NAFCO

In Previous articles, we discussed about Quality factors of China brass ball valves and Quality Test for China Brass Ball Valves, as an important part of the quality, materials play a critical role, especially for brass valve performance and healthy considerations.
There’re four main aspects to Select China Brass Valve Material:
1. Healthy consideration: Lead (Pb) is a kind of chemical that can dissolve and contaminate water, and make affect the health of people, such as mental health of children. Materials that have high lead rate are not suitable and avoided for drinking water system.

2. Applications of valves: working pressure, working temperature, flow media type.

1. Generally speaking material with more copper(Cu) content has better extensibility, and will stand for higher working pressure and temperature, impurities like Fe, Mn, Sn is not stable for brass material physical function, and may lead to cracks in extreme high or low temperatures.
2. In some seaby places, DZR brass is used to prevent dezincification. Dezincification of duplex brass, which is a form of corrosion, may occur when in contact with certain aggressive waters. Dezincification selectively removes zinc from the alloy, leaving behind a porous, copper-rich structure that has little mechanical strength.

3. Regulations and laws: There are laws or regulation for brass materials in some countries, which should be taken to consideration of selecting materials for brass valves. For example, AB1953 regulations in USA requires that, all the brass valve parts which contacts the water shall have Pb content less than 0.25%; ROHS requires brass material for drinking water system shall have Pb contact less than 3%.

4. Product Costs: the materials with more Copper(Cu) and less Lead(Pb), Fe and other impurities are more expensive in costs, which will also make valve costs higher.

Main brass materials used for China brass valves:

1. China/Global Market: HPb57-3, HPb58-3, HPb59-1, HPb59-3 are most common materials used for China brass valves, which are acceptable for most countries in the world, except for those customers have special requirements.

HPb57-3, also called China Normal brass, a variant of CW614N brass, is a local industry standard, with little Fe contents in composition, and lower costs than CW614N. It’s widely used as a standardized material in China and accepted by most global markets and customers.

HPb58-3 is a variant of CW617N brass and commonly used for brass valves in China local market.

HPb59-1 has less Fe, Pb and higher price costs, it’s more used for high-quality products or market, such as brass fittings for USA market.

Here are some our brass valves made of China materials:

Brass Ball Valves

Brass Check Valves

Brass Radiator Valves

Brass Angle Valves

2. European Market: CW614N and CW617N brass materials are widely used for European brass valves.

CW617N brass has better physical property to stand higher working pressure and temperature, more importantly the Pb percentage share is less than 2.5% and applicable for drinking water systems, good for environment and people’s health.

CW614N Brass is also popularly used because of similar compositions and lower costs, suitable for those applications without much environmental requirements.

CW602N brass is anti-dezincification material and applicable for seawater or salty or chemical water.

Here are some our brass valves for European markets:

Brass Gas Ball Valves

Brass Check Valves

Brass Radiator Valves

Brass Gate Valves

3. USA Market: C46500 and C3700 are most widely used materials for USA brass valves.

As a requirement of AB1953 regulations, all the brass valve parts which contact the water shall have Pb content less than 0.25%, also called lead-free brass or no-lead brass, all the brass water valves for USA market, such as ball valves, brass gate valves, brass check valves, brass angle valves, have been compulsory to use lead free brass.

For those brass valves not for water use, such as brass radiator valves, heating valves, C3700, C377700, or China standard HPb59-1 brass materials are acceptable.