A Glance Inside the Belimo HVAC Valve Test Lab

Belimo Americas 200,000 square foot facility enables expanded manufacturing capabilities; it also serves as a HVAC showcase to give visitors a firsthand experience of how Belimo technologies can improve controllability, comfort, and energy efficiency in structures. The new facility features a number of the company’s very own proprietary products and is on track to achieve LEED® Gold Certification from the U.S. Green Building Council. The building includes a state-of-the-art HVAC control valve design and testing laboratory.

Over the years the Belimo test lab has grown to support the needs of Belimo and their customers.  It has grown from 600 square feet in 2001 to 15,000 square feet in 2015.  Testing capacity has also grown from 23 test positions in 2001 to 280 test positions in 2015.  The design of the new lab focused on safety and ergonomics.

Belimo’s performance testing verifies that their products comply with industry and trade association specifications.  The testing is performed with ISO 9000 traceability, and based on ANSI, EN, IEC, ISA, MSS, and VDI VDE standards

Performance testing provides a high level of assurance to their customers.  The Belimo test lab can perform flow testing on valve sizes ranging from ½” to 6” and includes: equal percentage curve, pressure independent curve and range ability.  Shell testing is performed for threaded and flanged valves up to 5,000 psi.  Automated systems for flow testing improve accuracy, precision, repeatability and efficiency.  The lab’s flow testing capacity is a combined flow of 6,000 GPM .

The durability testing involves subjecting ½ “ through 6” valves to 100,000 full cycles at worst case temperature and pressure conditions with a maximum temperature of 302 ⁰F (150 ⁰C).  With 12,000 GPM durability testing capacity, they could fill an Olympic size swimming pool every hour or one standard above-ground pool every minute.  Long life testing is also performed; where the valve is subjected to application conditions (including varying water quality) for months or even years at a time.

In the future, Belimo plans to increase test rig automation, further increasing accuracy and efficiency.  They plan to add end tester style characterization equipment, highly accelerated life testing (HALT) and high volume compact durability testers all of which will improve test throughput.  Conducting individual component testing will ensure each and every part of our valves continues to be robust and reliable.

The Belimo Valve Test Lab always continuously looks for ways to improve their testing methods and equipment.

Take a Tour and View the Belimo Valve Test Lab.

 


 

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