What materials can be used for Oxygen Service?

flowserve butterfly valve

air butterfly valve

ptfe butterfly valve

All organic and inorganic materials react with gaseous or liquid oxygen at a given pressure and temperature. That would cause a fire or an explosion. Due to these inherent hazards, process system design and control valve material selection are important. 

  • Resistance to Ignition in Oxygen
    Materials are listed in order from hardest to ignite to
    easiest to ignite.
  • Copper, copper alloys, and nickel‐copper alloys – most resistant
  • Stainless steel (300 series)
  • Carbon steel
  • Aluminum ‐ least resistant

Rate of Reaction
Materials are listed in order from slowest rate of
combustion to most rapid rate of combustion.

  • Copper, copper alloys, and nickel‐copper alloys – do
    not normally propagate combustion
  • Carbon steel Stainless steel (300 series)
  • Aluminum ‐ burns very rapidly
    Note that stainless steel, once ignited, burns more
    rapidly than carbon steel. Nevertheless, the austenitic
    grades (300 series) of stainless steel are considered to
    be much better than carbon steel because of their high resistance to ignition.

fluoroseal valves