outperforms international and domestic standards—such as API 6D and GB/T 21385—in core metrics like pressure resistance, sealing, and wear resistance.
Key highlights include:
Sealing Performance: Achieved Class VI (zero-leakage), far exceeding the industry-standard Class IV.
Durability: Wear life has been increased by 300%, meeting the UPC unit's requirement for a 5-year continuous operation cycle.
Scalability: The technical roadmap validated by the 36" valve—including the C-type wear-resistant structure and electro-hydraulic control—can be seamlessly applied to the design and production of 60" ultra-large caliber valves.
This achievement provides a new localized solution for fluid control under extreme conditions in the domestic refining and chemical industry.
The successful certification of this product not only validates Afa’s independent R&D capabilities and large-scale manufacturing prowess in high-end valves, but also marks the Afa’s emergence as one of the few suppliers globally capable of providing full-series valve solutions for UPC units. Currently, Afa is set to launch the industrial mass production of 60" valves while simultaneously upgrading its digital production lines. Afa plans to increase its production capacity for ultra-large caliber valves by 50% within the next three years, providing more efficient and reliable fluid control equipment for the global refining, chemical, and energy industries.
Xie Zhengze, Chairman of Afa, stated: "The breakthrough from 36" to 60" is a milestone in Afa’s commitment to an innovation-driven development strategy. We will continue to deepen our collaboration with leading domestic enterprises in the petrochemical, refining, and coal chemical sectors. Using the UPC unit as a starting point, we aim to accelerate the domestic substitution of high-end valves and help propel China’s energy equipment manufacturing to the top of the global value chain."
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