Not all Tungsten Carbide is the same

When you hear of industrial drill bits, armor-piercing bullets or erosion resistant choke valves you will hear of Tungsten Carbide, WC (chemical formula). Why? Because Tungsten Carbide is one of the hardest substances known to man. Made of Tungsten and Carbon, WC forms a fine gray powder.?Alone this powder does NOT form shapes well and needs to be sintered with special binders such as Cobalt and Nickel.

Varying binder formulations and the manufacturing process in which they are added will change WC's material properties greatly.?This is what separates one brand or grade from another. The Tungsten Carbide tips of a Needle and Seat choke trim shown below were not adequate to prevent erosion in this oil and gas application.

In today’s modern oil and gas frack environment, sand, high pressure, chemical attack and flow velocity are all detrimental to the internal components of a choke valve.?These components or trim, must exhibit extreme erosion and chemical resistance, be tough, and endure tremendous forces due to pressure.?Just because a valve company states thier valves have Tungsten Carbide trim is not always sufficent. It would be like a mechanic stating "...we put tires on your car" with out surveying your needs. Well what brand were they? Were they the right size? Were they the right tread for the season? Were they the right speed rating for my driving habits? Proper tire selection has to be sized based on the needs of the vehicle, driver and the job at hand.

Master Flo Valve, has sized and developed a proprietary Tungsten Carbide called 5CB specifically for the oil and gas industry. 5CB features a special binder formulation and manufacturing process that stands out above the rest in toughness, hardness, erosion resistance and corrosion resistance.?Combine Master Flo’s choke fluid impingement nozzle design that dissipates harmful kinetic energy, with a trim made of 5CB Tungsten Carbide and you have one of the world’s most erosion resistant choke valves.?

Laboratory testing and years of in the field service have proven 5CB Tungsten Carbide exhibits less erosive wear than common commercial grades of Tungsten Carbide used by most choke valve manufacturers. At the wellhead, longer lasting chokes mean less maintenance, less downtime, more production potential, and safer work site conditions. From the bottom of the ocean to the plains of the Permian and beyond, Master Flo Valve has a flow solution for the oil and gas industry.

Visit www.masterflo.com to find out how they can help you master your flow!